Omri Ronen, a reserve officer whom Defense Minister Israel Katz demanded be dismissed from reserve duty, said Monday he has not received any notice from the IDF. In an interview with Galei Tzahal, Ronen accused Katz of being better at politics than enlisting soldiers. The IDF has not responded to the minister's order, according to N12.
Reserve officer Omri Ronen said Monday afternoon that he has not received any official dismissal notice from the IDF, a day after Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered his removal from reserve duty. In an interview with Galei Tzahal, Ronen accused Katz of being better at politics than recruiting soldiers. The army has not responded to the minister's directive, according to N12.
On Sunday at 10:17 Jerusalem, Defense Minister Katz announced a zero-tolerance policy for refusal to serve and instructed the IDF Chief of Staff to remove Ronen from all military frameworks. Within hours, Ronen responded by accusing Katz of 'abandoning fighters and protecting deserters' and saying 'shame has left Israel.' The minister's order and Ronen's reaction were reported by multiple outlets, including N12 and Channel 14.
As The Zioneer reported last Sunday, Ronen had previously called for reservists to avoid reporting for duty to prevent what he described as a 'legal coup,' prompting an intelligence expert to call for his arrest. The broader political context includes ongoing tensions over haredi draft exemptions and the government's handling of draft evasion.
The IDF has yet to confirm whether it will implement the defense minister's order. Ronen stated he expects the army will not give up on him easily, and the chief of staff's position remains unclear.
10 developments
- DevelopingOmri Ronen, Democracy Party figure who threatened reserve refusal, lectures IDF soldiers
- DevelopingIntelligence expert calls for arrest of Omri Ronen for advocating non-reporting to prevent 'legal coup'
- DevelopingDefense Minister Israel Katz yet to approve appointments requiring his sign-off
- StrongDefense Minister Katz to Trump: Israel did not ask permission to enter Lebanon, will not need it to stay
Source and signal
- Internal intake