Islamic Jihad and Gallant Agree: IDF is falling apart due to refusals

Both Hezbollah-affiliated analyst and Israel’s Defense Minister say that should reservists continue refusing to serve, Israel will be unprepared for a multi-front military conflict.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

Reservists refusing to attend training and perform their duties due to their opposition to the judicial reform legislation are endangering the efficacy of the Israeli army, an outlet affiliated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group reported on Saturday.

The Palestine Today News Agency spoke with Hassan Lafi, a journalist and political analyst whose commentary is often published by Hezbollah-affiliated outlets and websites associated with the Iranian regime.

According to Lafi, Israel is facing both a national security crisis stemming from a recent uptick in terror and an existential crisis, due to civil unrest and violent discourse around judicial reform.

Lafi described the refusal of critical reservists, including pilots, military doctors, and intelligence officers as the “disintegration” of the army, and a major threat to Israel’s continued stability.

Should the “disintegration” of the Israeli military continue, Lafi said, “the Zionist army will not be ready for all the fronts surrounding it” during a future conflict.

IDF officials have repeatedly said the next war facing the Jewish State will likely involve multiple fronts, such as salvos of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel’s southern communities as Hezbollah launches missiles at the country’s northern cities.

That reasoning was cited by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant during a speech on Saturday evening, in which he called for a pause to the judicial overhaul.

Gallant said that reservists’ refusal to serve due to the legislation was curbing the operational capabilities of the army, which poses a major danger to the country.

Lafi also noted that Israel is currently experiencing strained relations with its allies in the United States and Europe, further exacerbating the Jewish State’s vulnerable position.

“The state of refusal in the army has reached a critical stage, with more officers and soldiers announcing their non-compliance with reserve service, and the transfer of the refusal [is spreading] to the regular army,” another analyst, Amer Khalil, told the outlet.

“It will affect the operational side of the occupation army by its inability to carry out military tasks, as Chief of Staff Herzi HaLevi told Netanyahu during their meeting a few days ago.”