Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Sunday that he is against the phenomenon of refusal to obey orders on the grounds of opposition to the judicial reform, and at the same time called for negotiations between those in favor and those who oppose the reform.
"The situation today requires us to engage in dialogue and quickly. We face heavy and complex external challenges, and any call for refusal of orders harms the functioning of the IDF and its ability to carry out its tasks," Gallant said.
His comments came after 37 out of 40 reserve pilots from Israel Air Force's 69th fighter squadron announced that they will not show up for their scheduled combat training this Wednesday in protest against the government's planned judicial reforms.
The 69th Squadron, which is called the "Hammers" Squadron, is one of Israel's most elite fighter squadrons. Its pilots fly the advanced F-15I Thunderbird aircraft and have participated in Israel's 'war between the wars' campaign to prevent Iranian military entrenchment in Syria. It also participated in the destruction of Syria's nuclear reactor in 2007. The squadron received a citation from the Chief of Staff for its efforts in 2018.
Also on Sunday, officers and soldiers in the IDF's special operations unit signed a petition in which they announced that if the judicial reform continues, they will not report for their reserve duty.
They responded to MK Benny Gantz's call not to connect the two issues and said: "Gantz and his people do not understand the situation and do not represent us."
Kan 11 News reported on Sunday night that IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and with Gallant following the latest wave of refusals and warned, "If the protest increases, it could harm the competence of the IDF."