Jerusalem – More than 50 former Israeli soldiers have refused to serve in the nation’s reserve force, citing regret over their part in a military they said plays a central role in oppressing Palestinians, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday.
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“We found that troops who operate in the occupied territories aren’t the only ones enforcing the mechanisms of control over Palestinian lives. In truth, the entire military is implicated. For that reason, we now refuse to participate in our reserve duties, and we support all those who resist being called to service,” the soldiers wrote in a petition posted online and first reported by the newspaper.
While some Israelis have refused to serve in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, the military’s structure is such that serving in any capacity forces one to play a role in the conflict, said the soldiers, most of whom are women who would have been exempted from combat.
“Many of us served in logistical and bureaucratic support roles; there, we found that the entire military helps implement the oppression of the Palestinians,” they said.
Their comments come as the conflict in Gaza continues to escalate, displacing thousands more Palestinians in the battered territory even as the United States presses both sides for an immediate ceasefire and longer-term peace plan. [ID:nL6N0PY0Q2]
Earlier this month, Israel said it was mobilizing more reservists in anticipation of increased fighting. [ID:nL6N0PJ473]
In the petition, the soldiers pointed to the army’s structure and fundamental role in Israeli society as reasons for being unable to decouple any form of service from the fighting.
“The military plays a central role in every action plan and proposal discussed in the national conversation, which explains the absence of any real argument about non-military solutions to the conflicts Israel has been locked in with its neighbors,” the soldiers wrote.
“To us, the current military operation and the way militarization affects Israeli society are inseparable.”
They said they opposed the Israeli Army and conscription law because of how women are limited to low-ranking secretarial positions and because of a screening system that discriminates against Jews whose families originate from Arab nations.
Most 18-year-olds must serve up to three years in the Israeli Defense Forces.
Some groups, such as ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students, had been exempted from service, but legislators this year moved to lift that exemption on such students starting in 2017. [ID:nL6N0M91KQ]
Arab-Israelis are exempt from compulsory service.
This news is more serious than Hamas
Why don’t these traitors move to Gaza where they can help the poor oppressed Pallys?
this should not be published
No problem, let them move to Gaza. You can’t have it both ways. Oh, & perhaps name & shame as well.
This is a another reason girls shouldn’t serve in any military, they’re too emotional.
There is no reason to even mention those exempted for learning.
Stam looking to engender hate
These traitors are a tiny, tiny percentage of the real Jewish heroes. As for these Quislings, LET THEM ROT!
The photographer in the picture above presumably wasn’t taking cover?
Why don’t the rest of you commenting join? That’s right I didn’t think so.
These traitors are as bad as the slime Chareidim who also refuse to help defend the medinah. There will be a special “pacifist” section of olam haboh reserved for them and Hamayvin yavin.
Causing demoralization of Am Yisroel is the biggest aveirah. Witness the meraglim, Reuven & Gad, elimelech, etc. The time for dissent is not when the rockets are falling. Kaivon Shenitan reshus lamaschish lehaschis….
Hashem Yishmor.
A soldier is a moral creature, responsible for his moral actions. If he follows orders that are wrong, he can be punished. It stands to reason that a soldier who is given an order he thinks is wrong must not follow it.
51 out of 60,000 or 0.085%
Big deal.