Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke this evening (Tuesday) with Likud ministers - against the backdrop of "let them go to hell" that Minister Shlomo Kerei said about reservists who threatened not to report for training because of the reform in the judicial system.
""Reluctance is a dangerous phenomenon and must be opposed with all force. But even when we do it, and even in the heat of the moment, we must do it within the boundaries of substantive discourse. The task of all of us is to try to calm things down and not inflame them, and this applies to everyone without exception," Netanyahu said.
Before that, Minister Nir Barkat said, "Reserve service members are the salt of the earth, the best sons and daughters of our country, and the people who make the existence of the Jewish people in the State of Israel possible. I salute them. There is no room for any statement against reserve service members who risk their lives for the security of Israel while making enormous sacrifices. Along with this, there is no room for any refusal. Even in the heat of political controversy, we must remember that we no longer have an IDF.".
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Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Air Force Commander Major General Tomer Bar held a meeting this evening with 18 reserve air crew commanders and fighters from a variety of Air Force squadrons.
Halevi said at the meeting: "The security of the State of Israel and the competence of the IDF rely on you - the reservists. For this very reason, we need to come out together with a clear statement - refusal is not on the agenda. We will continue to be here together forever in training, operations and wars.".
He referred to Minister Kari's words: "In recent days, I have heard condemnations and offensive statements towards our reserve service members. These statements are unacceptable and have no place, certainly not towards those who risk their lives in operational activity in all sectors and stand ready for every cross-border sortie. We must 'close ranks' in the face of our common mission of maintaining the security of the State of Israel.".
Earlier, Defense Minister Yoav Galant, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, and Chief Reserve Officer Brigadier General Benny Ben Ari held a meeting at the Defense Minister's office in Kirya with commanders and soldiers in reserve service.
At the end of the meeting, the Defense Minister promised: "I will make sure that your voice is heard where it is needed. It was important to me to hear you, I am the IDF representative in the government, and the government representative in the IDF. The reality we face is complex, we do not have the privilege to say that there are tasks that we will not take on due to one ideology or another, the implications of this are far-reaching. The word 'refusal' should remain out of the discourse. Refusal erodes the most basic foundation of the state's existence - security, and we cannot allow this. Threats of refusal are playing with fire, we need to keep the IDF above all debate - protesting against the government does not authorize action against the state.".
He added: "I intend to protect all reservists, even those who think differently than me." He went against his Likud colleagues: "Those who attack IDF soldiers, from the right and the left, have no place in the public system. I cherish, appreciate and support the reservists. Regardless of their political position.".
