Israel: Major sacked for wearing 'uniform' to protest against Netanyahu's judicial reforms

An Israeli army officer was sacked from his job on Sunday for attending a political protest while wearing his uniform.

The first of its kind incident occurred amid the ongoing crisis over the government’s proposed judicial overhaul, has stoked animosity within the military ranks.

In an effort to counteract months of protests against the reforms, a pro-government gathering was held on Thursday.

Local media identified the officer as a major who was televised carrying a stretcher in a PR stunt.

The military acknowledged his rank but did not elaborate on his offence in a statement, other than to note that he had participated in a protest last week while wearing his uniform and had since lost command authority.

The push by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition to rein in Israel’s Supreme Court has set off concern over judicial independence. He says the legislation, currently on hold, aims to balance branches of government.

The feud has resonated within Israel’s armed forces, which draw heavily on conscripts and have long sought to serve as a melting pot for a fractious society. Some military reservists have threatened to refuse call-up orders if the reforms happen.

Yoav Gallant, the minister of defense, spoke out against the pace of the reform in March, expressing concern for the nation’s readiness for war. In response, Netanyahu declared Gallant had been fired. However, he later changed his mind, citing the necessity to address security issues.

(With inputs from agencies)

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