War-refusers: the other Israel

Submitted by martin on 11 March, 2009 - 10:39 Author: Interview with Tamar Katz
Tamar Katz

Following massive demonstrations and a wave of student occupations against Israel’s war in Gaza, British activists have been hosting a speaker tour with Tamar Katz, one of the Shministim, Israeli high school students jailed for refusing to fight in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The tour has included meetings in universities of up to 100 (at Nottingham University) and an International Women's Day meeting in London. She was interviewed for Solidarity by Sofia Lawrence.

How did you come to make the decision to refuse to fight in the IDF?

I was 16 when the second war in Lebanon began and this made me re-consider the prospect of fighting in the IDF after I graduated from school. My family were “ordinary” — not political, and we did not talk about these things at home. I wanted to find out more about the political situation and to think through my ideas. I began to work for an organisation which ran educational initiatives in working-class neighbourhoods. This was my first time in a politicised environment. Through it I met many left wing people. I moved into a collective house and began to get involved with a group called New Profile.

What is New Profile?

New Profile is an anti-militaristic feminist organisation. Its main goal or focus on making society less militaristic, and it also supports refusers and provides an environment in which people can consider the question of refusal. It is a loose network rather than a membership organisation, involving both women and men, pacifists and feminists.

What happened after that?

It helped me to re-think the assumption that I would join the army when I left school. I began to think that I might be a pacifist but had no clearer political agenda than that.

The turning point came when I visited the Occupied Territories along with an organisation called Breaking the Silence — ex-combatants who wanted to speak out about their experiences in the army, the violence they committed on the Palestinians as well as the trauma they now suffered as a result. I also spent time with a Palestinian family who told me about their experiences under occupation.

I visited Hebron. It is one of the worst areas in the West Bank. The army are there to protect the settlers even though the Palestinians are now only a small minority (most of them have fled as a result of the abuse they faced from the settlers). The whole place felt like a ghost town. Shops were closed. People walking on the streets were all frightened. It was a real shock to a girl like me, who had grown up in Tel Aviv and had never visited the Occupied Territories before.

On my return to Israel I began to look at things differently. I went on more demonstrations, and saw more clearly how the IDF operated, how they treated both Palestinian and Israeli protesters. I looked at the soldiers and saw that they were the same age as me, that they could have been friends of mine or from my school. I realised that the important division was not between Palestinians or Israelis but between those who questioned and those who did not. I had begun to question, and had made a decision to refuse.

What does it mean in practice to refuse?

I decided that I would have to refuse on clear political grounds, rather than try to find another way to avoid military service (some people claim religious or personal reasons that would prevent them from joining the army.) This was a really scary decision to make. With some other people my age, I formed a group called Shministin, which simply means “12th Graders”, the age you are when you get called up. We sent out a call out to others at this stage in their life who had been thinking about refusing. 20 people came, and we began to realise that there were others who felt the same as us, about what was wrong and what was right. We decided that our group would have no wider political agenda than refusal – some of us were anarchists, others were pacifists, but we were all in agreement that the occupation was wrong.

What did you and the other Shministim aim to achieve?

We realised that we did not have much power, we were not leaders of any organisations, we just felt like kids. So we decided that the only power we had, that the strongest thing we could do, was to refuse. We wanted to publicise as much as possible what we were doing and we wanted to try to wake people up, to make them think. We didn’t want people who heard about our refusal to think about us, but to make think re-consider the situation in Israel, to make them doubt and to make them question. To make them think that maybe our decision to refuse was not crazy, but that maybe the fact that we were standing behind our ideas was because we had something important to say.

Most of the mainstream press refused to publish our story. One article was published which attacked one of the Shministim. But we did get one sympathetic article in Yediot Aharonot, the leading liberal national paper. This came out when we had already gone to prison for refusing, so it was very important for us to see it published.

Tell us about your imprisonment.

In the end nine of us refused — seven girls and two boys. Our recruiting date for the army was in September 2008. I went to the army base with some of the other Shministim and we were sentenced the minute we refused to put on our uniform or go to boot camp. We were imprisoned in the army base, along with other soldiers who had been imprisoned for different reasons — perhaps for desertion, or for drugs. Our days consisted mainly of doing drills or cleaning the base.

Most of the other prisoners were very religious. We spent a lot of time talking to them, trying to explain why we were refusing. Many prisoners were however already very anti-IDF because of the time they had spent in it and the trouble they had got into. The commanders were different — they took our refusal personally. They tried to split up the four refusers who were in the camp, and they targetted us for especially bad treatment.

I was released the first time after a few weeks on the expectation that I would agree to join up after this. When I refused again I was sent back to prison. This happened again for a third time, most of which I spent in isolation. By this time I preferred to be in isolation rather than have to face the commanders. In the end I was released on mental health grounds.

How do you feel about your decision to refuse now?

I’m glad I did it, and I have found that other Israelis will listen to my story, even if they disagree with me, and I hope this makes them think. There have been refusers before us, but this was the first time that a group of women refused. For women to refuse is the best way we can say that we are equal to men. The army is the most chauvinist place on earth. Challenging this chauvinism made me feel stronger. The male commanders were shocked that a woman stood up to them, that a woman said to them “No matter what you do I won’t change my mind.”

I don’t regret anything about my decision to refuse now.

Comments

Submitted by martin on Fri, 13/03/2009 - 08:59

Debate on Israeli war-refusers, from http://www.workersliberty.org/story/2009/03/04/debate-israeli-war-refusers

The Shministim - A Dubious Cause !
By Ian Sternberg

I have no desire to denigrate Tamar or qustion Her right to Her sincerely held opinions . In a free society people can engage in non-violent civil disobedience & refuse to obey laws They think are unjust - but They must be prepared to accept the legal consequences of Their actions . Israel has democratically decided that all it's 18 year old citizens will do National Service in The IDF . In general Socialists should approve of universal conscription because it is completely unfair that the children of wealthy , priviliged Classes should avoid the draft while Working-Class kids have to go to The Army . Universal Conscription also makes the politicians think carefully about using military force if There children might be in the firing line .

It would have been unlikely for Tamar ( as a Woman ) to have been actively involved in policing Palestinians in the field ( although a lot of Israeli Women volunteer to do service that sees them involved in similar Combat roles to the men ) . Tamar has just been exempted from Army Service - but She could have requested to do a programme called Sherut leumi which is National Service working in Hospitals .

Unfortunately many of The Shministim are just using Their refusal to serve to make political points - They can hardly expect Their Political activity to go unanswered by Israel's legal system . How can We expect Soldiers from a National-religious background to obey Their orders to Disengage The Settlements if We turn a blind eye to Shministim draft-dodging ?

Yes , It might take Moral Courage to stand up for Your beliefs & go to jail ( for short periods in a IDF stockade ), but I'm sorry - for Me the real Heroes are the thousands of young Israelis Who are putting Their lives on the line on a daily basis by serving in The IDF . They suffer hardships & danger without complaining and They do this to protect Israel & the Israeli People from the Terrorists Who are trying to kill innocent civilians .

I have been very priviliged to meet many of the young Israelis Who are seving in The IDF
( on a personal level it makes Me feel guilty that I have not seen military service & it makes Me even more determined that I will do everything that I can to help Our Israeli Soldiers ) .

From the young Dutch , British , and American volunteers Who have made Aliyah & joined Elite Paratroop Sayeret units ,to the disabled youngsters Who fought to do service in The IDF , to the Druze friend Who's ambition it is to become an Officer in The IDF Press & Spokesperson's Unit - They are the ' real Israel ' & I am extremely proud of all Our wonderful young sevicemen & Servicewomen .

A reply to Ian

..."they must be prepared to accept the legal consequences of their actions" - from whose point of view? Surely, if we agree that someone is protesting against an injustice, ie in a just cause, then we should champion them against the mechanisms of legal repression! You might as well say: "When workers strike in defiance of the anti-union laws, that is their right, but they must accept the legal consequences".

Of course, you don't agree it's a just cause. But have the honesty to argue that straightforwardly, without evasion.

"Israel has democratically decided that all it's 18 year old citizens will do National Service in The IDF."

Oh, well that's okay then. Just as Britain 'democratically' decide on the anti-union laws and the poll tax!

"In general Socialists should approve of universal conscription because it is completely unfair that the children of wealthy , priviliged Classes should avoid the draft while Working-Class kids have to go to The Army . Universal Conscription also makes the politicians think carefully about using military force if There children might be in the firing line."

Not that carefully, obviously - not in terms of Israeli lives and certainly not in terms of Palestinian, Lebanese etc lives. In any case, whatever the merits or otherwise of universal conscription, the point is that these comrades are protesting against the oppression of the Palestinians. That's why they deserve our support!

"Unfortunately many of The Shministim are just using Their refusal to serve to make political points" - erm, yes, exactly. Who denies that? To make a political point about Israel's oppression of the Palestinians. That's the whole point!

"How can We expect Soldiers from a
National-religious background to obey Their orders to Disengage The Settlements if We turn a blind eye to Shministim draft-dodging?"

'How can we demand that the government enforces heavy taxes on the rich and cracks down on tax evasion if we turn a blind eye to workers breaking the anti-union laws?' By doing it!

"Yes , It might take Moral Courage to stand up for Your beliefs & go to jail ( for short periods in a IDF stockade ), but I'm sorry - for Me the real Heroes are the thousands of young Israelis Who are putting Their lives on the line on a daily basis by serving in The IDF."

Brave no doubt, but at least in part for a grossly unjust cause - the continued oppression of the Palestinians. And that, Ian, is where we simply do not agree.

Sacha Ismail

A Reply To AWL from Ian

Yes , We simply don't agree :

First of all there's a clue in the title - " Israel Defence Forces " - The IDF wasn't formed to oppress the Palestinians
it was created to defend the existence of The State Of Israel from the genocidal Arab policy of destroying Israel in 1948 . the IDF also plays a crucial part of unifying Israeli Society by intergrating new Olim with Israeli born Sabras . The IDF helped build Israel during it's formative years . For all these reasons , The IDF is a " Peoples Army " and is seen as a crucial part of Israel's Democratic system .

I would challenge The AWL to go to the Jews rescued from Anti-Semitic PFLP & Bader-Meinhoff Terrorists at Entebbe , or the Ethiopian Jews saved from starvation & airlifted to Israel , or the Rwandans , kosovars & Turkish eathquake victims helped by IDF Medical & Rescue units , and tell Them that Israeli Servicemen & Servicewomen are part of a
" grossly unjust cause " !

You characteristically sidestep My question about expecting National-Religious Israelis to obey the lawful orders of The IDF in carrying out the Democratic decision of the Government to evacuate the Settlers of Gaza ( Who also had every right to peacefully protest according to Their conscience ) - surely The Army's Disengagement of Their fellow Israelis proves that Israel wants to give The Palestinians self-determination & does not desire to continue to oppress Palestinians .

You address My points about the need for all of Israel's Citizens to shoulder the responsibility of defending Israel by raising points about Workers Struggles in Great Britain . The Anti-Union laws & the Poll Tax were undertaken by Tory reactionaries with a minority of votes & public support . Israel's decision to conscript has the almost universal support of The Jewish , Druze & Circassian communities ( Arab Israelis are not drafted as We do not expect Them to serve against Their fellow Arabs ) - Your points are not really comparable .
If I served in The IDF there are certain orders that I would refuse to obey , I would not be prepared to serve against Striking Workers in Industrial Actions - but in this hypothetical senario I also would have to be prepared to accept the consequences of My actions .

How have I evaded this question or not argued honestly ? I have tried to indicate that I have some grudging respect for these activists even if I don't agree with Them . Young people like Tamar are My Jewish brothers & sisters and I have a responsibility to Them that trancends political differences . My love for Israel & The Jewish people is for ever - I am not using them to score short-term political points and then drop them when They no longer prove usefull .

Another point is that refusal to serve in The IDF has lomg term consequences to the people Who do it . Because Army Service is such an important part of being Israeli & because it is so supported it is like commiting social-suicide to dodge the draft . I feel that it is completely irresponsible for people Who don't live in Israel to encourage action that can wreck young Israelis future careers & social standing - it's wrong & The AWL should stop doing it .

Defence?

Ian, no time to reply properly now (soon), but one quick comment:

"First of all there's a clue in the title - " Israel Defence Forces " - The IDF wasn't formed to oppress the Palestinian"

So because we have a Ministry of Defence in Britain, that means our army is non-imperialist, peaceful, purely defensive? This is right up there with your comment that numerous IDF officers have assured you that they are eager to minimise civilian casualties, and you believe them!

Sacha

Civilian Casualties

Of course I believe The IDF when They assure Me that They are eager to minimise civilian casualties . In this media age The IDF is pefectly aware that Israel is fighting a war for international public opinion as much as it is conducting military campaigns - it is in Israel's own best interest to avoid civilian casualties as much as it possibly can !

Ian

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