Israeli Air Force Reservists Say They Will Refuse Duty If Judicial Overhaul Advances

Dozens of Israeli air force reservists announced on Wednesday that they will not report for duty if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government pushes ahead with its contested plan to overhaul the country's judiciary.

Israeli media reported that 110 air force veterans signed a letter stating they would stay away from service if the law now moving through parliament, or any other measure in the overhaul package, is passed. "Legislation like this grants the government limitless power with no restraint by the judiciary and it will bring us to a point of no return," the letter said. "We will not serve the military of a country that is not democratic."

The warning follows Netanyahu's statement that his government would continue with the overhaul after talks with the opposition aimed at a compromise stalled. Lawmakers in the governing coalition have since been advancing a change to the so-called "reasonability standard." Critics argue that the change would let the government make arbitrary decisions and hand it too much power.

Airmen are regarded as among the military's most elite personnel and are considered irreplaceable in many of Israel's battle plans. Reservists from other branches have issued similar letters in recent days. Reservists form the backbone of the country's armed forces, and they have repeatedly threatened to withhold service since the overhaul plunged Israel into an unprecedented crisis earlier this year.

That crisis deepened when Defense Minister Yoav Gallant gave a national address voicing concern about the military's condition because of the overhaul. Netanyahu fired him, a decision that set off mass spontaneous protests and a daylong labor strike. Under that pressure, Netanyahu paused the overhaul, but he said he would press forward once negotiations on a compromise faltered.

Another bill in the pipeline would curb the influence of the bar association, which plays a key role in choosing judges. The association recently elected, by an overwhelming margin, a leader who is a staunch opponent of the overhaul.

The plan has also fueled a protest movement that draws tens of thousands of people each Saturday. At the height of the crisis, demonstrators blocked major roads and halted trains, and at one point forced Netanyahu to be airlifted to the airport for an overseas trip. With the legislation advancing again, protesters are expected to step up pressure on the government, and another day of disruption is planned for next week.

Netanyahu, who is on trial on corruption charges, and his allies in the nationalist religious government say the changes are needed to rein in an overly interventionist judiciary and return power to elected officials. Critics counter that the plan would upend Israel's delicate system of checks and balances and push the country toward dictatorship.