Benjamin Netanyahu backs sacking of air force personnel opposing Gaza war strategy

Protest letter by around 1,000 reservists and veterans raises fears about military's readiness as Israel expands fighting

Israel's air force is one of the most prestigious branches of its military. AP

Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has backed the head of the air force's decision to dismiss reservists who signed a letter calling on the government to prioritise releasing hostages in Gaza over fighting Hamas, even if it means ending the war.

Mr Netanyahu said the roughly 1,000 signatories, made up of veterans and reservists including senior officers and pilots, are “an extremist fringe group that is trying again to break Israeli society from within”.

The act of protest has nonetheless rattled the defence establishment, which fears that an increasing number of reservists across the military are unlikely to return to duty out of anger at the government’s decision to intensify fighting in Gaza. Many Israelis say the action amounts to a death sentence for remaining hostages in the strip. Polling consistently shows that a majority of Israelis want Mr Netanyahu to prioritise releasing hostages.

Israel’s military said most of the signatories of the letter were not active reservists, but did not give an exact number. A military official described the protest as "a serious breach of trust between commanders and subordinates".

It added: "With the full backing of the Chief of the General Staff, the commander of the [air force] has decided that any active reservist who signed the letter will not be able to continue serving."

The air force has played a vital role during the war, carrying out a massive bombardment of Gaza, as well as related attacks in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and the occupied West Bank. The air force would also be at the centre of a potential attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, which Mr Netanyahu has consistently warned is on the table.

Smoke rising from the site of an Israeli air strike in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, in September 2024. EPA

The letter said the war now “serves mainly political and personal interests, not security interests”. It added: “The continuation of the war does not contribute to any of its declared goals and will lead to the deaths of the hostages, Israeli soldiers and innocent civilians, and to the attrition of the [Israeli military] reserve forces.”

It criticised the government for walking away from a ceasefire deal, which saw a number of hostages, dead and alive, released in exchange for Palestinian detainees and prisoners. “Only a deal can bring back the hostages safely, while military pressure mainly leads to the killing of the hostages and the endangering of soldiers,” it said.

Air Force Commander Tomer Bar had met reservists to convince them not to sign the letter, reportedly prompting a small number to change their mind.

The air force has long been one of the country’s most prestigious institutions, with a reputation built on successful operations such as surprise attacks on Arab armies during the 1967 War and the bombing of Iraqi nuclear reactors.

An Israeli Air Force fighter jet intercepts a hostile object over the border area with southern Lebanon in July 2024. AFP

Israel’s military relies heavily on reservists as it maintains a relatively small standing force. After the October 7 Hamas attacks that started the war, all branches of the military benefitted from significant enthusiasm for service. However, call-up rates have since dropped, with many people critical of the burden it places on their personal and professional lives.

There is also major criticism of exemptions given to ultra-Orthodox Israelis, whose representatives form an important bloc in Mr Netanyahu’s far-right coalition.

In his response to the letter on Thursday, Mr Netanyahu said air force personnel “already tried to do this before October 7”, in reference to similar letters and rumours of mass walkouts in protest against his government's plans to overhaul the judiciary, which critics said would end democracy in Israel.

The prime minister said “Hamas interpreted the calls for refusal [before October 7] as weakness”.