Young Israelis Reject Conscription, Fight for a Better Future
Israel’s refuseniks find community and with each other and solidarity from around the world.
Ever since Israel escalated its attacks against Palestine, several young Israelis refusing to enlist and serve in the IDF have made the news. Tal Mitnick, one of them, served two 30 day prison sentences after refusing to enlist in the IDF. Many people called Mitnick a “traitor” as the young man voiced his opinion that “more killing and more violence won’t bring back the lives lost on 7 October”. He went on to add that solving the problem of Palestinian extremism started with looking internally at Israeli extremism.
Mitnick is not alone in his decision. Sofia Orr, Ariel Davidod, and several other young Israelis have refused IDF service because of their country’s violent occupation of Palestinian terrirory. As a result of their actions, they serve sentences in military prisons, become social pariahs, and, in some cases, risk relationships with their friends and families.
Because of the ostracism many conscientious objectors face, they find community with each other and with supporters from all over the world. Mesarvot is a network of Israeli refuseniks “fighting for a better future for everyone”. On their Twitter, Mesarvot recently posted that a video that featured a panel of refuseniks in collaboration with Jews for Ceasefire at Columbia University. During this panel, one of the speakers noted that many young people have become more right-wing, but that young left-wing Israelis also became more motivated to act based on their beliefs.
There are no official statistics on conscientious objectors available, but their numbers seem to be small at this time. However, despite being small in number, the refuseniks have made a significant impact on the world. Their stories encouraged people around the world to change their views of Israel and Palestine and to acknowledge that there are Israelis who do not endorse the genocide of Palestinians.
By using nonviolence, Israel’s refuseniks have mobilized as a force for good. Yuval Moav, another conscientious objector, wanted to stand in solidarity with Palestinians. Despite being “very few in number” Moav and his fellow refuseniks have refused to back down and give into the demands of their government. In his statement, Moav acknowledged that there were children younger than him in Israeli prisons for unclear reasons. The young man went on to say that he wanted to build a “joint future” that is “based on peace and equality and not occupation and apartheid”.
Although exemptions are in place for certain groups such as the ultra-Orthodox, Palestinian citizens of Israel, and the disabled, conscription experiences are still deeply embedded in Israel’s culture. Enlisting is seen as a rite of passage into adulthood and a mark of honor. Refusal to enlist essentially guarantees these youths a future as social pariahs unless Israel makes significant changes as a nation or dissolves entirely.
When Israeli youths stand in solidarity with their Palestinian counterparts by refusing to serve, they not only get sent to military prison, but also have to live with the stigma of being branded as a traitor. Although friends and family supported 19-year-old Hallel Rabin, many Israeli netizens cursed her online. One survey conducted in 2019 at the latest found that 67.8% of respondents supported “restricting the human rights” of people who failed to fulfill various obligations such as military service.
