Over 7,000 IDF soldiers declare: 'We serve Israel without conditions'

Over 7,000 IDF Soldiers Sign Petition to Serve Without Preconditions, Push Back Against Politicization of Military

More than 7,000 regular and reserve Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers have signed a petition affirming their unwavering commitment to serve the State of Israel, regardless of political circumstances or government leadership. The petition comes in response to a recent wave of politically charged letters, including one signed by a group of former Air Force pilots who expressed opposition to government policies and hinted at conditional service.

The soldiers who signed the new petition emphasized their dedication to the country above all else, stating: “We are Zionists, we love Israel and serve in active regular or reserve duty service in the IDF. We do not condition our military service on anything.” The statement continued, “We will serve our country under any government, from the Right to the Left, regardless of our political opinions, in the past, present or future, and whenever we are called to report for duty. The army can always count on us to report for service unconditionally.”

The petition is widely seen as a response to a controversial letter published last week, in which a group of reserve pilots expressed discontent with the Israeli government, stirring renewed debate over military service refusal and political dissent within the ranks. Critics of that letter, including Lt. Col. (res.) Aviv Eitani, a former combat pilot, have voiced strong opposition to mixing political views with military duty.

Eitani dismissed the significance of the pilots' letter, noting that the majority of its signatories were not actively serving and had not flown in years. “Ninety percent of the people on the list are inactive soldiers, older people, who haven't been flying for twenty years,” he said in an interview with i24NEWS. “It's okay to give advice from afar, but to come with demands? I’m 63 and I haven’t flown for three years. These things need to be kept in proportion.”

Reflecting on the state of the military before and after the October 7 Hamas attacks, Eitani added, “Unfortunately, this is the same situation as that which existed before October 7th. The massacre proved that service refusal was a tool that was used for political motives and is now being used again. I think we should give it as little public attention as possible.”

The petition signed by thousands of active and reserve soldiers reflects a strong current within the IDF advocating for apolitical service and unconditional commitment, regardless of the broader political climate.