With fears already rampant that mass refusals could harm the military’s ability to tackle threats, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said in comments to reserves troops that were leaked Friday that refusal to attend training sessions would harm the military’s preparedness.
While officials have expressed alarm over the spreading phenomenon, some in the government have sought to downplay the protests. A report Friday indicated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told confidants Israel doesn’t need every air force squadron — referring to pilots who have been the most prominent reservists to publicly refuse to volunteer. READ MORE
