Israeli Reserve Officers Call to End Gaza War, Label It “Political and Immoral”
Over 1,200 Israeli Veterans Sign Petition Urging Halt to Gaza War and Immediate Release of Hostages.
Watan-Former and current Israeli reserve officers are working on a letter urging the government and Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi to end the war on Gaza, arguing that it has become a political war that no longer serves Israel’s security and is therefore unethical.
The petition is spearheaded by members of a former air force forum, the same group behind last month’s open letter demanding the release of Israeli hostages, even if it meant halting the war. The new message is being circulated for signatures from former and reserve officers across all Israeli army units. According to Haaretz, the organizers have already collected over 1,200 signatures.
The letter reads:“We, former and reserve officers in the Israeli army, demand that the government and the Chief of Staff end the political war in Gaza and immediately secure the release of all hostages. At this stage, the war no longer contributes to Israel’s security—therefore, it is immoral.
Israeli Officers: Gaza War Now Serves Political Agendas, Not National Security
Continuing this war goes against the will of the vast majority of the public, will lead to the death of hostages, Israeli soldiers, and innocent civilians, and may also result in war crimes. This war seeks to legitimize the occupation of Gaza and serves the vision of a narrow minority in Israeli society.”
It continues:“We are fully confident that the Chief of Staff will reject any order marked by a ‘black flag’—the kind of order that could burden soldiers with moral and legal consequences for life. Our collective existence as a society and a state relies on faith in justice, mutual solidarity, Jewish ethical values, and a deep respect for human life.”
A previous petition—signed by around 1,000 air force members, including active reservists—prompted dismissals by the army chief and Air Force commander Tomer Bar. In response, 1,500 alumni from special forces and infantry units issued a statement supporting the demand to free the hostages even at the cost of ending the war.
Last month’s signatories stated that the war now primarily serves political and personal agendas, not national security. They warned that its continuation undermines all declared goals and would result in further deaths and the exhaustion of reserve forces.
Israeli Reservist Jailed for Refusing Gaza Duty Amid Rising Dissent and U.S. Mediation Efforts
Weiner said:“I’m devastated by this endless war in Gaza, the abandonment of the hostages, and the constant killing of innocent people. I can’t ethically continue to serve. Prison won’t silence me—or my friends.”
Meanwhile, U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Adam Boehler, representing President Donald Trump, told the families of the Israeli hostages on Monday that there’s a strong chance of progress in negotiations for their release in the coming days, according to Ynet.
The site noted that U.S. mediators are pressuring both Israel and Hamas to finalize a hostage exchange deal while trying to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, which has suffered from genocidal warfare for over 600 days.
