Israeli Air Force veterans say the next government is dangerous

Jerusalem (AP) More than 1,000 senior Israeli Air Force veterans, including Israel’s former chief of staff, on Monday urged the country’s top legal officials to stand firm against the incoming government.

In a letter to the Chief Justice of Israel’s Supreme Court and other senior officials, they said the alliance of religious and ultra-nationalist parties threatened the future of Israel. The letter was delivered days before the new government took office.

“We belong to all strata of society and from different political spectrums,” the letter said. “What we have in common today is the fear that the democratic state of Israel is in danger.”

She called the legal officials the “last line of defence” and implored them to “do everything they can to stop the catastrophe affecting the country”.

Among the 1,200 signatories is Dan Halutz, who served as army chief from 2005-2007. Avihu Ben-Nun, former commander of the Air Force, and Amos Yadlin, former head of military intelligence. All three are former fighter pilots.

Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his ultra-Orthodox and far-right associates captured a parliamentary majority in the November 1 elections.

While they have not yet finished coalition negotiations, Netanyahu has struck a series of deals It would give his far-right associates power over the national police force and settlement building in the occupied West Bank.

They are promoting legislation that would allow a politician who has served time in jail in a bribery case to serve as a cabinet minister during probation for a separate conviction over tax offenses. They are also expected to promote a series of changes to the legal system that critics say will weaken the judiciary and potentially dismiss criminal charges. against Netanyahu.

On Sunday, Netanyahu berated an ally On anti-LGBTQ comments.

Netanyahu is expected to return to office as head of his new government on Thursday.