Halevi urged Netanyahu in meeting to help end comments against reservists — source

Military chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a meeting this afternoon to help end slander against soldiers, especially reservists who have been protesting against the government’s controversial judicial overhaul, according to a military source.

“The chief of staff presented at the meeting the assessment of the security situation, the readiness of the IDF, the assessments and the consequences of the legislation on the readiness and cohesion of the IDF,” the source says in a statement to reporters.

According to the IDF source, Chief of Staff Halevi “emphasized [to Netanyahu] that it is necessary to stop [those] speaking out against the IDF and its servicemembers, in the standing and reserve army.”

“These statements harm the competence and cohesion of the IDF,” Halevi said according to the source.

He said the IDF will make “great efforts to maintain competence and cohesion even at the present time.”

Halevi was supposed to meet with Netanyahu yesterday, but due to the premier’s health situation, it was delayed until this afternoon.

Despite the meeting between Halevi and Netanyahu occurring only after the vote on the “reasonableness” law, the military source says updated information on the IDF’s readiness and reservist protesters was given to the premier beforehand.