100 officers reject military services, protest against judicial overhaul

Around 100 officers from a secret unit of the Israeli Air Force have threatened to stop military service if the government goes ahead with legislation limiting the power of the judiciary.

This came in a letter signed by the officers and sent to mass media. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Friday that the list of officers includes two former Air Force commanders.

“Our conscience may determine that we can no longer be part of the reserve service,” the officers wrote, adding: “We feel afraid that taking part in the military service in light of the Constitutional changes that undermine Israeli democracy could be a breach our oath, our conscience and our mission.”

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According to Haaretz, hundreds of officers and commanders from different units announced on Thursday that they would cease their military services as reservists starting Sunday in protest against the judicial overhaul.

“We do not have a contract with a dictator,” they conveyed in a letter sent to the media. “We will happily return to our voluntary work as soon as democracy is guaranteed.”

These letters were among several similar ones signed and issued by hundreds of Israeli officers and commanders from the Israeli military and intelligence services.

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