Rights10/8/2026

Reservists Petitioned the High Court of Justice Against the Automatic Suspension of Service Due to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

117 reservist soldiers and commanders petitioned the High Court of Justice against an IDF policy under which service is suspended in cases of a psychiatric disability rating of 30% or higher. They demand that, instead of a blanket restriction, an individual assessment be conducted of each person’s suitability for their specific role.

Key facts

•Petitioners: 117 reservists
•Court: Supreme Court of Israel sitting as the High Court of Justice
•Publication and filing date: October 8, 2026
•Policy threshold: psychiatric disability rating of 30% or higher
•The case number is not specified in the source
•No shekel sums were specified

Who Filed the Petition

The petitioners are reservists coping with post-traumatic stress disorder—combat soldiers, combat-support soldiers, and commanders holding the rank of lieutenant colonel or lower. The petition was filed against the head of the IDF Manpower Directorate, the chief medical officer, the IDF, the minister of defense, and the acting head of the Ministry of Defense’s Rehabilitation Department.

What Exactly Is in Dispute

According to the petitioners, information about people whom the Rehabilitation Department had assigned a psychiatric disability rating exceeding 30% was transferred to the IDF without their consent, after which their service was automatically suspended pending reassessment. The petitioners maintain that a disability rating determined for rehabilitation purposes does not, in itself, prove unfitness for military service or the existence of a danger. They also point to unequal treatment: the restriction applies to injured persons officially recognized by the Ministry of Defense, but not necessarily to people in a similar condition who did not seek recognition or who were recognized under a different framework.

The Legal Arguments and Demands

The petition alleges that the medical information was transferred without legal authority and in violation of the rules governing the disclosure of sensitive information. According to the petitioners, information about post-traumatic stress disorder may be transferred between medical bodies only under the conditions prescribed by law, including in a case involving a suicide attempt related to such a condition. They seek to halt the transfer of information and delete information already transferred, revoke the blanket suspension, reinstate the affected reservists, establish a lawful and equitable review mechanism, and urgently suspend the existing procedure through an interim order.

The Court Has Not Yet Issued a Decision

The materials presented reported only that the petition had been filed with the Supreme Court of Israel sitting as the High Court of Justice. The case number, the respondents’ position in this petition, and any judicial decision do not appear in the source. The IDF previously stated that the information had been transferred lawfully and, following criticism, promised to restrict access to the personal information to a small group of authorized individuals.

What this means for you

The dispute concerns not only the continuation of reserve service, but also the confidentiality of the medical information of soldiers coping with post-traumatic stress disorder. For people in similar circumstances, the outcome of the proceeding may determine whether service may be suspended automatically based on disability percentages, or whether an individual fitness assessment will be required. At this stage, the court has not revoked the policy: the source does not report an interim order or a final decision.

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Case analysis based on court rulings