From Draft NOtices, May-June 2002
- Marion Morgan
In recent months, a growing number of Israeli soldiers dubbed "refuseniks" are refusing to serve in the occupied Palestinian territories. As the violence in the current Intifada has escalated, more young men are stating their opposition to the occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem by refusing to carry out their compulsory military service in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) in these areas. And while pundits on both sides argue about whether their actions represent the heroic stance of conscientious objectors or a dangerous aberration that cannot be tolerated, the significance of their resistance -- and the attention it is garnering -- cannot be denied.