In a concerning replay of last year's judicial reform protests, veteran Israeli Air Force reserve pilots are once again threatening to refuse service - this time over potential dismissal of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.
The move mirrors the unprecedented wave of resistance that shook Israel's military establishment in 2023, when hundreds of reserve pilots announced they would not report for voluntary training in protest of the judicial overhaul. That crisis peaked in July 2023, when 37 of the 40 reservist pilots from the Israeli Air Force's elite 69th Squadron announced they would skip their weekly training session, triggering similar responses across other elite units.
Today's threat, reported by Kan News' Bar Shem-Or, comes from several active reservists, including El Al pilots who have participated in recent wartime operations. However, sources close to the discussions note an important caveat: many pilots who previously threatened non-compliance during the judicial protests ultimately reported for duty when war broke out on October 7.
"The pilots themselves are questioning whether such a move would be effective," a source familiar with the discussions told Kan News. "Their track record shows they prioritize national security when actually called up."
The current standoff centers on the coalition's renewed push to remove Attorney General Baharav-Miara. Coalition member MK Avichai Boaron is leading a parliamentary vote today that, while largely symbolic, is seen as a step toward her potential dismissal.
"We expect 68 Knesset members to support sending a clear message to the government - begin the process of removing the Attorney General," Boaron stated.
This latest confrontation between Israel's military elite and political leadership comes at a particularly sensitive time, with the country still at war and the military engaged in active operations. Unlike the judicial reform protests, which occurred during peacetime, any mass refusal now could have immediate operational implications.
Military analysts note that while previous protest threats have rarely translated into widespread action during actual emergencies, the recurring pattern of resistance from elite units highlights deepening fissures between Israel's defense establishment and its political leadership.
