Historically, if there’s any institution that has remained outside of Israel’s very volatile political and social divisiveness, it’s been the military.
With enemy countries at or near Israel’s borders intent on its destruction, Jerusalem simply can’t afford dissension in the ranks of the army.
However, the acrimonious debate over the government’s judicial reform plans in 2022 and 2023 flooded over into the previously off-limits realm when a small number of reservists, most notably from the air force, protested the legislation.
As the Post’s Yonah Jeremy Bob reported last week, former IDF chief Lt.-Gen. (res.) Herzi Halevi and former defense minister Yoav Gallant were generally sympathetic to those IDF reservists who protested the government’s judicial reform policy – as long as they showed up when called to serve. Only a small number, those who refused to show up for duty, were actually discharged.
Zamir’s new approach
That approach seems to have changed under new IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen Eyal Zamir.
His decision to discharge some air force reservists who signed an open letter calling for an end to a “political”’ war in Gaza, is giving the message that the IDF, and its reservists, are forbidden from taking any public position on policies set by the lawfully elected government of Israel.
The letter, published in a number of Hebrew language newspapers on Thursday and signed by close to 1,000 retired and current IAF reservists, urges the government to prioritize the release of hostages over the continuation of the war in Gaza, which the signatories argue serves “political and personal interests” rather than national security.
“The continuation of the war doesn’t advance any of the declared goals of the war, and will bring about the deaths of the hostages, of IDF soldiers and innocent civilians,” read the letter, which was signed by, among others, former IDF chief of staff and IAF commander Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz, and Nimrod Sheffer, former head of the IDF’s Planning Directorate – both of whom have been regular attendees of anti-government rallies calling for the release of the hostages.
Only about 10% of the signatories of the letter, which IAF chief Maj.-Gen. Tomer Bar reportedly attempted to stop publication of, are active reservists. The IDF said that it has no issue with reservists protesting any matter in their civilian lives, as long as they do it without tying it in with the military or their role in it.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday backed dismissing the active reservists, claiming that they were refusing to serve.
“Refusal to serve is refusal to serve, even if it’s only hinted at in whitewashed language. Statements that weaken the IDF and strengthen our enemies in a time of war are unforgivable.”
He also called the signatories “a group of fringe extremists who are trying once again to break Israeli society from within,” and tied the pre-October 7 protests against the judicial overhaul as a sign of perceived weakness by the military that led to the Hamas massacre.
That theory remains unsubstantiated, since Netanyahu continues to refuse a state inquiry into the events leading up to October 7. And his distortion of the contents of the letter only adds fuel to a fire that should be extinguished before it spreads further.
The letter that was published by the reservists is disturbing, as it connects their service in the IDF to their views on the wartime policy of the government.
There is no excuse for those refusing to serve their country, especially during wartime. But we also cannot ignore the fact that the burden on those who have served since October 7 is too much for anyone to handle. Families are falling apart and individuals are suffering from trauma, while other groups have been continuing life as if there hasn’t been a war.
This protest is not something that should happen during wartime, but we also cannot marginalize a segment of the population and do nothing to instill confidence or encourage listening to the other side.
The letter may have been wrong – the military should remain above the political fray. But as long as the reservists are not refusing to show up for duty, the decision to dismiss them is rash on Zamir’s part and not proportionate to the action they took. Reprimand them? Yes. Dismiss them? No.
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