OccupationalHazard.org 01.25.02

Voices & Dialogue - 01/25/02

Israeli Soldiers Protest

Advertisement in Ha'aretz

The following ad, signed by 52 Israeli officers and soldiers, appeared in Ha'aretz on Friday, 25 January 2002. Note: I.D.F. stands for Israel Defense Forces; the reference to the war of "Peace for the Settlements" evidently hints at the Lebanon war, officially named "Peace for the Galilee"; and the Green line is Israel's internationally recognized border, i.e. the actual border from 1948 to 1967.
We, combat officers and combat soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, raised on the values of Zionism, sacrifice, and service to the Jewish people and the State of Israel, who have always served on the front line and were the first to fulfill every mission, regardless of how difficult, in order to defend and strengthen the State of Israel -
We, combat officers and combat soldiers, who serve the State of Israel for long weeks every year, despite the high personal price we pay, who have performed reserve duty throughout the territories and have been issued orders and instructions that have nothing to do with the security of our country, orders with the sole purpose of perpetuating control over the Palestinian people -
We, who have witnessed with our own eyes the terrible cost in blood that the occupation exacts from both sides -
Who have seen how the orders given to us there corrupt all the values we grew up with in this country -
Who understand today that the price of the occupation is loss of humanity of the I.D.F. and corruption of Israeli society as a whole -
Who know that the territories are not Israel, and that ultimately all the settlements will be evacuated -
We hereby declare that we will not continue to fight the war of "Peace for the Settlements". We will not go on fighting beyond the Green Line for the purpose of domination, expulsion, starvation, and humiliation of an entire people.
We hereby declare that we shall continue to serve the Israel Defense Forces in any mission that serves to defend the State of Israel. The mission of occupation and repression does not serve this goal - and we refuse to participate in it.

Back to front

Israeli Soldiers Protest
Advertisement in Ha'aretz





The following ad, signed by 52 Israeli officers and soldiers, appeared in Ha'aretz on Friday, 25 January 2002. Note: I.D.F. stands for Israel Defense Forces; the reference to the war of "Peace for the Settlements" evidently hints at the Lebanon war, officially named "Peace for the Galilee"; and the Green line is Israel's internationally recognized border, i.e. the actual border from 1948 to 1967. We, combat officers and combat soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, raised on the values of Zionism, sacrifice, and service to the Jewish people and the State of Israel, who have always served on the front line and were the first to fulfill every mission, regardless of how difficult, in order to defend and strengthen the State of Israel - We, combat officers and combat soldiers, who serve the State of Israel for long weeks every year, despite the high personal price we pay, who have performed reserve duty throughout the territories and have been issued orders and instructions that have nothing to do with the security of our country, orders with the sole purpose of perpetuating control over the Palestinian people - We, who have witnessed with our own eyes the terrible cost in blood that the occupation exacts from both sides - Who have seen how the orders given to us there corrupt all the values we grew up with in this country - Who understand today that the price of the occupation is loss of humanity of the I.D.F. and corruption of Israeli society as a whole - Who know that the territories are not Israel, and that ultimately all the settlements will be evacuated - We hereby declare that we will not continue to fight the war of "Peace for the Settlements". We will not go on fighting beyond the Green Line for the purpose of domination, expulsion, starvation, and humiliation of an entire people. We hereby declare that we shall continue to serve the Israel Defense Forces in any mission that serves to defend the State of Israel. The mission of occupation and repression does not serve this goal - and we refuse to participate in it.
Back to front