The following is the call by courageous Israeli reservist officers and soldiers of the Israeli Defense Forces, who refuse to fight beyond the 1967 borders "in order to dominate, expel, starve and humiliate an entire people." Their call has now been signed by 468 reservists (as of July 17, 2002), some of whom have gone to jail for their beliefs. For more on this movement, see www.seruv.org
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. o 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. o We, who understand now that the price of Occupation is the loss of IDF's human character and the corruption of the entire Israeli society. o We, who know that the Territories are not Israel, and that all settlements are bound to be evacuated in the end. o 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 Israel's defense.
- The missions of occupation and oppression do not serve this purpose — and we shall take no part in them.
The Israeli reservists' call is being supported by numerous Israeli academics, who have issued the following statement of support, signed by 315 Israeli academics as of June 26, 2002.
We, faculty members from a number of Israeli universities, wish to express our appreciation and support for those of our students and lecturers who refuse to serve as soldiers in the occupied territories. Such service too often involves carrying out orders that have no place in a democratic society founded on the sanctity of human life.
For thirty five years an entire people, some three and a half million in number, have been held without basic human rights. The occupation and oppression of another people have brought the State of Israel to where it is today.
Without an Israeli declaration of an end to the occupation, accompanied by appropriate action—unilateral, if necessary—the present war is not being fought for our home but for the settlements beyond the green line and for the continued oppression of another people.
We hereby express our readiness to do our best to help students who encounter academic, administrative or economic difficulties as a result of their refusal to serve in the territories. We call on the University community at large to support them.
Faculty members who wish to join are welcome to contact Anat Biletzki.
