Former State Attorney Moshe Lador's statement today (Saturday) at an event in Beer Sheva that pilots whose reserve service has ended should refuse to volunteer to serve in the IDF if the government continues to advance legal reforms has been condemned almost across the political board.
President Isaac Herzog was the first to condemn the call, saying that "In a democracy every one has a right to opinion and protest - refusal to serve is out of bounds! ... I strongly condemn any call to refuse to serve or volunteer to serve, and warn - we must not return to our divisive and dangerous discourse from before October 7!"
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said that "any attempt to connect legislation he opposes and a threat to harm service in the IDF (and in the name of the Zionist project, yet!) teaches of that person that they are willing to knowingly gamble the very existence of the state."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "Moshe Lador's statement in favor of refusal is worthy of every condemnation - from across the political spectrum ... I expect the Attorney General to take immediate action against this dangerous phenomenon."
Chairman of State Camp opposition party Benny Gantz said that "Those who threaten refusal to serve bring us back to October 6th. Refusal to serve was and needs to remain out of bounds."
The IDF also released a statement saying "the Chief of Staff calls for ceasing any call for refusal to serve or not present. The IDF needs to remain outside any political dispute, especially in these days where the security challenges are so tangible."
Lador himself refused to disavow his statement in a later televised interview on Israel's "Meet the Press."
