Protesters march against the plans in Tel Aviv on July 22. Photo: JACK GUEZ/AFP. On Monday, a group of special forces veterans warned.
A group representing veterans of some of the country's top military units warned that «dozens» of elite soldiers will either retire or refuse to renew their contracts, leaving the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) severely weakened.
The military crisis, they said, was not limited to reservists who joined the protesters in large numbers, but extended to active duty soldiers.
“The situation is much more serious than described by the army leadership and is no longer limited to volunteer reservists,” the soldiers said in a statement, warning that the number of non-commissioned officers planning to retire is “increasing every day.”
The warning came at a moment of extreme tension in Israeli society when Netanyahu was given a pacemaker in emergency surgery on Sunday morning as tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in Jerusalem demanding he retract his flagship reform. s, July 22. Photo: MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP
Critics say Netanyahu's reform of the judiciary will remove the checks and balances necessary for a democracy to function. The bill, whose first element could be passed on Monday, would give the government more say in appointing judges.
MPs began debating the bill on Sunday despite Netanyahu's hospitalization. Simcha Rothman, the main instigator of the overhaul, denounced the courts, saying they are hurting Israel by arbitrarily overturning government decisions.
«This little clause is meant to restore democracy to the State of Israel,» Rothman said. «I call on the members of the Knesset to approve the bill.»
Defense officials are expressing growing concern about how the implementation of the reforms could reduce the combat readiness of the Israeli army.
Benjamin Netanyahu received a pacemaker during emergency surgery on Sunday morning. Photo: MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP
“These are dangerous cracks,” IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi wrote in a letter to soldiers on Sunday. «If we do not have a strong and cohesive military, if the best do not serve in the IDF, we will no longer be able to exist as a country in the region.»
On Saturday, more than 10,000 IDF reservists said they would end their volunteer military service if the bill passed by vote.
The Israeli Air Force is particularly dependent on reserve officers, including fighter pilots and drone operators.
Thousands of Israelis march to Jerusalem to protest the government's plans. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/AP.
Lieutenant General Halevi was scheduled to meet with Netanyahu on Sunday to discuss the impact of «military readiness» if the bill passed.
The meeting was postponed due to the prime minister's unexpected hospitalization early Sunday morning, just hours after hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets to protest against his government.
Israeli Channel 12 news quoted the IDF chief as telling the defense minister on Saturday that the operative real opportunities may begin to deteriorate within 48 hours if strikes continue as expected.
In recent months, the IDF has engaged in increasingly bloody clashes with Palestinian militants in the West Bank, with a particular focus on the city of Jenin.
On Sunday, Mr. Netanyahu released a video from the hospital saying he is in good health and will return for a decisive vote in the Knesset on Monday.
Protesters against the Israeli government's overhaul of the judiciary march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem July 22. Credit: ILAN ROSENBERG/Reuters
He said he was pushing the bill but also seeking compromise with his opponents. Israeli media report that a final effort is being made to find a common language, but questioning the solution.
73-year-old Netanyahu was first hospitalized a week ago, but said that the cause was dehydration due to the fact that he was in the sun all day without a hat. His doctors subsequently said he had a «brief heart block» before being rushed to the hospital for a pacemaker.
On Saturday, highways leading to Jerusalem were blocked by tens of thousands of people walking to the Israeli parliament.
Former Mossad head Yossi Cohen, a close ally of Bibi, on Sunday joined calls from those demanding a last-minute halt to the passage of the bill due to harm that he inflicts on the country.» national security.
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