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Israel's military is preparing to distribute M4 rifles and combat equipment to approximately 10,000 reserve soldiers for permanent storage in their homes, according to a report in Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.
The initiative centers on the "David Division," a unit established roughly a year ago comprising volunteer reservists between ages 40 and 60 who returned to service after completing their mandatory reserve obligations. Each member will receive a fully loaded rifle, magazines, helmet and combat vest to keep at their residence year-round.
The program reportedly aims to ensure immediate mobilization capacity if Israel faces an emergency similar to the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, the newspaper reported. Under the arrangement, participating reservists would wear their uniforms only a few weeks annually during training periods, spending the remainder of the year as civilians with military-grade weapons stored in their homes.
The plan marks a significant departure from previous Israeli military doctrine. Before the Oct. 7 attacks, the army prohibited reservists from taking weapons home during leave periods due to concerns about security incidents from unauthorized use and theft risks.
Military officials have since restructured policies regarding weapon storage and reservist readiness in response to vulnerabilities exposed during last year's infiltration, which caught many communities and military units unprepared for rapid mobilization.
The home-storage arrangement means reservists in the David Division will maintain possession of long-barreled rifles as personal items while functioning as full-time civilians for most of the year. The rifles will remain loaded and accessible, intended for emergency deployment rather than routine training exercises.
According to Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel's total reserve force numbers approximately 400,000 personnel. The planned home-armament program would initially cover roughly 2.5% of that force, focusing on the volunteer division created specifically for rapid-response scenarios.
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