Patterns of crisis among Israeli reserve soldiers

Draws on concepts put forth by Alfred Hirschman in Exit, Voice, and Loyalty (1970) to explore the motivational crisis being experienced by Israeli citizens in regard to compulsory annual military reserve duty. Hirschman's three modes of response to organizational pressure are amended to "withdrawal, protest, & dissent" to better describe the degrees of resistance shown by Israeli reservists, especially during the war in Lebanon, & later during the Intifada. Withdrawal refers to apathy, indifference, & alienation, rather than open confrontation. Protest typically takes the form of complaints written for publication without dissociation from service. Dissent involves deliberately refusing to serve & means facing court martial, emigrating, or even committing suicide. It is contended that most reservists serve loyally when there is a clear moral imperative to do so, but express resistance in morally controversial situations, even though they do not wish to separate themselves from Israeli society. J. Lindroth