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Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant: Situation in Israel Extremely Concerning

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in the army’s operations room on July 3, 2022 (Image: DPA)
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in the army’s operations room on July 3, 2022 (Image: DPA)
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Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant: Situation in Israel Extremely Concerning

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in the army’s operations room on July 3, 2022 (Image: DPA)
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in the army’s operations room on July 3, 2022 (Image: DPA)

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is racing against time to achieve broad consensus on the judicial reform plan before the anticipated vote in the Knesset to repeal the “reasonability clause” on Monday, in an effort to avoid further divisions within Israel and the military.

Gallant described the situation in Israel as extremely concerning after hundreds of air force pilots and crew members announced their refusal to continue their service in the military in protest against the proposed judicial reforms.

Channel 12, an Israeli news outlet, quoted him as expressing support for delaying the legislation.

In a statement released by Gallant’s office, he emphasized that he is working tirelessly to achieve broad consensus, with the aim of safeguarding Israel’s security and keeping the military away from political disputes.

Gallant’s actions followed the signing of additional reservists in the Israeli Air Force who declared their refusal to continue volunteering for military service.

On Friday, over 1,100 reserve soldiers in the Israeli Air Force, including hundreds of pilots, sent a message announcing the suspension of their voluntary reserve service in protest against the government’s plans to reform the judicial system.

The announcement sent shockwaves through the Israeli military, which is already struggling to stem the increasing flow of reservists declaring their refusal to continue voluntary service.

Defense officials have raised concerns that this growing phenomenon could impact the readiness of the army.

At least 1,142 air force reservists declared their intention to suspend volunteer service if parliament passes the bill next week.

“We all share a responsibility to stop the deep division, polarization and rift among the people,” the reservists said in a declaration whose signatories included 235 fighter pilots, 173 drone operators, and 85 commando soldiers.

They called on the government to “arrive at a broad consensus, strengthen the trust of all parts of the people in the judicial system and maintain its independence.”

Any legislation carried out in an “unreasonable manner would erode my agreement to keep risking my life and would force me, with great sorrow, to suspend my voluntary reserve service,” the signatories said.

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Türkiye Presses PKK to Disarm ‘Immediately’

An Iraqi Kurdish woman waves a flag bearing the portrait of the founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan as people gather at Freedom Park to listen to an audio message by the jailed leader in Sulaimaniyah, in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region on February 27, 2025. (AFP)
An Iraqi Kurdish woman waves a flag bearing the portrait of the founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan as people gather at Freedom Park to listen to an audio message by the jailed leader in Sulaimaniyah, in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region on February 27, 2025. (AFP)
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Türkiye Presses PKK to Disarm ‘Immediately’

An Iraqi Kurdish woman waves a flag bearing the portrait of the founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan as people gather at Freedom Park to listen to an audio message by the jailed leader in Sulaimaniyah, in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region on February 27, 2025. (AFP)
An Iraqi Kurdish woman waves a flag bearing the portrait of the founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan as people gather at Freedom Park to listen to an audio message by the jailed leader in Sulaimaniyah, in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region on February 27, 2025. (AFP)

Türkiye on Thursday insisted the PKK and all groups allied with it must disarm and disband "immediately", a week after a historic call by the Kurdish militant group's jailed founder.

"The PKK and all groups affiliated with it must end all terrorist activities, dissolve and immediately and unconditionally lay down their weapons," a Turkish defense ministry source said.

The remarks made clear the demand referred to all manifestations of Abdullah Ocalan's Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has led a four-decade insurgency against the Turkish state, costing tens of thousands of lives.

Although the insurgency targeted Türkiye, the PKK's leadership is based in the mountains of northern Iraq and its fighters are also part of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a key force in northeastern Syria.

Last week, Ocalan made a historic call urging the PKK to dissolve and his fighters to disarm, with the group on Saturday accepting his call and declaring a ceasefire.

The same day, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that if the promises were not kept, Turkish forces would continue their anti-PKK operations.

"If the promises given are not kept and an attempt is made to delay... or deceive... we will continue our ongoing operations... until we eliminate the last terrorist," he said.

- Resonance in Syria, Iraq -

Since 2016, Türkiye has carried out three major military operations in northern Syria targeting PKK militants, which it sees as a strategic threat along its southern border.

Ankara has made clear it wants to see all PKK fighters disarmed wherever they are -- notably those in the US-backed SDF, which it sees as part of the PKK.

The SDF -- the bulk of which is made up of the Kurdish YPG -- spearheaded the fight that ousted ISIS extremists from Syria in 2019, and is seen by much of the West as crucial to preventing an extremist resurgence.

Last week, SDF leader Mazloum Abdi welcomed Ocalan's call for the PKK to lay down its weapons but said it "does not concern our forces" in northeastern Syria.

But Türkiye disagrees.

Since the toppling of Syria's Bashar al-Assad in December, Ankara has threatened military action unless YPG militants are expelled, deeming them to be a regional security problem.

"Our fundamental approach is that all terrorist organizations should disarm and be dissolved in Iraq and Syria, whether they are called the PKK, the YPG or the SDF," Omer Celik, spokesman for Erdogan's ruling AKP, said on Monday.

Ocalan's call also affects Iraq, with the PKK leadership holed up in the mountainous north where Turkish forces have staged multiple air strikes in recent years.

Turkish forces have also established numerous bases there, souring Ankara's relationship with Baghdad.

"We don't want either the PKK or the Turkish army on our land... Iraq wants everyone to withdraw," Iraq's national security adviser Qassem al-Araji told AFP.

"Turkish forces are (in Iraq) because of the PKK's presence," he said, while pointing out that Türkiye had "said more than once that it has no territorial ambitions in Iraq".