Hundreds of IDF reservists threaten to walk out over judicial reform

“We’ll stop volunteering for reserve duty from today, and we will be happy to return to volunteer when democracy is safe,” Major A. of the Military Intelligence Directorate’s Special Operations Unit told Kan Reshet Bet radio on Sunday.

“When [judicial reform] passes it will be too late, we want to make an impact before the point of no return,” he added.

Separately, 180 active reserve aircrew members, more than 50 flight controllers, and about 40 drone operators told their commanders over the weekend that they, too, would not show up for training this week due to the judicial reform plan.

Others condemned bringing the army into the political dispute.

On March 8, high-ranking officers including former IDF chiefs of staff from both sides of the political aisle released an open letter against the phenomenon of refusing to serve. It read in part: “We cannot allow politics to tear apart the IDF. We fought for our country for many decades and commanded regular and reserve units. Our service was never conditioned on political platforms.”

Early this weekend, protests broke out across Israel for the 11th week in a row as police clashed with protestors in all of Israel's major cities and opposition leaders spoke at rallies condemning the government.