Israel air force threatens to fire 970 reservists for criticising Gaza war

The Israeli Air Force has warned 970 reservist fighter jet pilots they would lose jobs unless they withdraw a joint letter calling for an end to the Gaza invasion, Israeli media reported Wednesday.

Despite the warning only 25 reservists have rescinded their signatures from the letter, while 8 new reservists have signed up to protest the war, which they claim only serves the Israeli government’s political interests and not the Israeli people’s security needs.

The letter however, did not explicitly call for reservists to refuse serving in the air force altogether, according to Israeli reports.

Israeli far-right Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been accused of seeking to fulfill only his personal and political interests by continuing the killing of more than 61,700 Palestinians over a year of war on Gaza.

"Continuing the war does not contribute to any of its declared goals and will lead to the deaths of hostages, IDF soldiers, and innocent civilians, and the attrition of the reservists," states the letter signed by air force reservists and cited by Qatari owned-The New Arab.

"As proved in the past, only a deal can return the Israeli hostages [held in Gaza] safely, while military pressure leads mainly to the death of the hostages and risk to our soldiers," it adds.

"We call on all Israeli citizens to mobilize for action, to demand everywhere and in any way: Stop the war and return all the hostages – now."

The letter further criticised the judicial overhaul in Israel, also triggered by Netanyahu, and states the firing of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar was "motivated."

Several Israeli reservists have been dismissed recently over their refusal to serve, reports The New Arab. Recently, air force combat navigator Alon Gur reportedly told his superiors that "a line was crossed" as Israel persisted with its military onslaught, and that the state "again abandons its citizens in broad daylight."