- Title: Some Israeli army reservists rule out call-up if judiciary weakened
- Date: 23rd March 2023
- Summary: BNEI BRAK, ISRAEL (MARCH 16, 2023) (REUTERS) ISRAELI RESERVISTS' 'BROTHERS IN ARMS' GROUP PROTESTING, SITTING ON GROUND WITH ISRAELI FLAGS, CHANTING (Hebrew): 'DEMOCRACY'
- Embargoed: 6th April 2023 18:53
- Keywords: Israel judicial reform Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Israeli protests against judicial reform Israeli reserve soldiers protest
- Location: HERZLIYA, RAMAT GAN, BNEI BRAK, ISRAEL/ JERUSALEM
- City: HERZLIYA, RAMAT GAN, BNEI BRAK, ISRAEL/ JERUSALEM
- Country: Israel
- Topics: Middle East,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001973523032023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: For almost three decades, Major E. served as a commander in Israel's army's special operations department both in the regular and reserve forces. In the face of the Israeli government's judicial reform, he no longer feels comfortable to serve, he says.
"I am very afraid," he told Reuters in his apartment in the central Israeli city of Herzliya, adding he had lost trust in government decisions.
Mass protests have gripped Israel over a planned overhaul of the judiciary which would give the hard-right nationalist government decisive sway in picking judges and limit the Supreme Court's power to strike down laws.
Critics fear that Netanyahu seeks to subordinate the judiciary to the legislature and executive. Netanyahu, who is on trial on corruption charges he denies, insists the overhaul aims to balance out the branches of government.
"We decided that we can not serve and support an army that actually functions as an army of dictatorship," said Major E., a researcher in his 40s and a father of three, who continued to volunteer for army reserve service, sometimes leaving his career and family at a short notice in order to contribute to his unit's operation.
In a letter circulated to the Israeli media on Sunday (March 19), hundreds of protesters describing themselves as volunteer reservists said they were now refusing call-ups in response to the planned legislation.
Reservists are seen as especially valuable to the armed forces given their maturity and accrued skills. They can be punished for ignoring a call-up, though this rarely happens.
"Serving in the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) is a top value," Netanyahu told new army recruits on Tuesday (March 21), underlying the importance that army service holds in the eyes of many Israelis.
While understanding their importance for Israel's security, some reserve officers say that if the government can henceforth disregard judicial oversight, they may be forced into an invidious choice between obeying orders to take part in a military operation and heeding any legal ruling against it.
Israeli military law requires officers and soldiers to refuse an order that courts declare unlawful, and military experts warn the judicial overhaul could place those in the highest ranks in difficult situations.
"Independent legal system gives us protection against other nations' legal system, from prosecuting soldiers," said 46-year-old engineer who protests against the judicial reform, Oren Metz, outside an army recruitment base in central Israel.
However, not all protesting reservists agree that refusing to serve is merited at this stage.
51-year-old Ron Scherf, a hi-tech professional who is volunteering to serve in the army reserve forces, told Reuters that he will not call on others to refuse to serve. But that he himself, will stop to serve in the army once the judicial reform is complete.
"There can not be an army of the people under dictatorship."
(Production: Rami Amichay, Dedi Hayun, Nir Elias, Hannah Confino, Lianne Back) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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