The confrontation continues in Israel.. and hundreds of reservists refuse to serve
Hundreds of Israelis marched from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem The seat of parliament, which they are expected to arrive on Saturday Protesting the controversial reform of the judicial system that Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is seeking to pass.
Chikma Pressler, head of the protest movement, said: Face the progress of reform It’s time to strike a decisive blow,” she added. “It will take several days and we need you. Join us.”
The march began for a distance of 70 kilometers on Tuesday evening, after a new day of mobilization, in which thousands of Israelis gathered to denounce the judicial reform project put forward by the Netanyahu government, which opponents consider a threat to democracy.
Clashes between police and protesters Tuesday in Tel Aviv
After a break in the hottest hours, the demonstrators set off in the afternoon waving Israeli flags and carrying water bottles and umbrellas to protect themselves from the scorching sun.
The Knesset approved last week A first reading of the amendment eliminates the possibility The judiciary decides on the “reasonableness” of government decisions. In January, this clause forced Netanyahu to dismiss the second-in-command in the government, Aryeh Deri, who was convicted of tax evasion, after the Supreme Court intervened.
The reform, which is supported by the most right-wing government in Israel’s history, aims to give priority to the authority of parliamentarians over the authority of judges.
The introduction of the judicial reform project in early January led to one of the largest protest movements in Israel ever. Since then, tens of thousands of demonstrators have held weekly marches across Israel.
Reservists protest
On Wednesday evening, dozens of Israeli army reservists signed a document in Tel Aviv confirming their “refusal to serve on a voluntary basis” in protest of the reform.
Hundreds of Israeli reservists marched in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, threatening to refuse voluntary service if the government went ahead with its plan.
Protest organizers showed Reuters 300 letters from military doctors who said they would not serve, and published a letter signed by 750 special operations unit reservists saying they would not comply if the amendment was passed.
Captain M., 30, a researcher at the Weizmann Institute who declined to be named in an interview with Reuters, said he had collected a list of more than 1,000 signatures of reservists who pledged to refrain from voluntary service.
Reservists protest in Tel Aviv Wednesday
The protests by reservists from some of the military’s most prominent units, including combat pilots and special forces units, have drawn particular attention as concerned senior defense officials have warned that the protests pose a threat to national security. For its part, the Israeli army refused to comment on the protest.
Israel relies on reserve units in wartime and this requires soldiers to undergo regular training. Soldiers’ failure to serve voluntarily is not a violation of military or civil law, and therefore they cannot be punished.
Some reservists made it clear that if Israel entered a state of emergency, they would comply with the emergency call-up.
Biden calls for “no rush”
The project has also drawn criticism abroad, particularly in the United States, Israel’s closest ally.
On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden urged the Israeli government not to “rush” its reforms and proceed with caution, in a direct and unusual criticism of Israeli domestic policy.
Joe Biden said in an editorial in the New York Times that “reaching consensus on politically controversial topics requires taking the necessary time. To make significant changes, this is critical. My recommendation to Israel’s leaders is not to rush to reform.”
