A petition against IDF refusal initiated by journalist Yinon Magal was signed by over 80,000 past soldiers [current soldiers are banned from signing petitions]and reservists, with 75,000 signing the petition in about 24 hours.

The petition states: “We, soldiers in the past or in the reserves – oppose the refusals and are loyal to the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. We will serve the State of Israel because it is our only country – and we will defend it at all costs!”

It should be noted that unlike the left, which is funded by left-wing organizations with deep pockets and has well-appointed public relations offices, the petition was simply posted online.

Meanwhile, many reservists are fighting back against the hijacking of the IDF for political purposes, including those who aren’t fans of the current government. Sayeret Matkal special forces reservists not only signed a letter condemning refusal but even volunteered to serve additional time if there is chalilah a manpower shortage.

Reservists of the Shaldag Unit, an elite special forces unit in the Air Force, published a letter denouncing the calls for refusal and committing to serve in the reserves “for the sake of the security of the citizens of the “State of Israel.” The letter was in response to a letter supposedly signed by 161 Air Force reservists announcing the termination of their service in protest of the elected government. The letter was revealed on Wednesday by Yediot Achranot as at least partially a sham, with at least two of the signatories showing up for reserve service the very next day!

The letter against IDF refusal was shared by Channel 12 News reporter Ori Isaac, a Shaldag reservist. He wrote: “In the Shaldag Unit, there are also those who don’t set conditions for reserve service. I signed.”

Members of one of the IDF’s most elite units, the Maglan unit specializing in operations deep in enemy territory, published a similar letter, as well as members of the IDF’s Intelligence Directorate’s Research Division, who wrote: “We the reservists of the Research Division declare that we will continue to serve our country with love and dedication at all times, to protect the State of Israel under any government. We will not refuse an order and we will not set conditions for our volunteer service in the IDF reserves.”

“We all stand for the principles of democracy, freedom of speech and individual rights. Among us there are people of the left and the right, secular and religious, women and men. Our political views are different and varied, just as they were during our regular service. We oppose the introduction of politics into the army and ask to leave the IDF for all of us.”

Journalist Dana Betzalel slammed the falsehood and distortion of most of the Israeli media channels, especially TV channels, which published blaring headlines about 161 Air Force reservists who supposedly signed in favor of refusal but completely ignored the anti-refusal letters from reservists in five elite units signed by hundreds.

על המכתב של יחידת שלדג שמעתם? ושייטת 13?
מכתב של מגלן, סיירת מטכ"ל, חטיבת אמ"ן?

טוב למה שתשמעו. הם סה"כ הצהירו שלא יסרבו פקודה, שיגיעו לכל אימון ופעולה ויתרמו ימי מילואים אם תהיה מצוקת כוח אדם. "צה"ל הוא לא גוף פוליטי". הם אומרים. pic.twitter.com/Rc8mIyOiJ1

— דנה בצלאל • dana betzalel (@danabetzalel) July 18, 2023

The Shaldag Unit’s letter states: “We, reservists, including officers and combat soldiers in the Shaldag unit, carry out our mission with humility, protecting the citizens of the State of Israel. Since we met when we were 18 at the recruiting office, we are part of an Israeli mosaic with different backgrounds and different opinions who served together in regular IDF service and the reserves.”

“Even at this time when some of us are anxious about the government’s actions, as long as we are in uniform, we serve together as comrades-in-arms for the security of the citizens of the State of Israel – security that lies in the strength of the IDF and its readiness for war.”

“We repeat the obvious: the IDF and the reserves are not a tool of conflict and must be left as a strong protective and cohesive force. We trust our commanders and are willing to serve as many additional days as needed, in training, instruction, and operational activities.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)