IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi says Israeli military reservists do not have a right to arbitrarily decide not to show up if they are called upon for service.
Halevi made the statement in response to threats from leftist reservists who have warned repeatedly that they will participate in the months-long anti-government protests by refusing to serve when called upon to do so.
“These last few days force us to focus on the security mission and the unity that supports it,” Halevi said in a statement in response to the threats during a ceremony marking the change of command for the IDF Southern Command.
“In today’s reality we don’t have the authority not to respond to every challenge and mission,” Halevi said. “This requires commitment, determination, and perseverance as well as the resilience of the state and its citizens.”
A group of 110 IDF officers recently sent a letter to Halevi and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, threatening to stop volunteering for reserve service if the government enacts its planned judicial reform.
In the letter, the group said that “if the law abolishing the reasonableness clause, or any other measure that is part of the judicial reform passes a third reading in the Knesset, we will be forced to immediately stop volunteering for reserve service.”
Anarchist leaders are vowing the boost ongoing nationwide demonstrations to “unprecedented” levels this Tuesday if the Knesset passes an amendment in its first reading on Monday that would eliminate the “reasonableness standard” used court justices to strike down laws they feel are not “reasonable.”
