Dozens of Israel’s air force reservists announced Sunday that
they will not show up to duty for a training day in protest of the
government’s planned judicial overhaul, Trend reports citing
Xinhua.
In an open letter, 37 of the 40 reservist pilots of Squadron 69,
an elite air force unit, said they will not take part in an
exercise scheduled for Wednesday.
The military did not comment on the letter, but Israeli Defense
Minister Yoav Gallant said in a video statement that “any call for
military disobedience harms the functioning of the army and its
ability to carry out its duties.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s extreme-right
coalition government is pressing on with judiciary overhaul to
“curb the overly activist Supreme Court.”
Fearing that Netanyahu, who faces an ongoing trial over
corruption charges, wishes to gain excessive power over the legal
system, tens of thousands of Israeli have been staging weekly
public demonstrations over the past two months.
The Israeli air force has counted heavily on reservists on the
battlefield, particularly pilots, navigators and other aircrew
members. The reservists have been called for training several times
a year to maintain the air force’s readiness.
Discussion about this post