Some 400 IDF Maglan reservists to quit duty if judicial reform passes

The threat comes a day after Gallant had hoped to start to quelling the reservist strike threats with a series of meetings with top IDF reservist officers.

 Israeli IDF reservists  protest against the Israeli government's planned judicial overhaul, in Ramat Aviv, March 1, 2023.  (photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90)
Israeli IDF reservists protest against the Israeli government's planned judicial overhaul, in Ramat Aviv, March 1, 2023.
(photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90)

Around 400 of the IDF Maglan special forces unit reservist officers on Wednesday issued a letter to Defense Minister Yoav Gallant appearing to threaten to quit the reserves if the government's current judicial overhaul passes into law.

The letter implored Gallant to use his influence to "immediately stop the steps being taken to weaken the judicial branch" in order to "protect the State of Israel."

It said that if the judicial overhaul passes, "we will not be able to just stand with our hands folded" without responding.

Further, the special forces officers said that the judicial overhaul "would be a gross deviation from the values which we were educated with" and for which they have fought for and risked their lives for over the decades.

Gallant had hoped to quell the protest

The letter comes a day after Gallant had hoped that he had started to quell the reservist strike threats with a series of meetings with top IDF reservist officers, including IDF air force reservists, who had made big news about potentially striking from turning up for training on Wednesday.

 THEN-EDUCATION MINISTER Yoav Gallant addresses this past year’s Israel Prize ceremony in April, in Jerusalem. (credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)
THEN-EDUCATION MINISTER Yoav Gallant addresses this past year’s Israel Prize ceremony in April, in Jerusalem. (credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)

Although the air force reservists agreed to a compromise in which they showed up to their bases to discuss their objections to the judicial overhaul. the Maglan letter indicated that the threat of striking continues to spread with the IDF reserves apparatus.