Israeli Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar reportedly met with several reservists and veterans this week, including several former IAF commanders, who were planning to issue a public letter calling on reservists to stop serving.

According to reports in Hebrew media on Tuesday, the letter was put together by the reservists and veterans in response to the IDF’s resumption of fighting in Gaza — which they argue is politically motivated — as well as the advancement of the government’s judicial overhaul, the firing of Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, and attempts to remove Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.

According to the reports, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir attended one of the meetings with Bar.

Channel 12 news reported that hundreds of air force reservists signed the letter and had intended to publish it Tuesday morning, ahead of the High Court of Justice hearing on the efforts to fire Bar.

The letter was not published, however, and the IDF Spokesperson’s Office said it “was not received by the IDF.”

“The IDF maintains a clear and firm policy regarding non-reporting to reserve duty, as can also be seen in recent events,” military sources said, responding to the reports.

The military has recently dismissed at least two reservist officers for refusing to serve, including air force combat navigator Alon Gur, who said he told his superiors that “a line was crossed,” that the state “again abandons its citizens in broad daylight,” and that he told them he can serve “no more.”

According to reports, those incidents were seen by the IDF as “isolated” cases, but added that a number of senior IDF officials are “concerned” that refusal to serve could become a larger phenomenon among reservists.

At the height of the 2023 protests against the judicial overhaul, hundreds of IDF reservists signed declarations that they would no longer show up for reserve duty in protest of the government advancing its plans to curtail the judiciary.

However, when war erupted in Gaza with the October 7 Hamas-led attack, nearly 300,000 reservists showed up for duty, in the largest-ever mobilization in Israel’s history.

During the war, combat soldiers served on average 136 days in reserves, and commanders served 168 days, according to the IDF.

At the start of the war, the IDF reported high turnout rates, but as the fighting has dragged on, especially in recent months, that number has plummeted.