Air Force chief said working to prevent publication of new letter from reservists refusing to serve

Israeli Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar met this week with several reservists and veterans, including several former IAF commanders, surrounding their plans to issue a public letter calling to stop serving, according to Hebrew-language media.

Update: The letter does not call for a refusal to serve, as previously reported. 

The letter was put together by the reservists and veterans over the IDF’s resumption of fighting in Gaza — which they argue is politically motivated — as well as the advancement of the government’s judicial overhaul, the firing of Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, and attempts to remove Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, the reports say.

According to the reports, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir attended one of the meetings with Bar.

The letter has not been published, and the IDF has not yet commented. However, Channel 12 reports that hundreds of air force reservists signed the letter and had intended to publish it this morning ahead of a High Court hearing on efforts to fire Bar.

During the government’s original push for the judicial overhaul that was suspended on October 7, 2023, hundreds of reservists — with dozens of pilots among them — refused to serve in protest, saying the moves undermined democracy in Israel and cast shadows over the legitimacy of orders issued to the military.