Posted on Mar 5, 2023
37 of 40 reserve pilots in fighter jet squadron refuse to train over judicial shakeup
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Nearly all reservist members of an Israeli Air Force fighter jet squadron on Sunday said they would not show up to one of their planned training session later this week, in protest of the government’s plan to radically restrict the power of the country’s judiciary.
Out of the 40 reservists in the IAF’s 69th Squadron, 37 said they were boycotting the Wednesday exercises. Their announcement was first published by the Haaretz daily.
The squadron — known as the Hammers — operates the F-15I fighter jets out of the Hatzerim Airbase in southern Israel.
Out of the 40 reservists in the IAF’s 69th Squadron, 37 said they were boycotting the Wednesday exercises. Their announcement was first published by the Haaretz daily.
The squadron — known as the Hammers — operates the F-15I fighter jets out of the Hatzerim Airbase in southern Israel.
37 of 40 reserve pilots in fighter jet squadron refuse to train over judicial shakeup
Posted from timesofisrael.com
Flying
Israel
Training
Protest
Justice
Posted 1 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel good day Brother William, always informational and of the most interesting. Thanks for sharing, have a blessed day!
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel sometimes you have to speak with your feet...
..."“On Wednesday, March 8, we will devote our time to discourse and thinking for the sake of democracy and the unity of the people, and therefore we will not report to reserve duty on this day, with the exception of operational activity. During the rest of the week, we will report [for duty] as planned,” the reservists said in the letter, quoted by Channel 12 news.
Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, the new chief of the Israeli Air Force, at a ceremony on April 4, 2022. (Israel Defense Forces)
On Friday, dozens of senior pilots held an unprecedented meeting with IAF chief Bar in which they reportedly expressed major concerns about their continued service in the reserves.
According to Channel 12, the pilots, reservists who continue to do active service, expressed fear that the new hardline government’s conduct could expose them to prosecution by global bodies such as the International Criminal Court.
Israel has long argued against such probes, pointing to the strength and independence of its own judiciary, which is responsible for investigating incidents of wrongdoing by Israeli forces. But critics of the government’s legal overhaul warn that efforts to restrict the High Court of Justice’s power will rob the country of legitimacy in the international arena.
Some 50 pilots participated in the Friday meeting, which followed a growing number of reservists from numerous units who have warned they will not serve if the coalition proceeds with its plans to shackle the justice system, which opponents say will leave Israel a weakened democracy and even a dictatorship."...
..."“On Wednesday, March 8, we will devote our time to discourse and thinking for the sake of democracy and the unity of the people, and therefore we will not report to reserve duty on this day, with the exception of operational activity. During the rest of the week, we will report [for duty] as planned,” the reservists said in the letter, quoted by Channel 12 news.
Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, the new chief of the Israeli Air Force, at a ceremony on April 4, 2022. (Israel Defense Forces)
On Friday, dozens of senior pilots held an unprecedented meeting with IAF chief Bar in which they reportedly expressed major concerns about their continued service in the reserves.
According to Channel 12, the pilots, reservists who continue to do active service, expressed fear that the new hardline government’s conduct could expose them to prosecution by global bodies such as the International Criminal Court.
Israel has long argued against such probes, pointing to the strength and independence of its own judiciary, which is responsible for investigating incidents of wrongdoing by Israeli forces. But critics of the government’s legal overhaul warn that efforts to restrict the High Court of Justice’s power will rob the country of legitimacy in the international arena.
Some 50 pilots participated in the Friday meeting, which followed a growing number of reservists from numerous units who have warned they will not serve if the coalition proceeds with its plans to shackle the justice system, which opponents say will leave Israel a weakened democracy and even a dictatorship."...
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