'Israel' concerned desertion will spread to Air Force: Israeli media

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The Israeli occupation is highly concerned that desertion will be far-reaching and will fester in the Israeli air force instead of just the reserve brigades, Israeli media said on Sunday.

"The Chief of the General Staff is highly concerned, and therefore he kickstarted talks with the Prime Minister," Israeli Channel 12 military affairs commentator Nir Dvori said.

Commander-in-Chief Herzi Halevi, according to Dvori, "wanted to reveal to [Netanyahu] what is happening in the Israeli army according to his understanding and explain the situation, as we see it outside [of the Israeli security establishment] as well. The number of units and people who refuse or threaten to refuse to continue serving in the reserves" is increasing.

Halevi, according to Dvori, told Netanyahu that he was highly concerned about desertion becoming widespread in the Israeli occupation forces, which would hurt its operational capabilities.

Dvori said the Chief of the General Staff practically objected to the Israeli premier labeling the reservists who protested against the government's controversial bid to overhaul the judiciary as "anarchists", which is very harmful to those "responsible for the security of the state", the Israeli journalist said.

"This was not the only conversation held with Netanyahu about the issue, as Security Minister Yoav Gallant also held similar talks with the prime minister in recent days, saying he was very worried and revealing the situation to the prime minister after what he heard from the army's command about what was going on."

Furthermore, the Israeli journalist quoted the security minister as saying the situation "required talks, and quickly. We face behemoth external challenges and any call for desertion harms the function of the Israeli army and its operation ability."

"From here, I tell every soldier and every officer, the army is the tool of protection for Israel, and the reservists are part of his great strength. Leave the political debate outside the Israeli army," the Israeli commentator added.

"I have heard that among the ranks of the Israeli army, it is no longer exclusive to reservists, as there are pilots in regular service at medium levels within the squadrons. This story permeates them as well, and we may also hear that what is happening in Squadron 69 can expand to other squadrons." 

Israeli media reported earlier on Sunday that 90% of the pilots of Squadron 69 in the occupation air force decided not to comply with the training scheduled for Wednesday in protest of what they called "the steps of the judicial coup by the Netanyahu government."

Some 130 officers and soldiers in the Yahalom special unit of the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) signed a petition to Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant informing him that they would face difficulty serving in the IOF in case the controversial law regarding the judicial reforms passes, Israeli media reported Friday.

Illustrating the increasingly stark division between Israelis, the occupation's Knesset backed a key part of the controversial judicial overhaul at first reading in late February despite rallies that were held across several parts of the occupied territories as Israeli settlers continue to protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "judicial reforms".

Read more: Rallies against Netanyahu's 'judicial reform' enter 7th week

Protesters argue that Netanyahu aims to use the reforms in order to deflect a series of charges against him that date back to 2019, charges which include fraud, bribery, and breach of trust, whereas the opposition in "Israel" condemned the reforms as a means of "canceling the courts."

Netanyahu's supporters have argued that opposition to the reforms is tied to the opposition's inability to accept last November's electoral defeat.

The Israeli Ynet website reported that the legislation "provides for changing the mechanism of picking judges to allow the government coalition to have complete control over it."

As of this moment, thousands within the Israeli reserves brigades have signed petitions warning that they would not join the reserves if the reforms that Netanyahu wants.

Some 2,000 Israeli reservists protested in February against the judicial reform bids, with hundreds of others in the Israeli in Unit 8200 saying they would not volunteer if the legislation passes.

More than 100 officers and servicemen in the Military Intelligence, including officers with the rank of major general signed a petition in which they warned that they would also not continue to serve if the legislation passes, noting that they would not serve in the reserves after that.

Moreover, about 200 of "Israel's" most elite reservists threatened in a written letter that they would stop exercising their duties if the judiciary reforms come to pass. 

An additional 500 former Shin Bet agents petitioned against the Prime Minister's judicial overhaul, outraged by their former leader's sudden change of political views towards the far-right. 

Retired Mossad employees are also reportedly launching a similar petition, whilst Mossad Director David Barnea gave permission for employees who rank below the level of the department head to take part in anti-government protests.

There are stark concerns about a crisis breaking out in the reserves brigades, prompting Gallant to say that any call for the refusal to serve in the army was an attack on the Israeli occupation's security.

There have been various warnings about the future of the IOF within the Israeli occupation, with a report published by Haaretz on Tuesday revealing that the Israeli occupation forces were starting to "disintegrate" in the face of growing opposition against the new Israeli government. 

The term "disintegrate" is particularly referring to the fact that growing segments of the Israeli population are refusing to serve in the armed forces.

The report, written by Israeli analyst Yossi Melman, states that the fear of internal disintegration within the IOF had surpassed the alleged "Iran threat" and a Palestinian uprising. 

Read more: Israelis racing to obtain foreign passports: Israeli media

The report further states that an increasing amount of service members are deciding not to renew their contracts with "the army" as values like Zionism and "serving the State" no longer seem to work as appealing factors.

The "fully right-wing" government’s policies are to blame for creating such divisions within Israeli society, the report says.