Yuval Oren, 19, was sentenced to 14 days in the IDF’s Prison 6 on Tuesday after he refused to be inducted into what he calls “an occupying army”. The N’vei Shalom resident joins six females who in recent weeks were sent to jail for the same reason.
During this past year, he was involved in a national service program in Yavne, and is also working on behalf of the refugees from Darfur. Colleagues and supporters of the young conscientious objector were aware of his plans and were waiting at the Bakum Induction Base with signs in a showing of support.
Prior to arriving at the base, Oren sent a letter to Defense Minister Ehud Barak stating “My conscience does not permit me to serve in an army that destroys homes of innocent people, kills innocent children and prevents the ill from receiving medical care. The army prevents freedom of movement and violates basic rights. It banishes people from their homes because they are not Jews. In complying with the orders of the government, the army imposes terror on 3.5 million Palestinian people.”
Reuven Agasi of the “Equal Share of the Burden” organization expressed outrage over the letter, stating if he is so opposed to the policies of the country then perhaps he should leave. In addition, he needn’t serve in a combat position if he is truly a pacifist. He can even work in a military warehouse.”
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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2 Responses
Shkoyach to that young man. I guess they learn more Jewish values in Neveh Shalom* than in most other places in Eretz Yisroel.
*Neveh Shalom is a bilingual community of Jews and Arabs in the forests between Latrun and Beit Shemesh. You can see it from Road 1 in the direction from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a little after Latrun, on the right side, on the edge of the mountain, just before the road turns to the left. I passed it once while walking in the forests there.
Nebach! Where was he when the same army was removing jews from their homes??? Oh!! I forgot!! That does not fit in with the European liberal agenda.