Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu This evening (Tuesday) he asked ministers and Likud members to maintain a “matter-of-fact discourse” regarding the issue of refusal to serve in the IDF reserve service and mentioned that the goal is to “calm the spirits”.
In a conversation with Likud ministers, Netanyahu said: “Refusance is a dangerous phenomenon and should be strongly opposed. But even when doing this, and even in the heat of the moment, it should be done within the limits of the relevant discourse. The task of all of us is to try to calm the spirits and not inflame them, and this applies to everyone without exception.’
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Defense Minister Galant: “The situation today requires us to speak quickly, any call for refusal hurts the IDF”
Gallant: “Those who attack IDF soldiers have no place in the public system”
Earlier today the Minister of Defense Yoav Galant, The Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Hertzi Halevi and the chief reserve officer, Brigadier General Benny Ben Ari They held a meeting at the office of the Minister of Defense in Karia with commanders and soldiers in reserve service. During the meeting, the reserve officers spoke about the latest developments surrounding the various protests, and at the end of the meeting, the Minister of Defense promised: “I will make sure that your voice is heard where it is needed.”
“It was important for me to hear from you, I am the representative of the IDF in the government, and the representative of the government in the IDF. The reality before us is complex, we do not have the privilege to say that there are tasks we will not take due to one ideology or another, this means far-reaching,” said Gallant. “The word ‘reluctance’ should remain out of the conversation. The refusal is gnawing at the most basic foundation of the state’s existence – security, and we cannot allow that. The threats of refusal are playing with fire, we need to leave the IDF above any debate – a protest against the government does not permit action against the state.’
“I intend to protect all reservists, even those who think the opposite of me,” the minister promised. “Those who attack IDF soldiers, on the right and the left, have no place in the public system. I cherish, appreciate and support the reservists. Regardless of their political position.’
Also the Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Hertzi Halevi expressed his concern for the reservists in the IDF and said: “Know that we all value the reservists very much. The IDF cannot operate without the reservists and there are entire frameworks that are based on the reserve system. Refusal is a red line. We cannot accept refusals nor an image of recalcitrance”.
“The IDF is the emergency system of the State of Israel, we all know how to treat an emergency system. It is not right to stretch it and weaken it, not everything that is weakened today will know how to strengthen it when necessary,” he added.