The publication of a petition disseminated by university lecturers calling on Israeli Air Force pilots to disobey an order to attack Iran if so commanded, is raising public uproar, Mekor Rishon reports.

As was first published in Mekor Rishon last week, some 400 people – including prominent academic and legal figures – signed a petition in which they call on the pilots to disobey an order to attack the nuclear facilities.

Labor Party Chairperson Shelly Yachimovich said that the academics’ petition is crossing a red line. “I completely disagree with the lecturers’ petition calling on the pilots to disobey an order if they were commanded to attack Iran. This is a call for rebellion and it undermines the unity of Israeli society and the values of democracy. Criticism of the political echelon is legitimate, important and necessary, however giving specific instructions to IDF soldiers crosses a red line,” stated Yachimovich.

The Legal Forum on Behalf of Eretz Yisrael approached the Attorney General, via attorney Yossi Fuchs, in an attempt to open a criminal investigation against the petition signers. In their appeal they stressed that a democracy must defend itself and that the law must be strictly enforced, including calling on Israeli police to launch a criminal investigation for the crimes of incitement and provocation to disobey a legal order at a time of war, a crime that is punishable by 7 years of imprisonment.

The Im Tirtzu movement also approached Attorney General Weinstein with an appeal to open an investigation, on suspicion of another crime – attempting to overthrow the government.

“These explicit matters do not leave room for doubt,” the activists wrote to Weinstein. “If Israeli law applies to everyone equally, the Attorney General must order the opening of an immediate investigation of the formulators and signers of this petition on suspicion of rebellion.” (© 2012 JewishPress. 08/19/12)