The Guardian reports that
Israeli soldiers are starting to mutiny:
The Israeli army says a soldier has been arrested for calling on his comrades to refuse to evacuate a West Bank settlement outpost. It is the first case of its kind.
It happened the day after settler leaders said hundreds of soldiers might refuse to carry out orders to evacuate Gaza Strip settlers if the government went ahead with its plan to withdraw this year. The prime minister, Ariel Sharon, said yesterday that refusal to obey orders would be punished.
"This would be a serious mistake if a movement arises that supports refusal to carry out an order. The decision regarding the disengagement plan was made democratically by the government and approved by a large knesset majority. I see no justification for refusal, neither by soldiers, nor by political leaders, nor by rabbis. There might be attempts at refusal but... the law will be upheld."
Unfortunately they're not mutinying because of the treatment of Palestinians, oh no. The reason for the refusal is that they don't want to evacuate settlers, despite the fact they are occupying internationally agreed Palestinian territory, an issue that was decided under the Oslo agreement. However there are Israelis who refuse:
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Declaration of Israeli Reservists
A Refusal to Serve in the West Bank and Gaza
We, reserve combat officers and soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, who were raised upon the principles of Zionism, sacrifice and giving to the people of Israel and to the State of Israel, who have always served in the front lines, and who were the first to carry out any mission, light or heavy, in order to protect the State of Israel and strengthen it.
We, combat officers and soldiers who have served the State of Israel for long weeks every year, in spite of the dear cost to our personal lives, have been on reserve duty all over the Occupied Territories, and were issued commands and directives that had nothing to do with the security of our country, and that had the sole purpose of perpetuating our control over the Palestinian people. We, whose eyes have seen the bloody toll this Occupation exacts from both sides.
We, who sensed how the commands issued to us in the Territories, destroy all the values we had absorbed while growing up in this country.
We, who understand now that the price of Occupation is the loss of IDFs human character and the corruption of the entire Israeli society.
We, who know that the Territories are not Israel, and that all settlements are bound to be evacuated in the end.
We hereby declare that we shall not continue to fight this War of the Settlements.
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 Israels defense.
The missions of occupation and oppression do not serve this purpose-- and we shall take no part in them.
Whether you agree with Zionism or not, you cannot but admire the refuseniks for their humanity and refusal to become mere tools of an oppressive state. The refuseniks remain true to the original socialist and humanistic ideals of the nascent Israel. They deserve our support; if only we could see the US occupation forces in Iraq remain true to the ideals of the US constitution, and just refuse to serve. If only.
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