Reservist officers and soldiers of the Israeli Military Intelligence’s Special Operations Division came out strongly against the coalition’s planned judicial overhaul on Friday, warning in an open letter that they would stop showing up for duty should the government move ahead with its plans.
The more than 100 Israeli officers and soldiers who signed the letter join groups of pilots, tankists, submariners, sailors, and other special forces who have penned similar letters in recent weeks.
In the open letter, the reservists called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to halt the proposed judicial legislation immediately and reach a consensus, or risk “the erasure of Israeli democracy.”
“We, the undersigned, have served with great pride in complex key roles for years, on a voluntary basis, in the IDF Special Operations Division, which is one of the most sensitive units in the security system of the State of Israel,” the letter read, as cited by The Times of Israel.
“This is a moment of emergency. If the legislation that aims to turn the judicial system into a political and non-independent branch [of government] continues, i.e. the erasure of Israeli democracy, and if a broad consensus is not reached on the issue, we will not continue to volunteer for reserve service in the Special Operations Division,” the reservists wrote.
“We have served with endless sacrifice this country, which we love so much, but we will not volunteer for reserves in the Special Operations Division when a huge black flag flies over the actions of the government,” the letter read.
“The legislation in question will destroy everything we have served and fought for. We will not let that happen,” it added.
The signatories included lieutenant colonels, colonels, brigadier generals, and a major general, among dozens of junior officers and sergeants.
Source: Israeli media
