From Refuser Solidarity Network | Original Article

In the past few days, hundreds (!!) of Israeli soldiers have expressed their refusal to serve in the army under the new ultra-nationalist and far-right government unless its anti-democratic policies are stopped. Press reported that almost every army unit, including the “elite” commando unit and the air force, is experiencing an internal revolt, with reserve soldiers refusing to serve in a state they view as anti-democratic. This wave of refusal became so alarming that the army’s head general was forced to issue a statement saying that reserve soldiers should leave their political disagreements outside of the army. However, the refusers did not comply with this order and new statements are being published every day. In the next few weeks we will closely report these once-in-a generation events.

We bring you the words of Niron Mizrahi, 27 y/o from Kfar Masaryk, as was published publicly in his facebook page, calling the Israeli public to refuse: 

It’s time to refuse. 

I, Sgt. Niron Mizrahi, Military Number 8065754, armored corps fighter and combat medic, hereby announce the termination of my reserve service in the Israel Defense Forces, and call for massive refusal by the entire secular-liberal public in the State of Israel.

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I am 27 years old, studying for a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and the teaching of history, the Bible and Israeli culture. I grew up and was educated in Kibbutz Kfar Masaryk in the Western Galilee, I finished 12 years of school with a full matriculation, I volunteered for a year of service at a boarding school for at-risk youth in Pardes Hana, and in 2014 I enlisted in mandatory service as a soldier in the Armored Corps.

For three years I guarded the State of Israel on its borders with Syria and Gaza, I patrolled and made arrests in the West Bank, and today I understand that I can no longer stand idly by.

I can no longer stand idly by and see how my country sends young people like me to commit war crimes in the name of Zionism, the flag and religion, and in the name of a divine promise – imagined or not – to take part in the expropriation of land, the destruction of culture, and in one of the remaining colonialisms in modern times.

I can no longer stand on the sidelines and see how my country takes away rights and freedoms from another people and condemns people to the disgrace of hunger and miserable lives, traumas, suffering, poverty and death in the name of religious fundamentalism.

I can no longer take part in the messianic and delusional ambitions of racist nationalists and religious fanatics such as Simcha Rothman and Itamar Ben Gabir, who dream and work for the vision of the Temple and a religious Jewish kingdom from the Jordan river to the sea, and are willing to harm other human beings in order to fulfill their doctrine.

I can no longer stand by while a criminal leads the country towards a legal dictatorship and a constitutional crisis, and introduces Jewish terrorists into the Knesset, all to escape the threat of judgment.

The narrative of “maintaining security” collapsed a long time ago. There is no safeguarding of security here, there are terrorist attacks every Monday and Thursday, and a military operation every four years, and just as ultra-Orthodox men and religious women are allowed not to enlist for one reason or another, I, we, too – the secular-liberal public – have a moral obligation to refuse service in the Occupied Territories.

I ask that you not treat me as a ranting radical child. I am a mature and thoughtful person, with values and ideas that I have gathered and developed throughout my life, and I have come to this decision in an informed and sober way.

History is full of difficult and bloody conflicts, much more so than the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Most of these conflicts were resolved through talks and negotiations. I don’t know of a way to resolve conflicts between people that doesn’t include dialogue. Violence and terrorism lead to more violence and terrorism and are never the solution.

We did not come into the world to fight and kill each other.

The value of life is more important than anything, and I understand that my continued participation in the cycle of violence and in perpetuating the Israeli occupation of the West Bank territories and the Palestinian people, holds back the resolution of the conflict.

I apologize if I have disappointed or hurt someone. I do not apologize for my truth.