Israel army ‘threatens’ and suspends reservists demanding hostage deal progress

Israeli army reservists have been threatened and suspended by the occupation armed forces after signing a letter in which they state their refusal to serve without progress on a hostage deal in the besieged Gaza Strip. One soldier described the army’s response as “threatening”, while another reported receiving a “lengthy reprimand” from his brigade commander.

The letter, reported by Israeli newspaper Haaretz, was signed by 130 soldiers, including 64 who used their full names.

“A year after the abductions, it has been proven that military pressure kills hostages,” said the signatories. “Only a deal will bring them back safely. Most of [us] have done dozens of days of reserve duty over the last year, a large proportion of them in combat roles, officers’ roles and fighting inside Gaza. We see a black flag flying over the abandonment of our brothers and sisters in Gaza and are willing to take extreme steps in light of the extreme situation.”

Ministers are said to have railed at the signatories last Thursday during a meeting of the security cabinet. Sources present at the meeting said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged strong measures against any manifestation of refusal to serve, saying it should be nipped in the bud “forcefully, using all the measures allowed by law.” He alleged that the signatories “have lost their national conscience, or actually, never had one.”

The response from the occupation army has been swift, with suspensions reportedly issued a few days ago. Commanders have been calling signatories, including those currently on active duty in Gaza, to inform them of their suspension and potential future ineligibility for reserve duty.

This development comes amidst growing criticism of Netanyahu’s handling of the hostage situation. He has been accused of torpedoing ceasefire talks by imposing new conditions, such as military control over the Philadelphi Corridor, a strip of land between Gaza and Egypt. Critics argue that he is prioritising his personal interests over the safety and release of the hostages.

Despite stating initially that the release of hostages was the primary goal of the military offensive in Gaza, Netanyahu’s government has not only failed to secure their release, but also expanded military operations across the region. This includes indiscriminate bombing in the illegally occupied West Bank, Syria, Iran and Lebanon, where more than 1.2 million people have been displaced and more than 2,000 have been killed, including some in Christian neighbourhoods not controlled by Hezbollah.

This latest act by Israeli reservists is part of a long-standing tradition of conscientious objection within the Israeli military. For decades, soldiers have refused to serve in the occupation army, often becoming vocal advocates against the human rights violations they are expected to commit in maintaining the illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories.

Breaking the Silence, for example, is a non-governmental organisation established in 2004 by veterans of the Israeli army. The group has been a persistent thorn in the side of the Israeli state, consistently exposing the harsh realities and cruelties of the occupation through members’ first-hand testimonies.

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