Israel: president meets army reservists protesting against judicial overhaul 

Israeli President Isaac Herzog had a secret meeting earlier this week with air force pilots and army reservists who refuse to show up for service in protest against the government’s judicial overhaul, Walla revealed on Tuesday.

Herzog is said to have met with the “Brothers in Arms” reservists who announced recently that they are no longer going to volunteer in the Israel Defence Forces.

According to Walla, Herzog’s meeting came against the background of a warning by Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Air Force Commander Tomer Bar of crises within the IDF. Herzog’s office and “Brothers in Arm” neither confirmed nor denied the meeting.

Significantly, pilots in the IDF reserves warned on Tuesday that they may not be willing to carry out attacks on behalf of the state of Israel should it slide into authoritarianism. They expressed sympathy for colleagues who have suspended volunteer duty to protest against the ongoing judicial overhaul, said the Times of Israel.

Ynet news website reported that the pilots made their comments during a meeting with Defence Minister Yoav Gallant as he sought to bridge the growing divide between the government and the military.

READ: Netanyahu’s coalition strained by reservists’ judicial protests