Ex-Israeli Air Force commanders call for halting judicial reform amid protests

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) – A group of former Israeli air force chiefs on Monday called for halting government plans for judicial overhaul amid mass protests in the country.

In a letter sent to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the former air force chiefs expressed concern over the impact of the judicial reform on the readiness of the Israeli pilots.

They called for halting the judicial reform plans “to find a solution to this dangerous situation at the earliest possible date."

On Sunday, 37 Israeli pilots announced their boycott of a scheduled training on Wednesday in protest of the judicial reform plans.

Israel has witnessed mass protests by thousands of Israelis in recent weeks over Netanyahu’s plans for judicial overhaul.

Proposed by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, the reform, if enacted, would be the most radical change ever in the system of government in Israel.

The planned change would severely limit the power of the Supreme Court of Justice, give the government the power to choose judges, and end the appointment of legal advisers to ministries by the attorney general.

However, Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, insists that his judicial plans would enhance democracy.

Writing by Ahmed Asmar