Dozens of Israeli medical reservists refuse return to Gaza: Report
Dozens of reservists from the Israeli military’s Medical Corps have declared their refusal to return to combat in Gaza, according to Israel’s Kan public broadcaster.
Citing a letter on the subject seen by the news outlet, Kan said the reservists refused to return over ethical and legal concerns, as well as the extension of the conflict “beyond all reason”.
The letter, signed by medical professionals of various ranks – including doctors, paramedics, mental health officers and nurses – said the war is causing harm “to civilians on both sides, to Israel’s social fabric, and to the country’s long-term survival”.
The letter also noted that “the takeover of [Palestinian] territories and the call to settle them” stands in “violation of international law”.
Israel’s army is reportedly facing a growing problem of reservists refusing to show up for duty due to fatigue and growing anger at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government.
Increasing number of Israeli officers from ultranationalist groups: Report
Approximately 40 percent of officers in Israeli’s military belong to ultranationalist Jewish Orthodox minority groups, with many of them holding extreme beliefs or actively supporting Israeli settler groups, an Israeli military historian says.
Speaking to The New Yorker magazine, Professor Yoram Peri said that a growing number of graduates of the Israeli army’s infantry officer schools belong to the ultranationalist Jewish Orthodox minority group, with many of them yeshiva religious students and active supporters of the settlement movement.
Peri told the magazine that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has increasingly courted these minority groups to shore up his support while appointing loyalists to key positions within the military.
“A professionalised, secular army is not their goal. Neither is a secular democratic society,” Peri said.
