The State Prosecutor's Office notified the chairman of the Religious Zionist Party, Yehuda Wald, a year after he approached them, that a complaint he filed regarding suspicion of incitement to refuse service by the chairman of the Democrats Party, Yair Golan, had been referred for investigative action. A year ago, amid the fight against judicial reform, journalist Yishai Friedman reported that Yair Golan declared in a talk that "refusal is a legitimate tool. Refusal should be increased even among young people eligible for recruitment to the IDF if the government does not align with the protest’s desires." Following the publication, Wald wrote a letter to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara demanding an investigation into statements by Yair Golan that may incite refusal, an offense punishable by up to five years in prison. In his letter, he highlighted the importance of addressing his complaint in light of the security challenges facing the State of Israel and the significant harm that the phenomenon of refusal causes to state security. As stated, only this week, almost a year after the approach, the prosecutor’s office announced that it had transferred the handling of the case to the Deputy State Prosecutor (Special Functions) and that the Israel Police had been contacted to update regarding the continued investigation and handling of the incitement to refusal case. Related articles: Israeli Left once again urges civil disobedience Thousands protest outside Cabinet meeting Yair Golan pushed, falls to the ground during demonstration The Judictatorship "A year ago, we recognized and warned against the significant harm caused by the phenomenon of refusal to state security," said Wald. "Unfortunately, the Attorney General chose not to take any action to address the incitement to refusal, including by public figures, despite our many appeals stemming from genuine concern for state security and military integrity." Wald added, "I hope that now, after the gravity of the actions has been clarified, the prosecution will act to fully address anyone involved in the campaign to dismantle the army and weaken state unity, to prevent such things from recurring in the future."
