Thousands of lecturers and professors at universities and colleges, teachers, medical doctors, parents of pupils, reservist officers, active-duty soldiers, and retired officers signed letters on Friday, April 11, in support the nearly 1,000 veterans of the Israeli Air Force statement against the war in Gaza and for the release of the hostages.
A vigil against the war in Gaza and occupation held in Nazareth by dozens of members of the Movement of Democratic Women in Israel (Tandi), Monday, April 7, 2025 (Photo: Zo Haderekh)
Some 250 reservists from the army’s 8200 intelligence unit said, “We identify with the grave and troubling assertion that, at this time, war serves primarily political and personal interests, not security interests.” In their statement, the intelligence unit reservists say they “join the call of the aircrews in demanding the immediate return of the hostages and for ending the war” Their declaration adds to a growing wave of criticism from within Israel’s reserve forces. In two recent days, reservist doctors and navy veterans have also released similar letters. More than 150 ex-navy officers and dozens of reservist doctors signed their names to letters published Thursday evening demanding an immediate end to the war in Gaza for the sake of the swift return of the hostages. An additional letter in the same vein, signed by entrepreneurs, investors and employees in the Israeli high-tech sector, is also expected to be published Friday evening.
Far-right Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says letters by reservists “represent a small minority funded by foreign organizations” wanting to overthrow his government. “It is a small, noisy, anarchistic, and disconnected group of pensioners, a large group of whom have not served for years,” he says. “These weeds are trying to weaken the State of Israel and the IDF, and are encouraging our enemy to harm us,” he states. “They already broadcast a message of weakness to our enemies once. We won’t allow them to do this again.”
On Thursday evening, police brutally arrested 23 anti-war protesters in Haifa during a demonstration against Israel’s ongoing Gaza offensive. The protestors, among them Hadash activists, held signs in Hebrew, Arabic and English, with calls to “Stop the war,” “Stop bombing aid convoys” and “Stop the genocide.” Within a few moments of declaring the demonstration unlawful, cops tore protesters’ signs away and began to forcefully arrest several in the crowd. Seven protesters against the massacre in Gaza were detained also on Wednesday evening in a protest at Paris Square in central Jerusalem near the residence of Netanyahu, as dozens of Israeli demonstrators called to “end the genocide” in Gaza. During the protest, cops confiscated the signs in Hebrew, Arabic and English carried by demonstrators. The police’s actions contradict an order issued by the attorney general in June of last year, stating that police must not confiscate political signs during protests.
In addition, on Thursday afternoon, dozens of members of the Movement of Democratic Women in Israel (Tandi) gathered against the war and massacre in Gaza at the Tira-Taybe junction. Another demonstration against war and occupation will be held Friday afternoon by Tandi’s activists at the UNESCO Square in Haida.
The demonstration comes amid the continued war on the Gaza Strip, which has stretched on for nearly 18 months. Since October 7, 2023, Israeli aggression has resulted in the deaths of approximately 50,886 Palestinians and the injury of 115,875 others. Israel unilaterally ended the Gaza ceasefire agreement and resumed its war on the Strip on Tuesday, March 18, carrying out a wave of bloody airstrikes across the Strip and killing hundreds of Palestinians, including over 100 children. The death toll reached at least 1,522 with 3,834 others wounded, according to medical sources. Emergency teams are attempting to recover victims still trapped beneath the rubble. Medical sources added that within the last 24 hours, the bodies of at least 40 slain Palestinians and 146 casualties were admitted into hospitals across the Strip.
Related: https://maki.org.il/en/?p=32594
