Trump cuts short participation at G7 summit over Iran-Israel crisis
US President Donald Trump announced he was abruptly cutting short his participation in the G7 summit and returning home early to deal with the Iran-Israel crisis.
I n times of war, unity is often considered a strategic asset. Yet when that unity is built on unquestioned obedience rather than reflection, it can become a liability. Israel now finds itself at such a crossroads.
GAZA
I n times of war, unity is often considered a strategic asset. Yet when that unity is built on unquestioned obedience rather than reflection, it can become a liability. Israel now finds itself at such a crossroads. The mounting refusal of thousands of its military reservists to continue participating in the war in Gaza is not just a military concern ~ it is a moral reckoning. These reservists, once the backbone of Israel’s defence and resolve, are now emerging as the conscience of the na tion.
Their open dissent signals not merely war fatigue but a profound disillusionment with the very objectives and priorities of the government. They no longer believe that continued warfare serves the cause of justice, safety, or the return of hostages. Instead, they see a government entrenched in its political survival, seemingly indifferent to the growing humanitarian toll and the deepening scars left on both Israeli and Palestinian lives. It is telling that these voices are not coming from fringe elements or political radicals, but from individuals with first-hand experience on the battlefield.
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These are the soldiers who once stepped forward without hesitation, convinced of their mission’s necessity. Their current defiance does not stem from cowardice or betrayal but from clarity ~ that the war has drifted far from its original rationale and is now being perpetuated at the cost of national integrity and human life. The refusal to serve is not simply a political act. It is a moral statement, one that poses uncomfortable questions: What does it mean to serve a country whose actions no longer align with its professed values? When does duty to one’s nation compel not participation, but protest? This crisis of confidence within the ranks is perhaps Israel’s most urgent challenge. A military that relies so heavily on the commitment of its reservists cannot function if that commitment falters.
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But beyond logistics lies a deeper truth: a nation cannot compel loyalty through force or fear if it loses its moral compass. The calls for a ceasefire and a negotiated return of hostages are not acts of weakness ~ they are the voices of a society beginning to reawaken to empathy, accountability, and the recognition that true strength lies in preserving humanity, not just defeating enemies. The growing dissent also underscores a broader societal shift ~ an awakening among ordinary citizens, not just soldiers, who are beginning to question the cost of perpetual conflict.
The grief over hostages, the heartbreak over civilian deaths in Gaza, and the unease over international isolation are coalescing into a collective cry for a new direction. History will judge not only the actions taken in war but also the moments when individuals chose to rise against its inertia. In standing against what they perceive as a misguided path, these reservists are doing more than withholding service ~ they are striving to reclaim the soul of their nation.
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