An IDF officer was removed from his post on Sunday for attending a political protest in uniform, the first such case during a crisis over the government's planned judicial overhaul that has stirred rancor within the military ranks.
The major was televised carrying a stretcher in a publicity stunt during a pro-government rally that was convened on Thursday in an attempt to off-set months of demonstrations against the reforms.
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The military confirmed his rank but, in a statement on his offense, said only that he had taken part in a protest in late April while in uniform, and was stripped of his command authorities. The push by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition to rein in Israel's Supreme Court has set off concern over judicial independence. He says the legislation, currently on hold, aims to balance branches of government.
The feud has resonated within Israel's armed forces, which draw heavily on conscripts and have long sought to serve as a melting pot for a fractious society. Some military reservists have threatened to refuse call-up orders for their volunteer activities if the reforms happen. Voicing worry for the country's war readiness, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant came out in March against the pace of the overhaul. Netanyahu responded by announcing Gallant's ouster, but backtracked, citing a need to tackle security challenges.
The IDF handed the officer a 25-day suspended jail sentence and was set to transfer him to a noncommand position. Organizers said that some 600,000 people attended the "March of the Million" near the Knesset, thereby putting to bed opposition claims that Israelis are united against judicial reform. It also provided much-needed backing to Netanyahu's government.
Supporters of reform have been slow to respond to months of protests against it that have led Netanyahu to pause the process and enter into negotiations with the opposition under the auspices of President Isaac Herzog. As judicial reform talks restarted at the President's Residence this week, Likud Party officials said that progress in negotiations won't be possible as long as the Yesh Atid Party continues to participate. Yesh Atid led by Yair Lapid is attempting to torpedo the talks, they said, and chances of success would improve if discussions were held only with the State Party led by Benny Gantz. Likud officials cite the demand of Yesh Atid to include the issue of Haredim IDF service in the talks as one example of how the latter party is working to prevent a meeting of the minds.
Reprinted in part with permission from JNS.org.
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