young Israelis refuse to join the army, even if it means going to prison

The conflict between Hamas and Israel will soon enter its fourth month. If the Jewish state can count on its hundreds of thousands of reservists, some young people are opposed to this war and do not want to join the ranks of the army.

In Pardes-Hanna-Karkur, 50 minutes north of Tel Aviv, Sofia Orr has piercing blue eyes and doesn’t blink. The young woman is 18 years old, old enough to join the army. But “in February”she says, “I will refuse to serve the Israeli army and I will go to military prison for it”. After nearly three months of war between Israel and Hamas, the fighting will continue “all along” of the year, warns Israel. And to hold on, the country relies on its army and its 360,000 reservists. However, voices are being raised to say an end to the conflict and young people are even refusing to enlist in the army.

This is the case of Sofia Orr, one of the figures of an anti-military movement which today claims several dozen active members. “I refuse to take part in a policy of violence, apartheid and oppression that the army imposes on the Palestinians, she justifies. And I believe that there is no military solution to a political problem. I want to be part of the solution and not the problem. We have to make peace, there is no other option.”.

Sofia is one of these young people, an increasing number but still a very small minority, to publicly express their refusal to take up arms.

“Most people in this country have this military spirit that they support the military no matter what. And that of course includes some of my relatives.”

Sofia Orr, who refuses to join the army

at franceinfo

“Sometimes they call me ‘the traitor’ or ‘the hateful Jew.’ And it’s really difficult. You can have an exemption, do it calmly and not be publicly humiliated for it. But that’s not an option for me. I feel like I need to talk about it publicly and try to have as much impact as possible.” explains the young woman.

Sofia is supported by her parents but since the Hamas terrorist attacks of October 7, she feels that her speech is even less heard in society. “People who considered themselves left-wing fall into dehumanizing Palestinians, saying that there are no innocents in Gaza,” she notes.

Last week, his friend Tal Mitnick also boycotted his compulsory military service. In a video at the entrance to the Tel HaShomer military base, he shouts his refusal. He was sentenced on Thursday December 28 to a first sentence of one month’s detention. He could do four in total.