Israel’s armed forces may arrest reservists who have vowed not to report for regular conscription to protest plans by Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to change the way the country’s judicial system works, Israel’s military radio said on Thursday, as cited by Reuters.

A sweeping package of judicial reforms that Netanyahu’s government has presented to parliament has sparked discontent among the Israeli armed forces, which have always been seen as an apolitical force in a country divided by ideological differences.

The complaints raised concerns about the country’s readiness for war on both sides of the divide caused by the package of laws.

An alarm signal in this regard has been sounded since the end of March by the Minister of Defense of Israel, Yoav Gallant, who warned that mass protests against this judicial reform, in which an increasing number of military reservists also participate, are affecting the army as well. and thereby undermine national security.

Gallant, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party, then called for a one-month suspension of the government’s judicial reform process. Benjamin Netanyahu fired him after the comments, but reversed the decision just two days later amid fears the move could further exacerbate tensions within the armed forces.

The Israeli government wants a “message of unity” from the armed forces.

The Prime Minister of Israel has stated several times in recent months that the reservists’ protests encourage Israel’s external enemies in the event of an attack on the country.

On March 27, Netanyahu announced that he would delay the passage of the legislative package in parliament for a month in order to reach a consensus with opposition groups.

But talks broke down and the bill was sent to the Knesset, Israel’s unicameral parliament, where Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition has enough of a majority to pass the package without emotion.

Ukrainian Culture Minister Miki Zohar posted a dramatic video on Twitter on Thursday, depicting a fictional scene of an Israeli soldier in combat desperately calling for help from the air force, only to be told over the radio: “Are you for or against reform?”

Zoar removed the footage after it was condemned by an army official who said it was “aimed at creating divisions within the ranks of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces)”. But Zohar insisted she was sending a “message of unity.”

Itamar Ben Gvir, the minister of national security in Netanyahu’s government, also shared the footage but resisted calls to remove it.

“I have no intention of removing a video that well illustrates the dangers of rejection [îndatorărilor de rezervist] (…) Anyone who refuses to attend the draft due to reform, regardless of whether they are from the Air Force or any other type of armed forces, is putting Israel’s security at risk,” he said in a press release.

His comments came as the Defense Ministry’s popular radio channel, Army Radio, announced that most of the reservists who said they would not report for the draft were from the Air Force. According to the same source, we are talking about “several hundred” reservists.

Benjamin Netanyahu accuses reservists of “disobedience”

Israeli military pilots and navigators must undergo regular training after completing their military service and, according to an Israeli veterans organization, could make up about half of the crews sent into combat in the event of war.

Army Radio reported that arrest, suspension and removal from the reserve are among the measures being considered for them. However, an Israeli military radio station announced that because Air Force reservists are technically designated as “volunteers,” they may be treated differently than those in other branches of the military who may decline the call.

The reports came after Prime Minister Netanyahu said on Monday his government would act against what he called “insubordination” in the armed forces, which he said was re-emboldening Israel’s enemies and undermining democracy in the country

His critics, however, say the draft law would put the judiciary under the control of the government and parliament, de facto removing one of the three powers in a democracy and opening the way to abuse of power and corruption.

About 4% of Israelis between the ages of 22 and 45 regularly call up the reserve, according to data published by the Tel Aviv newspaper Globes.