Israeli refusenik imprisoned

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Wednesday August 09, 2006 13:21

by justin morahan - peace people

Please let your support letters fly in like doves

Summary:

Israeli refuseniks and conscientious objectors increase
First refusenik against war in Lebanon jailed for 28 days.
Report based on material from Payday and Yesh Gvul

Full story:

While the United Nations dithers and blathers, the carnage and destruction in Lebanon continues daily. One Israeli soldier did not wait for the long discredited community of nations to act. He decided that the war was wrong and that he would not be part of it.

Captain Amir Pasteur (32), an Israeli infantry officer and student at Tel Aviv University, has now been sentenced to 28 days imprisonment for refusing to take part in the current war in Lebanon.

At his trial he declared: "Taking part in this war is contrary to the values on which I was raised"

Refusenik support group Yesh Gvul have contacts with about a dozen officers and soldiers who have received emergency call-up orders and plan to refuse to take part in the war in Lebanon.

The war has also produced its first conscientious objector. Staff Sergeant Itzik Shabbat, 28, a TV producer, refused to comply with an emergency order to report for reserve duty in Palestine (referred to in military reports as "the territories") to free forces in the standing army for the war in Lebanon.

"I know people will attack me for not taking part in this war when Qassams are falling on my home town (Sderot) and Katyushas on the towns in the north. In my opinion, only this type of opposition that I've chosen will put an end to this madness that is going on now and will shatter the false feeling that the entire home front supports this unnecessary war that is based on deceptive considerations", he told an Israeli newspaper

He said that he is willing to pay the price for his action.

Sergeant Shabbat has already served a 28 day prison sentence for refusing to fight in Palestine.

First Sergeant Omri Zeid has also refused to fire 150 shells into the Lebanese village of Mjdara, As he took up his backpack he told his comrades: "I am not willing to be part of an army that shoots at women and children" and departed.

You can contact Captain Amir Pasteur, (Military ID 5103057) at Military Prison No 6, Military Postal Code No 01860, IDF, Israel

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Comments (7 of 7)

Nethanyahu's Nephew.

by Interesting Article

Wed Aug 09, 2006 15:28

http://www.palestinemonitor.org/takpoints/The_Refusniks...e.htm

Getting a Clue

by Reality Czech

Wed Aug 09, 2006 15:44

""I know people will attack me for not taking part in this war when Qassams are falling on my home town (Sderot) and Katyushas on the towns in the north. In my opinion, only this type of opposition that I've chosen will put an end to this madness"

That tactic sure worked for the French during WWII...It really put an end to the German madness.

Thanks for links

by Paul R - .

Wed Aug 09, 2006 15:46

tarbhmaith at imagine dot ie

Great to see that there are great Israelis still out there.

What they are doing takes a hell of a lot of courage.

Wonderful analogy, you truly are a master of history

by Cancelled Czech

Wed Aug 09, 2006 15:58

"That tactic sure worked for the French during WWII...It really put an end to the German madness."

Oh yes, I remember from the history books - the Second World War began when Germany captured two French soldiers and offered to exchange them for German prisoners held in France. Instead, France began bombing Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich into the ground, cutting off all air and sea routes into Germany and killing thousands of German civilians.

That was what happened, wasn't it? You wouldn't be drawing a ludicrous analogy that has no possible relevance to the current situation, would you? Surely not! Israel's defenders have never been anything but honest and upstanding since this conflict began. They certainly haven't turned a blind eye to the deliberate massacre of civilians. No sir...

Re: French Resistance.

by Refusnik

Wed Aug 09, 2006 20:01

it is sometimes necessary to look at individual stories in wars
and how small groups of people deal with the subject of war, hence
Nethanyahu:- this story also appeared in the Guardian 2003.
There were claims that he had been tortured or food-deprived, there is
no follow-up and the link to the Guardian article is inaccessible.

Historically, this war is set to continue, reports say that the ground offensive
is to be expanded and that it will continue for thirty days: the Bush regime is
urging care as it is 'concerned at the humanaitarian crisis' (!)
The Irish are saying the same thing, D. Ahern stated that an escalation
on the ground would escalate civilian casualties and endanger the U.N
negotiations. (he hasn't condemned the war).

French Resistance achieved a hell of a lot , but it operated on a cell
structure and only in small groups. They did not represent the French
Nation but people within the nation who opposed the war.

Link.

by Archivist

Wed Aug 09, 2006 21:09

http://www.israelblog.org/1059150351

another link...

Thu Aug 10, 2006 11:12

http://www.ejjp.org/main.asp?pagid=42

There is an interesting piece on Bush /Sharon/Rantisi in the left hand column also.
These are foundational documents, that show opposition to a war that was years in planning
and part of U.S/UK beligerent foreign policy in the Middle -East is consistently opposed
by conscientous objectors.

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Israeli refusenik imprisoned

Comments (7 of 7)