Defense Minister Yoav Gallant attempted to draw political fire away from the army’s top brass over the issue of reservists who have not shown up for training as a show of protest against judicial reform.
“If you want to attack someone, attack me, I’m the defense minister, I am in charge of the chief of staff and the commander of the Air Force.”
He urged both the politicians and the IDF reservists to “take the IDF out of the political discussion, it is the protective tool that gives life to the people of Israel.”
The phenomenon of reservists using their service as a political tool has generated enormous debate in Israel, with military experts warning that it has harmed the army’s combat readiness at a time when it is facing threats from Iran and Hezbollah.
David Amsalem calls for protest leaders to be jailed for life
In an interview with Army Radio on Tuesday morning Regional Cooperation Minister David Amsalem (Likud) said the actions of the reservists were tantamount to a “rebellion” and should be treated as such.
MK Dudi Amsalem reacts during a plenum session at the assembly hall of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on December 19, 2022. (credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)“A regular army would have dealt with it as a rebellion, that will have serious implications for the nation,” he said, adding that the reservists were using force to subvert the will of a democratically elected government.
“What they are saying here is, if you do not stop the legislation we will break apart the army. And it doesn’t matter what will happen on the northern border or with Iran,” Amsalem said.
“If 90% of the reservists do not want to fly, then [Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah can figure out what to do,” Amsalem said.
It is the task of the IDF Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi as well as the head of the Air Force Tomer Bar and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) Ronen Bar to deal harshly with such reservists, but they have failed to do so, Amsalem said.
“It is on their watch. It will be noted in the pages of history who was the chief of staff and who was the commander of the air force – and what happened. The historians will write it down.” Amsalem said.
He called for the arrest of the major backers of the protest movement against judicial reform including former prime minister Ehud Barak and former IDF chief of staff Dan Halutz, explaining that they be jailed for the rest of their lives.
“Calm down.”
Isaac Herzog
President Isaac Herzog condemned the harsh statements made against the army’s top brass and the reservists urging everyone to “calm down.”
“These are statements that harm the strength of the IDF. We have a strong army and an excellent chief of staff. Our regular and reserve soldiers risk their lives day and night. Even today and every day. We all owe them gratitude and affection for their activities to protect the security of the country,” Herzog said.
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