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July 21 (UPI) – Over 1,100 Israeli military reservists have issued a warning to express their intention to cease serving in protest of the government’s plans to undermine the independent power of the judiciary.
In their letter addressed to members of the Knesset and top military officials, the 1,142 reservists called upon the government to establish extensive agreements in order to strengthen trust in the judicial system and preserve its independence.
“Legislation that impacts the Jewish or democratic nature of the State of Israel must be the result of negotiations and broad public consensus,” they wrote. “Legislation that enables the government to act unreasonably will jeopardize the security of the State of Israel, erode trust, violate my consent to continue risking my life, and unfortunately compel me to suspend my voluntary reserve duty.”
The signatories of the letter encompass various roles within the military, including 235 fighter pilots, 98 transport pilots, 89 helicopter pilots, 91 pilots serving in the flight school, and 165 elite air force commandos.
Israeli Air Force Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, one of the officials addressed in the letter, stated on Thursday that his branch will continue to operate normally despite the threat.
“The harsh statements that have been made toward the army and the Air Force, standing reserves, in recent days, have no place in society and they have caused great damage to the cohesion of the force. I strongly condemn them,” he said.
The right-wing government led by Benjamin Netanyahu aims to weaken judicial independence and place it under political control. This endeavor comes as Netanyahu faces charges of corruption, including fraud, breach of trust, and alleged acceptance of bribes.
The focal point is the reduction of the Supreme Court’s authority and the limitation of the judiciary’s ability to legally act against the Knesset. This would allow a simple majority vote in the Israeli parliament to override judicial decisions on legislation. Furthermore, the government would have the authority to appoint members of a panel responsible for selecting new judges.
During his speech to the joint session of the U.S. Congress, Israeli President Isaac Herzog referenced the controversial judicial reform effort, which has strained U.S.-Israeli relations.
Opponents of the reforms consider them a threat to democracy.
Herzog assured Congress that Israel’s democratic tradition has always relied on an independent judiciary. In acknowledgement of President Joe Biden’s desire to see consensus reached on the issue, Herzog pledged to do everything in his power to work towards that consensus.
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