More than a thousand pilots and other personnel in the Israeli Air Force reserve said on Friday they would stop reporting for duty if the government pushes ahead with a controversial plan next week to reduce judicial power without a broader consensus.
In a joint letter released Friday, 1,142 Air Force reservists — including 235 fighter pilots, 98 transport plane pilots, 89 helicopter pilots and 173 drone operators — said they would not serve if the government goes ahead with its plan to reduce the ways in which the Supreme Court can overrule the government.
“The law that allows the government to act in an extremely unreasonable manner will harm the security of the State of Israel, will cause a loss of trust and a violation of my consent to continue to risk my life – and will lead, with great sadness and lack of choice, to the suspension of my voluntary service in the reserves,” the letter said.
If such a large number of reservists follow through on their threat, defense officials say it could significantly affect the Air Force’s capacity and its operational readiness.
Israel’s fighter squadrons rely heavily on reserve pilots who have regular civilian jobs but volunteer several days each month to train or participate in combat and reconnaissance missions.
The total number of professional and reservist pilots has never been declared by the Israeli Air Force. But officials say regular Israeli strikes in Gaza and Syria, patrol missions in Israel, and surveillance missions in Lebanon and the occupied West Bank are often led by reserve pilots and drone operators. Many of them have more experience than those in the full-time force. An Israeli strike on Iran would also rely heavily on reservists.
Even a short break from training can affect their ability to fly, as it will take time for each pilot to regain combat readiness.
The move reflects the deep social ruptures widened by the government’s judicial plan.
In a vote next week, the government seeks to block the Supreme Court from overturning the national government using the legal standard of “fairness,” a concept judges use to block ministerial appointments and contest planning decisions, among other measures.
The government and its supporters say the law will advance democracy by giving elected lawmakers more authority and allowing them to more easily implement the policies they were elected to enact. The court can still overrule the government using other legal measures.
“Israel will continue to be a democratic state,” Mr. Netanyahu said Thursday in a speech. “It will continue to be a liberal state.”
He also criticized reservists who tried to shape government policy by refusing to serve. “In a democracy, the military is under the government – it does not coerce the government,” he said. “When elements in the military, with threats, try to dictate government policy, this is unacceptable in any democracy.”
The opposition fears the law will undermine the quality of Israel’s democracy, remove a key check on government overreach and allow the government — the most ultranationalist and ultraconservative in Israel’s history — to build a less pluralistic society.
Hiba Yazbek contributed reporting from Jerusalem.