Monday, January 12, 2009

January 12, 2002: Israel's "Courage to Refuse"

The "Refusenik" movement began when 53 Israeli soldiers signed an ad refusing to serve in the West Bank or Gaza Strip.
Their letter concluded:
We shall not continue to fight beyond the 1967 borders in order to dominate, expel, starve and humiliate an entire people.
We hereby declare that we shall continue serving in the Israel Defense Forces in any mission that serves Israel’s defense.
The missions of occupation and oppression do not serve this purpose – and we shall take no part in them.
{The term originally referred to Jews in the Soviet Union who had applied to emigrate but were delayed or refused by the Communist government, in one case for more than 22 years.}

Full text of the letter with name and rank of the signatories


Video interview with Yonatan Shapira, refusenik and former captain in the Israeli Air Force


Courage To Refuse

You may also want to visit the Israelli-Palestinian: "Combatants For Peace"!

As well as The Shministim – Israel's Young Conscientious Objectors

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