Protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have spread to the Israel Defense Forces, according to reports.
Boycotts from IDF reservists take aim at the controversial judicial reforms have become the cornerstone of Benjamin Netanyahu’s sixth term as the prime minister of Israel, Reuters reported. The proposed legislation, which would curb the powers and independence of Israeli’s judiciary, has been met with fervent opposition.
Per Reuters, thirty-seven of the 40 reserve pilots in the Israeli Air Force’s 69th Fighter Squadron declared that they would not attend an upcoming training session and would instead travel to the country’s government offices to hold a demonstration against Netanyahu’s proposed reforms. (RELATED: Over 80,000 Protesters Take To The Streets In Tel Aviv)
Israeli military pilots boycott training over judicial reformshttps://t.co/0OB6oi7trW
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“Calls for insubordination hurts the Israeli military’s ability to function and carry out its missions,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in response to the reservists’ boycott, The Jerusalem Post reported. The defense minister’s statement follows a report from The Jerusalem Times that he recently met with IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi to discuss the potential impact of insubordination spreading across the whole of the country’s military. (RELATED: US And Israel To Hold Joint Drills Mimicking Strike On Iran)
While the boycott from members of the Israeli Airforce is the most visible military opposition to Netanyahu, it isn’t the only one. Last week, other reservists from Unit 8200 of the Israeli Intelligence Corps announced their intention to refuse to perform their own reserve duties, The Times of Israel reported. Unit 8200 is responsible for clandestine intelligence operations ranging from counterintelligence and surveillance to cyber warfare and cybersecurity operations.