Hundreds of IDF officers have signed a petition protesting the use of petitions signed by officers like them for furthering political causes.

The officers are angry at a recent document called “the Officers’ Letter” that features demands by IDF officers that the government act to release IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.

In a democracy, the anti-petition officers say – it is strictly forbidden to face off with the Prime Minister or Knesset in order to affect political matters, while using one’s military identity.

“We, IDF officers in mandatory service, in the reserves and in retirement, from all parts of the political spectrum, right left and center, greatly oppose the phenomenon in which certain officers – be they few or many – unite under the heading ‘the officers’ letter’ and use this title to demand that the government and sovereign Knesset act in a political way that they support.” 

The officers contend that their own letter is apolitical and is signed by people who care first and foremost about democracy.