Leading Rabbis Denounce IDF Members’ Refusal to Serve

ISRAEL (VINnews) — A group of Rabbis has released a scathing letter, opposing IDF service members who have refused to report for duty.

As reported by Arutz Sheva, the Association of Community Rabbis published the sharply-worded letter Tuesday, regarding IDF soldiers who are refusing to serve, in protest against the government’s efforts at reforms.

The Association of Community Rabbis is chaired by Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, Chief Rabbi of Tzfas.

The letter comes in response to a group of reservists, primarily in the air force, who have refused to report in protest against planned judicial reforms.

The Rabbis “strongly condemn the calls for refusal that are being spread these days” and call them “irresponsible calls.”

In addition, the rabbis called this refusal “violent” and said that it is “an ethical and moral crime, which seeks to use service in the IDF as a tool in political debate.”

The rabbis called on IDF commanders and political leaders “to act decisively and impartially to stop this phenomenon.”

It is not clear how many active personnel have refused to serve.

According to the Jewish Press: “…many on the right have observed that the majority of the signatories of letters of refusal, from the Air Force and elite units are themselves in their fifties and sixties and have long since ended their reserve service. Those lists of signatories contain a scant five or six names of active reservists…”

Signatories include Rabbis who hold high ranks in the IDF.