Israeli Military Refusnik Update by OMETZ LESAREV 11:37am Tue Aug 13 '02 Last Tuesday we recieved the Military Attorney General's response to the appeal of David Zonsheine and 4 other friens of our group. The four who have joined David's appeal started to serve their time in jail, since the Military Attorney decided not to postpone it. Full details after the legal update. print article Dear OMETZ LESAREV supporters, Last Tuesday we recieved the Military Attorney General's response to the appeal of David Zonsheine and 4 other friens of our group. The four who have joined David's appeal started to serve their time in jail, since the Military Attorney decided not to postpone it. Full details after the legal update. legal update Last Tuesday the Military Attorney General has given his verdict concerning the appeal of David Zonsheine, Rami Kaplan, Maor Parsai, Uri Phine and Shaham Ramah against the results of their disciplinary hearings. Here are the main points of his verdict: We have no justification for disobeying orders during military service- If we thought that the service we were summoned to was illegal we should have claimed that our summoning to reserve service was illegal, instead of taking the law in our hands during the service itself. The occupation is legal- it stands in all criteria of international law, laws of war. As proof for this claim he cited verdicts of the High Court of Justice concerning the legality of curfews, closures, etc. Freedom of conscience isn't hurt- Conscience objectors have the right not to enlist ("total refusal" for pacifists), yet there is no right for selective refusal (namely, objecting service in certain areas or objecting certain orders) as the legal situation is in Austarlia, Britain and the U.S.. No change in the occupation- The differences that were underlined in our appeal between the occupation during the last two years and the occupation since 1967 do not exist. The present state of occupation is legal exactly as it was till two years ago. The verdict was well-prepared (implying the IDF is quite frightened of the outcome of our appeal to the High Court), though I believe anyone can see that these claims can be refuted, as attorneys Feldman and Sfard will try to accomplish. In 30 days they shall petition to the High Court against the Military Attorney's verdict. Till the fianl ruling of the court David Zonsheine will stay free, as the court ruled formerly. Yet, four of our friends who have joined the appeal and petition were sent yesterday to serve their time in prison. List of prisoners: Rami Kaplan Maor Parsai Uri Phine Shaham Ramah Ran Ron Uri Tocker Maimon Udi Elifantz Shuki Sade Itamar Shahar (Yesh-Gvul) Being imprisoned in these humid and hot months is difficult. Your letters help them to pass their time. Send them one. (Details of mailbox at the end of the letter) Activities Last Friday we held a demonstration (which has become a tradition) at the Rakevet Junction. As usual many have argued with us, while some have hunked in support. I'm allways glad to see us at that juction instead of the Moledet transferist freeks who ussually are left there alone. Our huge flag, which wasn't hang on Friday, has been hanged on Wednesday near the Ayalon Freeway. Please tell us if the location was effective. This Saturday, 17.8 at 12:00, we will hold a solidarity demonstration infront of Military Prison 6 nera Atlit. Buses leave from Binyanei ha'uma at 09:45 and from Rakevet Tzafon at 10:30, Come with your families, the conscience objectors imprisoned need our support. And to the amusing conclusion: We don't really know how. Yet, David Zonsheine is candidate for "the Man of the year" event of Yedioth Ahronot and Keshet. We decided to go for it and vote for David. So go to this link and vote as well, help us to arrive to the heart of the Israeli consensus: http://www.keshet-tv.com/special.asp?Progid=807 Who would believe a refusenik would get close to such a consensual title half a year ago? Ometz Lesarev www.seruv.org.il ******************************************************************************************************************** Each one of you can help us in our struggle against the occupation in the following ways. Our supporters in Israel: 1. Participating in demonstrations and other protest activities 2. Participation in activities such as distributing flyers, sticking up posters, manning our stalls 3. “Adopt a refusenik” – adopt a jailed refusenik – send letters, keep in touch with his family 4. Organize house meetings (of 10 to 20 participants with members of the group) 5. Organizational and professional help (administration, foreign languages, advertising, fundraising, or any other kind of assistance you can think of) 6. Sending letters to newspapers, participating in radio talk-shows that are open to the public 7. Donation (account details at the end of this letter) Write to us at support@seruv.org.il, with your name, where you live, telephone number, and how you would like to help. We promise to keep you up to date on our activities, which are set to increase in the near future. At the end of this letter you find a list of our future activities. Our overseas supporters: 1. Organizing conferences on the subject of refusal amongst Jewish communities, in universities, and any other place that might be supportive of us 2. Sending letters to those in prison (addresses below) 3. Sending letters about us to the press 4. Donations (details below) To organize a speaking tour of one of our members, or with any other idea, please write to community@seruv.org.il. To enable you to keep in touch with those in jail we have rented a postal box in order to receive letters, books, limericks or pictures. Whoever can devote some time to this important cause is invited to write to Postal Box 16238, Tel Aviv, and we promise that your letters will be passed as quickly as possible to the prisoner (in our experience, the army does not rush to pass on prisoners’ post). Please write the name of the addressee along with the Postal Box number (and not “Courage to Refuse”, and so on – this is for technical reasons). Or, the address of Jail 6 is (note the name of the prisoner): Jail 6 Army Post 01860 IDF Israel Donations Bank Hapoelim Branch:754 (Pinkas, Tel Aviv) Account number: 105377 Holders of the account: Omets LeSarev In America: The Shefa Fund, which defines its mandate as Advancing Jewish Social Responsibility Through Grantmaking, Investing and Education, is more than happy to accept tax-deductible donations on our behalf, thus making the process of contributing to our campaign that much easier. Funders should make checks payable to "The Shefa Fund", with a note on the memo line that indicates they learned of Shefa via "Courage to Refuse" (the English translation of the name of our group). Their contact information is as follows: The Shefa Fund 8459 Ridge Avenue, 2nd floor Philadelphia, PA 19128-2119 Phone: 215-483-4004 Fax: 215-483-4429 E-mail: info@shefafund.org Website: www.shefafund.org In Italy: BANCA POPOLARE ETICA, Via Rasella 14, Roma, C.C. 111200, intestato Abi 05018 Cab 12100. : "Per il sostegno dei militari israeliani che dicono no a Sharon". In France: Envoyer un chèque libellé à l'ordre du "CEDETIM/Sico-refuznik" à l'adresse suivante: Cedetim, comité Sico, 21 rue ter Voltaire, 75011. Paris. (Merci d'indiquer si vous avez besoin d'un reçu fiscal et en ce cas de noter l'adresse postale complète où vous l'envoyer.) In Britain: Send a cheque to Itai Svirsky 7/9 Bergson street, Tel-Aviv 69106 www.seruv.org.il add your comments Source file

real israel lovers by micky 1:23pm Tue Aug 13 '02 print comment To all israeli lovers in the world who read this kind of thimg must understand that this "refuznik" syndrom is weakening israel and please dont support them in any way !! They are acting against israels best and are helping the other side !! Dont be tricked by thier doings they dont realy have a clue of what is going on and most of them have never been in the territories ! add your comments

Refusniks by * 1:41pm Tue Aug 13 '02 print comment The refusniks are soldiers of experience. They are mostly military men with an extensive operational background. They have reached a desicion after years of service, and have by their own experience witnessed the injustice of the Israeli policies.....both for Palestinians and Israelis alike. Not serving in the territories....what does this mean? Other than refusing to break international law, the 4th Geneva convention and various human rights. Every soldier will be hed accoutable for his or her own actions irrespectable of who has given the orders. Nazi-criminals could be convicted because of this international law established in Nurnberg 1945. The refusniks are only not following the law made by rational men, but the moral of what is right in realtions between men (of course women also if they had had a chance to express themselves in these ancient times). Keep it up all refusniks. The future of Israel depends on the few rightious ones. It even says so in your own history books. To know more and get updated checkout their site: www.seruv.org.il add your comments

Some facts by micky 2:23pm Tue Aug 13 '02 print comment I serve in the territories for some time and as a resevist I even got the prevlige of serving in Jenin. I must say that most of the "refuzniks" that I heard about never took a rifle or never served in the territories . A small minority of them did serve in the territories yet even some of them didnt serve for a long time and in combat positions. I must say that this "refuznik" syndrom is making problems for us combat officers. For example for the last service in Jenin some soldiers said that they refuse to serve , after checking the background of these soldiers and some threats of imprisonment they admit they just wanted to stop serving because they are tired . of couse we kicked them out and now they do very important long service in the south working on tank engines , I bet that thier will trade this service with being with thier friends in Jenin yet they chose to try and trick us. I call the "refuznik" - you dont like serving ? so get the hell out of the army !!! you look like other "refuzniks" - the orthodoks jews !!! add your comments

pesonal note by amir 9:21pm Tue Aug 13 '02 print comment dear mickey, "some of my best friends" are "refuzniks" and their decision and courage came from their service in the palestinians teritories some of them 'even' officers. most of them will not hesitate (I dont know why) to go and defend israel on a war from an outside country. anyway what you describe are pepole which does it not from political principle but from caring for their life or their family mental health which is legitimate excuse not to serve there for a war they feel is impossible. add your comments