Bereaved Israeli parents urge AG to probe calls to refuse IDF duty

Israel’s Penal Law states, “If a person incited or induced a person liable to service in an armed force not to serve in it or not to report for a military operation, then he is liable to five years imprisonment.”

By JNS

The Gvura Forum for bereaved Israel Defense Forces families on Monday urged Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to open criminal investigations against “extremists” calling to refuse military duty.

“Since Oct. 7, 2023, when the State of Israel faced an unprecedented threat. Our loved ones went to battle without hesitation or questions,” wrote the forum, which comprises some 350 bereaved families, including those killed in Hamas’s cross-border massacre on Oct. 7.

“They fought bravely against our enemies on multiple fronts, aiming to defeat the enemy and bring home the kidnapped sons and daughters—missions that have yet to be fully completed,” the organization stated, adding, “Our loved ones went to battle and did not return.”

“It is difficult for us to bear the discourse in recent days, led by extremist fringes in the media and on social networks—including expressions of refusal, and even public calls to not report for duty, evade service and refuse to take part in this just war,” the statement continued.

The Gvura Forum called on Baharav-Miara to instruct the Israel Police to open a criminal investigation into incitement and sedition, as well as “defeatist propaganda.”

Israel’s Penal Law states, “If a person incited or induced a person liable to service in an armed force not to serve in it or not to report for a military operation, then he is liable to five years imprisonment.”

By law, the attorney general needs to sign off on any probe into speech crimes.

“During this critical hour, when our soldiers are risking their lives on the front and the cannons still roar, all branches of government must stand behind our soldiers, strengthen the IDF, and immediately put an end to any harm to the war effort and pursuit of victory,” the statement continued.

Last month, Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, commander of the Israeli Air Force, announced the dismissal of every active IAF reservist who signed a public missive calling on the public to rise up and demand an immediate cessation to the current war against Hamas in Gaza.

The letter, published in Israeli media outlets on April 9, demanded the return of the hostages held by the terrorist organization in the Strip—an estimated 59 remain, of whom 24 are believed to remain alive—”even at the cost of an immediate cessation of hostilities.”

Days later, more than 7,000 soldiers, both active service and reservists, signed an open petition declaring their unwavering commitment to serve in the military, regardless of shifting political landscapes or government decisions.

In 2023, thousands of Israeli reservists threatened to refuse to report for duty due to the government’s now-shelved judicial reform proposals.

Some 11,000 reservists, including 1,000 air force personnel, said they would refuse to serve in protest against the reform agenda, raising concerns about serious damage to the IDF’s ability to respond to threats.

In March 2023, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described soldiers’ refusal to report for duty as an existential threat, warning it “threatens the foundation of our existence, and it must have no place in our ranks.”