The 2008 Shministim began their protest in August, when the first objector, Udi Nir, was arrested on August 19, the day he was required to enlist in the army. Propeller member berkeley posted this Huffington Post story about Omer. It got just one response, from hyperbola, who wrote: "A fine young woman whose courage is to be celebrated. It is an honor for the jewish religion that there are so many jews that resist the crimes of the zionist ideologues."
Indeed, the 2008 Shministim are not the first to refuse to enlist for the military service that is mandatory for all Israelis. Israel actually has a long history of refusnikism, as spelled out in this article.
While at least some of the 2008 Shministim do support Israel's right to go to war to defend itself, they consider the occupation of Gaza and the West Bank to be a form of oppression. This is the same sentiment expressed in a 1971 letter to Moshe Dayan, who was then serving as Israel's Defense MInister. "We are unwilling to serve in an army of occupation," wrote the conscientous objectors of that era. "It has been demonstrated in history that occupation means foreign rule; foreign rule begets resistance; resistance begets oppression; oppression begets terror and counter-terror."
Recently, the Propeller community began picking up the story of the 2008 Shministim. The official website of the 2008 Shiministim was posted by rezbi just after the first of the year, and soon after, populist used the issue to post his feelings on the subject of a draft in this country, defining it as "modern slavery." Nobody commented on populist's story. Yet it's a discussion worth having: if you were eligible for the draft--imagine that the cut-off age were raised to 45--what would you be willing to kill and die for? For themselves, in this moment, the Shministim have largely answered that question. For her part, berkeley, when asked to comment on the Shministim, conscientious objection, and the prospect of a draft in this country, had this to say:
"There have been conscientious objectors to every war. In the really bad old days, they were killed. During the Vietnam war, they were either given alternative service, drafted as non-combatants, or imprisoned. Tens of thousands of draftees simply walked away, costing the FBI millions of dollars in looking for them. Career military men vowed never to deal with the draft again. Unwilling soldiers don't make obedient compliant troops.
Given the size of our Empire, the military has not attracted enough people to maintain it, leaving them with two unacceptable choices: resume the draft or shrink the Empire.
Israel is the only country in the world that maintains obligatory military service for women. Every 18 year old woman must serve two years, men must serve three. They must remain in the Reserves until the age of 51. The social pressures to keep quiet and do your time are immense. Yet in spite of this, some find the courage to say no. I knew about them before I found this article, but it was a good short summary, so i posted it."
If you are under the age of 45 and healthy, or have children, brothers, or sisters, 45 and younger, how would you feel if the draft was reinstalled in America...???
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1. I absolutely agree with the need to defend your own country.
I was in the Territorial Army, the Brith equivalent of the US home guard.
I would have fought if the country was invaded by a hostile force.
However, there's a difference between defense and occupation.
When you occupy a land which does not belong to you, you are inviting trouble, as Israel has done, especially when you're killing innocents in the process.
I admire these young men and women for their courage to stand up against a force which forces people do commit crimes against others.
I think we all know all Israelis, and all Jews, do not support the government's zionist ideology.
Zionism and Judaism are not the same thing: The former is a political and terrorist entity, and the latter is a religion.
This demonstrates clearly how man uses religion as an excuse to commit atrocities which the religion does not support.
Posted at 9:04AM on Feb 1st 2009 by Ghulam Nabi Rezbi
2. It would be EXTREMELY foolish of people in this country to once again fall back to an attitude of acceptance of "military conscription", given what so many alive today have seen of the capacity of such "compulsory" military "service" to be GROSSLY ABUSED --- as was the case back in the "Vietnam Era" (an "initiative" that "WE THE PEOPLE" finally OVERTHREW), and now more recently in IRAQ too (if you GENERALIZE THE DEFINITION of that concept --- as really MUST be done, if one is to be at all intellectually honest about it, to include the "Shanghai"-ing of "National Guard" soldiers who are supposed to be members of STATE militias --- into roles as occupiers and oppressors in foreign lands).
Such obscene abuses of "authority" to compel people to join in what is not actualy DEFENSE, but rather in "initiatives" to AGGRESSIVELY OPPRESS OTHERS, simply SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO "SUCCEED". PERIOD.
Posted at 6:08PM on Feb 5th 2009 by Frank Hummel
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4. Good read.
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Posted at 4:03PM on Feb 25th 2009 by Fred Smilek
5. I admire these young men and women for their courage to stand up against a force which forces people do commit crimes against others.
I think we all know all BhajansIsraelis, and all Jews, do not support the government's zionist ideology.
Zionism and Judaism are not the same thing: The former is a political and terrorist entity, and the latter is a religion.
This demonstrates clearly how man uses religion as an excuse to commit atrocities which the religion does not support.http://www.livebhajans.com
Posted at 2:07PM on Mar 21st 2009 by Pandit
6. With all due respect to Omer, I served in the Israeli army and I can tell you that morality and ethics are two characteristics that are preached day in and day out. There is a simple need to defend your country, your citizens and your homeland.
Posted at 2:01PM on Mar 24th 2009 by William - married dating