The Religious Zionism party tonight rejected the dismissal of a reservist who sent a personal video of support to friends, accusing the IDF of selective enforcement while left-wing politicians campaigned in uniform without consequences. The party called on the chief of staff to reinstate the soldier.
The Religious Zionism party tonight officially called on Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi to reinstate a reservist who was dismissed after sending a personal video to friends expressing support for the party and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. In a statement, the party accused the IDF of selective enforcement, noting that left-wing politicians have campaigned in uniform without consequences. The party described the reservist as a "heroic fighter" who has served hundreds of reserve days.
The dismissal was first reported by Amit Segal (N12) at 22:14 Jerusalem tonight. The report said the reservist filmed the video in Gaza today and was removed from reserve duty within hours. The report also linked the incident to a broader debate over claims of a fighter shortage, stating "no shortage of fighters." Shortly after, a commentator questioned the discrepancy in how the IDF handles political expression, pointing out that a reservist was allowed to run on Naftali Bennett's list while this soldier was dismissed for supporting Smotrich.
The incident underscores ongoing tensions within Israeli society over the role of politics in the military, as The Zioneer has reported in the context of debates over Haredi enlistment and political expression among soldiers.
The IDF has not yet publicly responded to the party's demand. The soldier's identity remains undisclosed.
7 developments
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Source and signal
- Internal intake