Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned Israeli pilots on Tuesday during a conversation at the Ramon Air Base that Air Force personnel do not have the luxury of not reporting for missions.
The warning came amid ongoing assertions by rebel reservists declaring they will not report for service to protest the government’s planned judicial reforms.
“The wall that is called the Air Force is strong, but small,” Gallant told the pilots.
“Every brick that falls undermines the stability of that wall, and therefore we do not have the luxury of not reporting for missions.
“I am working to maintain national resilience and bring the IDF out of the political controversy,” he added.
Rebellion is not, however, limited to anti-government IDF reservists. Haredi parties within the coalition are also doing their part to rip apart the country.
Hareidi coalition members demanded on Tuesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu freeze the planned judicial reform legislation on the altar of addressing the issue of mandatory military draft for yeshiva students.
Several haredi party leaders demanded the prime minister instead work on passing Basic Law: Torah Study, which would exempt full-time yeshiva students from IDF service.
This, despite the fact they were repeatedly told by Gallant and senior IDF officials that the move is a non-starter, particularly while the IDF is wrestling with reservist refusals.
“Those who devote themselves to learning Torah for a significant period of time will be deemed to be providing a significant service to the State of Israel and the Jewish People and this will have an impact on their rights and obligations,” the proposed law reads.
The leading Likud party has expressed opposition to the bill, which was submitted by members of the United Torah Judaism party.
In response, the haredi parties demanded a freeze on the judicial reform legislation, and warned they would vote against any unilateral move by Justice Minister Yari Levin to pass the reforms.
