Defense Minister Katz Orders Removal of Democratic Party Candidate Omri Ronen from IDF Reserve Service

On July 19, 2026, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the IDF Chief of Staff to remove Omri Ronen, a Democratic Party primary candidate and co-founder of the "Brothers in Arms" movement, from reserve military service. This directive followed Ronen's recent remarks on the program "Meet the Press," where he stated that he would do "everything necessary" to prevent a governmental coup in Israel, emphasizing the importance of structural checks and balances.

Katz condemned Ronen's statements as promoting refusal to serve in the military for political reasons, declaring in an official statement, "I will not allow the plague of refusal to serve to return to the IDF for any reason." Katz stressed that the IDF must remain apolitical and serve solely to protect Israel's security, underscoring a policy of zero tolerance toward refusal to serve. He ordered the Chief of Staff to ensure Ronen's expulsion from all military frameworks.

This decision contrasts with Katz's support last week in the Knesset for granting immunity to ultra-Orthodox individuals who do not enlist. Katz explained that his current policy aims to keep the military free from political disputes. Omri Ronen, a reserve captain who served over 300 days in combat and whose grandmother was killed in the October 7 attack in the Gaza village, announced his political ambitions earlier this year. He was also active in opposing the judicial reforms prior to the war as part of "Brothers in Arms." Katz reaffirmed that the same strict approach would be applied in future similar cases to maintain the IDF's integrity.

Summary: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the removal of Democratic Party candidate Omri Ronen from IDF reserve service after Ronen vowed to prevent a governmental coup, citing refusal to serve for political reasons. Katz emphasized zero tolerance for such refusal and the need to keep the military apolitical, contrasting with his recent support for exemptions for ultra-Orthodox non-enlistees.