Israeli defence chief urges govt to postpone vote on judicial reform bill

Israel's defence minister has called for a vote on a controversial judicial reform bill in parliament to be postponed, local media reported.

After months of political turmoil over the planned overhaul of the judiciary, Yoav Gallant urged the government on Friday to delay the vote on the draft law, expressing worry over the situation in the country, according to private news broadcaster Channel 12.

The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) reported that Gallant urged the government to adopt a "softened" version of the bill that seeks to curb the Supreme Court's powers over the government.

It passed an initial vote in the Knesset on July 10.

At a demonstration near the Defence Ministry building in Tel Aviv earlier this week, hundreds of volunteer reservists signed a petition vowing to leave the army in protest if the measure is ratified.

Demonstrators at the event urged Gallant to halt the legislation that they said left the military in a state of "fragmentation."

'We will not serve a dictatorship'

Tamir Hayman, the former head of the Military Intelligence Division in the Israeli army, said in an article published by the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), a Tel Aviv-based think tank, that the military's ability to fulfil its role and basic character as "the people's army" was at risk.

Uriel Katz, a 31-year-old doctor who suspended his voluntary reserve military service, completed his mandatory term about a decade ago and underwent training for over a month each year since then.

"During my military service, I had to do things that went against my conscience. I believed in the internal balance mechanisms of Israel's system, but now that balance is disrupted," Katz told Anadolu.

He argued that leaving his post was the right decision. "We agreed to serve a democratic country. We will not serve a dictatorship. If there's a war in the future or the government shelves the judicial reform, I may return to the army."

Vladimir Schuma, 43, suspended his voluntary reserve military training as a paratrooper over similar concerns that the current governing coalition was leading Israel to a "dictatorship."

Nata Doron, a 37-year-old reserve engineer, said: "I don't trust the government. I won't risk my life for their political agenda. I might consider returning to duty if the government's stance changes or a major war breaks out. For many, military service in Israel is a last resort."

The Israeli opposition calls the planned judicial reform a power grab in favor of executive authority, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on trial on corruption charges, of using the judicial overhaul to protect himself from the courts.

Netanyahu has denied any link between the proposed changes and his own case.