From the Liveblog of
Thursday, March 2, 2023
Elite soldiers from 669, Duvdevan units pen letters opposing judicial overhaul
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The list of reservist soldiers threatening to not show up for duty over the government’s judicial overhaul plans continues to grow.
More than 100 reservist troops of the Israeli Air Force’s elite helicopter-borne search and rescue unit publish a letter saying: “We will not be able to serve our country if the legislative moves are fully passed without dialogue and agreement.”
“Despite the warnings of experts from Israel and the world, despite the calls of the president, and despite huge protests that have been taking place for weeks, the government continues to advance the legislation,” members of Unit 669 say in the letter.
Additionally, some 80 reservists of the elite undercover Duvdevan infantry unit publish a similar letter.
“This legislation will cause serious harm to Israeli democracy and therefore we have decided to come out of the shadows, make our voices heard, and hereby call on the government and the coalition to stop the legislative moves and come to a broad consensus,” the Duvdevan members say.
The soldiers join groups of pilots, armored corps, submariners, sailors, and other special forces who have penned similar letters in recent weeks.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has said that reservists’ threats to refuse to serve if the government’s judicial overhaul is passed harm national security.
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