Milley to head to 'Israel' amid reservists' crisis: Axios
3 Min Read
Israeli officials say Milley is scheduled to meet with Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant, IOF Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi, and other senior security officials.
-
General Mark Milley, the chair of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, testifies at the Senate armed services committee hearing (AFP)
Two Israeli officials told Axios that General Mark Milley, the chair of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, will head to "Israel" next week amid mounting fears inside US President Joe Biden's administration about the impact of the Netanyahu government's judicial overhaul plans on the Israeli occupation military, Axios' Israeli correspondent Barak Ravid wrote.
In protest against the overhaul that would limit the powers of the Israeli Supreme Court, thousands of Israeli occupation reservists have withdrawn from service in protest at the right-wing government's weakening of the country's Supreme Court.
Fighter pilots and personnel of the IOF's intelligence, cyber, and special operations teams are among those demonstrating.
The reservists have said unequivocally they will resume volunteer duty only if Netanyahu suspends the judicial overhaul.
Senior IOF officers, particularly Israeli Air Force commander Major General Tomer Bar, have warned of a progressive deterioration in their preparation for war since then.
Israeli media reported that last week, Bar met with a group of reserve pilots and confessed that there has been a considerable reduction in preparation.
"It will be hard to restore the situation to what it was," Bar admitted, as per a briefing by the IOF's spokesperson.
It is noteworthy that the Israeli occupation Air Force relies on reserve fighter pilots, and the current scenario poses an almost immediate crisis of readiness.
According to Ravid, Israeli occupation reserve pilots undergo training at least one time per week to keep their operational abilities sharp and pilots who have not trained for several weeks are not permitted to fly.
Ravid suggested that Milley's visit will allow the Biden administration to examine the depth of the crisis within the Israeli occupation military and whether it has any consequences for US forces in the Middle East.
The Israeli writer cited a US official as saying that the "Pentagon is concerned that the crisis facing the Israeli military could have negative implications for Israel's deterrence strategy and may encourage Iran or Hezbollah to conduct military provocations that could escalate the situation in the region."
"The crisis, especially within the Israeli Air Force, could have negative operational implications for U.S. forces that closely cooperate with Israel in the region. It could also compel the U.S. to send more troops to the region," Ravid indicated.
The Israeli officials noted that Milley is scheduled to meet with Israeli occupation Security Minister Yoav Gallant, IOF Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi, and other senior Israeli security officials.
However, Milley's meeting with Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is uncertain, Ravid said.
Read more: Conscription law could be end of government, warns Israeli minister
![In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
