IDF says it will take strong action against resurgence of reservists refusing to serve

The IDF says it will take strong action against a possible resurgence of reservists refusing to serve amid reports that Air Force commander Tomer Bar had been holding meetings in a bid to foil hundreds from signing a letter that they would do so.

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

“The IDF maintains a clear and crisp policy regarding non-reporting for reserve service,” a military official says, adding that Bar met with former senior officers planning on signing such a letter refusing to serve and highlighted the security implications of their actions.

The official acknowledges that IDF chief of Staff Eyal Zamir briefly took part in one of the meetings.

A copy of the letter that was not published shows that it called for a deal to be released to free the hostages, even at the expense of ending the war in Gaza.

It said that renewed fighting “was serving personal and not security interests.”

“The renewed fighting does not contribute to any of the declared goals and will lead to the deaths of the hostages, IDF soldiers, innocent civilians and wear down the reservists,” it says.