ALBAWBA - Yesterday, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said that the Israeli army fired 15 Air Force officers, including a major general, after they signed a letter calling for an end to the war in Gaza in exchange for the release of Israeli prisoners.
The report says that some of the officers who were fired were meant to be part of an attack on Iran, but they were not allowed to do so because they signed the petition.
The soldiers, whose ranks range from major to major general, asked the Israeli Supreme Court to put them back on the job. The officer with the most responsibility has been taken off reserve service until further notice. He is a major general who works at the Air Force Flight School.
Also, 17 other reservists who signed the same petition were temporarily suspended. Some of them were later restored after agreeing to take back their signatures.
Setting of the Conflict
With help from the US, Israel began a 12-day military campaign against Iran on June 13, 2025. The campaign targeted military and nuclear facilities, as well as civilian infrastructure, and killed top commanders and scientists. Iran hit back by firing ballistic missiles and using drones to attack Israeli military and spy sites.
More and more military protests
The firings happen as anger in the Israeli military grows over the ongoing war in Gaza and the government's failure to reach a deal for the exchange of prisoners.
- On April 11, 2025, about 1,000 retired and reserve Air Force members signed a letter calling for an end to the fighting so that prisoners could be freed.
- They were joined by 150 former Navy leaders, dozens of soldiers from the Armored Corps, and hundreds of reservists from Unit 8200 intelligence.
- On April 12, 2025, 100 military doctors and 2,000 university professors signed papers that were very similar.
- Over 1,600 former Paratrooper and Infantry Brigade men also wanted the war to end so that the prisoners could be freed.
There are also active-duty soldiers, reservists, and retired members of military intelligence units who have joined the protests and are calling for a comprehensive deal to end the war.
Effects on the law and politics
The officers' plea to the Supreme Court said that they were fired and suspended without hearings or due process. They called the action arbitrary, illegal, and against the law as a whole.
There is more disagreement in Israel about the government's policy for Gaza and how it handles negotiations with prisoners because of growing pressure from within the military and from ordinary people.
