Civilian effort to equip Israeli soldiers for war with Hezbollah ratchets up alongside hostilities

As tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have escalated, Israeli soldiers preparing to be deployed to the north are increasingly seeking help from civilian donation efforts that have supported them in Gaza.

Adi Vaxman, the head of the U.S.-based donation effort Operation Israel, has seen a surge in requests from individual soldiers as security concerns involving Hezbollah grow.

“With the situation in the north, the demand has tripled in the last few days,” Vaxman told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. She expects the total number of requests in September to double compared to August.

Civilian volunteers have been working to understand the specific needs arising from the escalating conflict in the north, which differs from the situation in Gaza and involves a more capable adversary in Hezbollah.

Following discussions with senior officers in charge of military logistics, another civilian initiative called the Discretionary Fund for Israel, led by Daniel Polisar of Shalem College, launched an $8 million fundraising campaign earlier this month.

The fundraising amount was determined based on the required equipment and recent military procurements. For example, drones, which were previously in high demand from donors, are now being distributed in large numbers by the military, according to Polisar.

In a fundraising email, Polisar warned donors of an impending escalation in the conflict and the insufficient supplies available to the soldiers.

“I’m writing at one of the most difficult times Israel has faced since Hamas’s atrocities of October 7 precipitated a multi-front war,” Polisar wrote. “The evolving situation has created grave new risks for the brave men and women defending our country.”

Since the fundraising appeal, the situation has indeed intensified. The Israeli cabinet has set the return of 60,000 displaced Israelis as a war aim, pagers have exploded in Lebanon, Israel targeted a top Hezbollah commander, Hezbollah retaliated with rocket attacks, and a significant Israeli military division was redeployed to the northern border.

Recent events have raised the possibility of ground fighting, prompting soldiers to request essential combat items like helmets and body armor plates, along with additional equipment.

The terrain in the north is different from Gaza, with drones needing to cover longer distances, requiring special batteries and antennas. Soldiers are also seeking protective netting to counter Hezbollah’s drone attacks.

As the winter months approach, weather conditions become a factor, especially at high elevations. The rugged topography in northern Israel and southern Lebanon makes threat detection challenging, leading soldiers to request surveillance cameras.

Despite the willingness of Diaspora Jews to support soldiers with combat gear, concerns have been raised about the military’s inability to fully equip itself.

Polisar addressed these concerns in a follow-up message, acknowledging the scale of the conflict and the military’s efforts to meet equipment needs.

Following earlier attempts by the military to restrict donations to individual units, recent developments indicate a more lenient approach, with officers no longer actively preventing donations, as reported by civilian aid groups.