Or Ben-David is a 19 year-old high school leaver. She has come from Israel on a UK tour to speak about her refusal to serve in the Israeli army - and about why she has served three jail terms for doing so.
Or is one of the Shministm – Israel's Young Conscientious Objectors. The Shministim are Israeli high school students who have been imprisoned for refusing to serve in an army that illegally occupies the Palestinian Territories.
Explaining her decision, Or stated:
“I refuse because I want to make a difference. I want all those Palestinian youths who have lost hope to see that there are Israelis who care and who make a different choice. I want all those of my friends who became soldiers or who are about to become soldiers to see that things don’t have to be the way they are.”
On Monday 17th May she spoke for nearly two hours to a packed house at the Bristolian, a cafe on the edge of boho Montpelier, showing everyone just how little they really know about much of the pressures facing young Israelis. The high incidence of sexual harassment and abortions for girl soldiers, and the time when teachers got pay bonuses for persuading their students into the army, for instance. She made it clear that joining the army is not such a widely-held ambition as we might have thought, and that kids will do anything to stay out; even posing as religous believers - risky, as such a lie is punishable by a jail sentence.
This tour was promoted by Jews for Justice for Palestinians as 'Conscientious Objectors - Resisting Israeli Military Conscription'.
Or is one of the Shministm – Israel's Young Conscientious Objectors. The Shministim are Israeli high school students who have been imprisoned for refusing to serve in an army that illegally occupies the Palestinian Territories.
Explaining her decision, Or stated:
“I refuse because I want to make a difference. I want all those Palestinian youths who have lost hope to see that there are Israelis who care and who make a different choice. I want all those of my friends who became soldiers or who are about to become soldiers to see that things don’t have to be the way they are.”
On Monday 17th May she spoke for nearly two hours to a packed house at the Bristolian, a cafe on the edge of boho Montpelier, showing everyone just how little they really know about much of the pressures facing young Israelis. The high incidence of sexual harassment and abortions for girl soldiers, and the time when teachers got pay bonuses for persuading their students into the army, for instance. She made it clear that joining the army is not such a widely-held ambition as we might have thought, and that kids will do anything to stay out; even posing as religous believers - risky, as such a lie is punishable by a jail sentence.
This tour was promoted by Jews for Justice for Palestinians as 'Conscientious Objectors - Resisting Israeli Military Conscription'.
Hi Cliff, excellent report and I have posted a copy of it on my blog - hope that's okay with you! Regards, Jay.
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