161 senior Israeli Air Force reservists resign in protest

By Enes Canli

JERUSALEM (AA) – At least 161 senior officers and commanders of the Israeli Air Force's operational headquarters resigned from reserve service Tuesday over the government’s plans for judicial reform.

In a written statement, they said the government's controversial judicial reform plan would erode the country's democratic principles and pave the way for a dictatorship.

Meanwhile, protests and acts of civil disobedience continued across the nation as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition prepares to present a draft law to parliament. The law aims to curtail the Supreme Court's influence over the government.

Israel has been in political turmoil in recent months over the planned judicial reform, which the opposition has called a power grab in favor of the executive authority.

The opposition accuses Netanyahu, who is on trial on corruption charges, of using the judicial overhaul to protect himself from the courts.

Netanyahu denies the charges and rejects any link between the judicial changes and his own case.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan