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The Shministim, Israel's young conscientious objectors.
Yesh G'vul, an Israeli group supporting soldiers with the difficult decision to refuse.
New Profile provides education and support for nonviolent solutions
Combatants for Peace brings together ex-soldiers from both sides for speaking tours.
Courage to Refuse hosts the Combatant's Letter, a statement of refusal signed by over 600 IDF personnel
Last week Natan Blanc was sentenced to an additional 28 days to military prison. New Profile, along with Amnesty International, War Resisters International, Yesh Gvul, Gush Shalom, and Connection have initiated a petition. Presently the petition is in English and German.
Please select a link to sign:
Conscientious objector Natan Blanc sentenced to prison for the Ninth time for his refusal to join the Israeli Army.
Natan Blanc, 19 years old from Haifa, arrived, Wednesday, 17.4.2013, to the Induction Base in Tal-hashomer, where he again declared his refusal to serve in the Israeli Army. In 18.4.2013 he was sentenced to 20 days of imprisonment for his refusal, in the military prison No. 6 near Atlit.
Conscientious objector Natan Blanc sentenced to prison for the eightt time for his refusal to join the Israeli Army.
Natan Blanc, 19 years old from Haifa arrived, Tuseday, 2.4.2013, to the Induction Base in Tal-hashomer, where he again declared his refusal to serve in the Israeli Army. he was sentenced to 14 days of imprisonment for his refusal, in the military prison No. 6 near Atlit.
In his refusal declaration Natan Blanc wrote:
Today, after four years full of terror, without a political process [towards peace negotiations], and without quiet in Gaza and Sderot, it is clear that the Netanyahu Government, like that of his predecessor Olmert, is not interested in finding a solution to the existing situation, but rather in preserving it.
From their point of view, there is nothing wrong with our initiating a "Cast Lead" operation every three or four years (and then 3, 4,5 and 6): we will talk of deterrence, we will kill some terrorist, we will lose some civilians on both sides, and we will prepare the ground for a new generation full of hatred on both sides. As representatives of the people, members of the cabinet have no duty to present their vision for the futures of the country, and they can continue with this bloody cycle, with no end in sight.
But we, as citizens and human beings, have a moral duty to refuse to participate in this cynical game.
For more information see:
http://972mag.com/draft-resister-sent-back-to-prison-eight-sentences-130...
http://mondoweiss.net/2013/04/israeli-conscientious-objector.html
http://conscientiousobjectors.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/the-guardian-stor...
Today, Monday November 19th, Natan Blanc, a 19 years old Israeli from old Haifa, will show up at the recruitment bureau, inform officers there of his refusal to serve in the IDF, and will likely be sent immediately to the military prison. His act of conscientious refusal is directly connected to the current situation and the army's acts in Gaza. He took this decision even before hearing the terrible news of five women and four children being killed today by a single Israeli Air Force bomb:
I began thinking about refusing to join the Israeli Army during the 'Cast Lead' operation in 2008. The wave of aggressive militarism that swept the country then, the expressions of mutual hatred, and the vacuous talk about stamping out terror and creating a deterrent effect were the primary trigger for my refusal.
Today, after four years full of terror, without a political process [towards peace negotiations], and without quiet in Gaza and Sderot, it is clear that the Netanyahu Government, like that of his predecessor Olmert, is not interested in finding a solution to the existing situation, but rather in preserving it. From their point of view, there is nothing wrong with our initiating a 'Cast Lead 2' operation every three or four years (and then 3, 4,5 and 6): we will talk of deterrence, we will kill some terrorist, we will lose some civilians on both sides, and we will prepare the ground for a new generation full of hatred on both sides.
As representatives of the people, members of the cabinet have no duty to present their vision for the futures of the country, and they can continue with this bloody cycle, with no end in sight. But we, as citizens and human beings, have a moral duty to refuse to participate in this cynical game. That is why I have decided to refuse to be inducted into the Israeli Army on the date of my call-up order, November 19, 2012.
—Natan Blanc
Dear Friend,
On Friday 9/11 at 15:00 we will assemble at the Kiryat Anavim cemetery to commemorate one year since Peretz Kidron's passing. Peretz was a dedicated peace and human rights activist, and a veteran member of Yesh Gvul.
Afterward we will meet at the Bustan Abu Gosh restaurant.
Please see these links for more info on Peretz, a dedicated peace and human rights activist: Facebook Page
Best Wishes
Yesh Gvul
We received this email update from Ruth Hiller, of New Profile:
Dear Friends,
I hope all is well with you.
I don't know how many of you are following the newest wave of social protest going on in Israel. Saturday, July 14th marked a year since it began, and demonstrations were held in most of the larger cities in Israel. During the demonstration that took place in Tel Aviv, Moshe Silman, a social activist from Haifa, who is unemployed and homeless, read a letter that he wrote to the government having been refused social benefits and rent assistance several times, and set himself on fire. The act in itself is horrific and sad. Moshe has burns on 96% of his body, is in a medically induced coma and is being ventilated. This is a tragedy for his family and for Israel, as so much could have been done to help him so that he would not have to reach this level of extreme desperation.The discussion of why Moshe Silman and why he did what he did is very today's discussion all over Israel. Here is a man who once owned his own small trucking business and an apartment. But due to debts incurred to the National Insurance Institute (our Social Security system), he had to claim bankruptcy and also lost his home. Additionally he then suffered a series of small strokes and was unable to seek employment. From here everything was then downhill for he and in spite of the many applications for financial aid, he was deemed ineligible. Moshe Silman's sister gave several TV and radio interviews and shared with the Israeli public how he used to be a very proud man and how his sense of pride was beaten.
Other people in Israel have committed suicide, leaving testimonies of great shame in their inability to maintain their households and support their families. But for them it is a very private matter. In any event it is difficult for me to comprehend the choice of taking one's life to prove a point. At the same time while it is not my place to criticize the act, I also can't rationalize and call Moshe Silman a social justice hero. I would not want others, who have reached similar levels of desperation, to take their lives. (Just this morning a man tried to set himself on fire before the National Insurance Institute offices in Be'er Sheva, but was stopped on time by a security guard.) Moshe is not one case, and there are many other Israeli citizens, from all the ethnic sectors, who are experiencing the same systematic red tape treatment by governmental offices. However the social movement has been consistent in one aspect from the get go, and has kept matters of social services, affordable medical services, and affordable housing high up on the agenda.
Now Haggai Matar, a colleague and fellow activist in New Profile, writes about an new phenomena within the Israel social protest - conscientious objection in protest of neo-liberalism and the lack of social justice. I think you will find the article in the link below, which appeared earlier today on the online magazine +972, of much interest.
Thanks and all the best,
Ruth
We received this email update from Ruth Hiller, of New Profile:
Dear Friends,
I hope all is well with you.
As some of you may know the refuser community is composed from many different sectors. The organizations that support refusers all share common goals and network together on shared issues. New Profile works very closely with the Druze Initiative Committee, and have done so even before our founding day in October 1998.
I am very pleased to share with you a recent post by Samer Swaid, Secretary of the Druze Initiative Committee, that was placed on New Profile's (temporary) site and hope you will find it informative. Please share it with your wider circles.
Thanks and all the best,
Ruth