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Combatant letter - 628 Israeli combatants so far have signed in protest. This petition has been going on since 2002. Please read the statments of some of the 'refuseniks' in the articles column from the 'signers' link: web page
* 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. * 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. * 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. * We, who know that the Territories are not Israel, and that all settlements are bound to be evacuated in the end. * 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.
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There is OVERWHELMING public support in Israel for this murdering of Palestinians going on (and its continuation). Less than 4% of Israelis are against it.
Posts: 3291 | From: I DO believe in Karma! | Registered: Apr 2002
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But its not 100% and people should know this. We should support those Israelis who ARE against it.
Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
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Support what you want Shanta, right now I am concentrating my efforts on those who at this very MINUTE are being tortured and killed by the Israelis who DO support this! The OVERWHELMING MAJORITY!
Posts: 3291 | From: I DO believe in Karma! | Registered: Apr 2002
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I know you have much more person involvement in this than I do and I'm not going to patronize you by saying that 'I understand your feelings' etc etc.
It remains for those of us who have less personal involvement to try to seek a way out of this mess. Focusing on hate and revenge won't do it.
Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
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During the Bosnia War in 90's, more than 250.000 Bosnian Muslims were killed, women were raped and tortured just because of being Muslims.
I recommend people to go and see this small beautiful country. Now Serbs, Croatians and Bosnians are living all together in peace. Yes there is a hidden hate maybe but, for the sake of the next generations, they say at least they are trying to keep the peace alive.
Posts: 2591 | From: **Ex Oriente Lux** | Registered: Jan 2007
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Shanta, I agree with you that we have to acknowledge that these people who are going against the "OVERWHELMING MAJORITY" in this war are brave to do so. Thank you for posting this.
Posts: 3891 | From: No good deed goes unpunished. | Registered: May 2007
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"There has never been a just one, never an honorable one -(*WAR*)- on the part of the instigator of the war. I can see a million years ahead, and this rule will never change in so many as half a dozen instances.
The loud little handful -- as usual -- will shout for the war. The pulpit will -- warily and cautiously -- object -- at first; the great, big, dull bulk of the nation will rub its sleepy eyes and try to make out why there should be a war, and will say, earnestly and indignantly, "It is unjust and dishonorable, and there is no necessity for it." Then the handful will shout louder. A few fair men on the other side will argue and reason against the war with speech and pen, and at first will have a hearing and be applauded; but it will not last long; those others will out-shout them, and presently the anti-war audiences will thin out and lose popularity.
Before long you will see this curious thing: the speakers stoned from the platform, and free speech strangled by hordes of furious men who in their secret hearts are still at one with those stoned speakers -- as earlier -- but do not dare to say so. And now the whole nation -- pulpit and all -- will take up the war-cry, and shout itself hoarse, and mob any honest man who ventures to open his mouth; and presently such mouths will cease to open. Next the statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting the blame upon the nation that is attacked, and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing falsities, and will diligently study them, and refuse to examine any refutations of them; and thus he will by and by convince himself that the war is just, and will thank God for the better sleep he enjoys after this process of grotesque self-deception."
Twain, Mark, 1835-1910 . The Mysterious Stranger (published 1916)
Where are we in this speech? We are the ones who saw the "few fair men" write and argue and finally saw the "furious men" who "out-shouted" them and declared that the war with the Palestinians is a "must" and there is no other way. a "war for our survival".
I think the "few fair men" where right when they first said we have no place in the territories, I think they were right when they said that when you occupy and control the lives of another people, then the whole nation is in danger of becoming an oppressor. And we became that oppressor. Since the "few fair men" were "Out-Shouted" by the mob, it is my duty and the duty of my fellow Officers to stand up and shout back. And this time we won't use the "speech and pen" which has obviously failed. Now is the time for all those who believe that Israel has no place in being in the territories to stand up and declare- enough!
If we don't support those courageous enough to speak out against the majority then they will surely close their mouths.
Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
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The problem that some people wants the hate to carry on and on ,, they do not want any piece to be in this area of the world ,, unfortunatly ,, it is not only the Israilain and the americans who are taking parte in that ,, but many of the palstianins and their support do not want this conflict to end ,, if it ends then what benefits they might get .. what sort of power they can have,,, People should be happy when they find some piece makers and they should support any attempts for creating piece, President Sadat ,, was very brave mm when he said he was ready to go the last place on earth to end any future war in this land ,, and guess what ,, can any one come out and trell me how many egyptian person been killed since the Camp David agreemnt back in 1979 ( if I am not wrong about the date ) , in the piece talks in Egypt ,, Palstianin were invited and did not show up ,, and the Israilain deliagtes asked @ Oproi hotel about the strange flag was in teh table ( the palstian one ) what could happend at that date if they turned up and joined,, I would imagine ,, they would get more land than they are dreaming to have now , less people gets killed by the Israilian ( sure the kiling by the palstianians group among themselves would not stop ) but if they had their own land,, was there any execuse by then to Israel to inavde and bomb and kill? now we find some people do not even want to support the piece group in Israel , they want these piece groups to back off and no one inside Israel ask the leaders to stop bombing ( they think the Israelian leaders would listen to the arab leaders and those who are in demos!!!) we have to be logical sometime and face the truth and try to grap and support all who are in our side and who are asking for pices.. for thsow who do not know how to read ,, I do not support Israel for any killing ,, if you did not get that then read the post again
Posts: 1373 | From: London | Registered: Mar 2004
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