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ISR14786-100406
ISRAEL: Occupation refuser Aviv Sela sentenced to 21 days imprisonment
Israeli conscientious objector Aviv Sela (ISR14786) was sentenced to a first prison term of 21 days on 5 April 2006, after he refused to be enlisted for military service in the IDF. Dozens of friends, family members and supporters demonstrated at the gates of the induction center in support of Aviv Sela.Aviv Sela wrote in his letter to the Minister of Defence:
“I, Aviv Sela, hereby present you with my request to be exempted from military service on grounds of conscience, according to section 36 of the 1986 law of military service (combined version). I would like to ask you to refer this request to the authorized exemption committee.
…Though I did not grow up in an activist or political family, my family believed in humane values and in human equality and respect. My parents are not active in peace or human rights organizations: their one political activity is going to the ballot box.
…The more I saw of the occupied territories, the more clearly could I see the complexity of Palestinian society. When you are inside Israeli society you get the impression that Palestinian society is an extremist terrorist society. Once you are able to put aside these simplifications, you discover a complex society, with various factions and different ideas, and a variety of modes of struggle. This is how I got to know about non-violent protest, Palestinian protest, conducted either indirectly or directly, which has gained widespread publicity in Israel and internationally.
…These visits I made to the occupied territories gave me a better insight into what was happening on the other side of the Green Line and they are a major part of how I have come to understand the Israeli government's policy in the territories as illegitimate and something I cannot be part of”.
War Resisters' International calls for letters of support to Aviv Sela:
Aviv Sela
military ID 6883615
POB 02507 Zahal
IDF
Israel
War Resisters' International calls for letters of protest to the Israeli authorities, and Israeli embassies abroad. An email letter can be sent at http://www.wri-irg.org/co/alerts/20060410a.html.
War Resisters' International calls for the immediate release of conscientious objector Uri Natan, and all other imprisoned conscientious objectors.
Andreas Speck
War Resisters' International
Addresses
Shaul Mofaz
Minister of Defence,
Ministry of Defence,
37 Kaplan st.,
Tel-Aviv 61909,
Israel
e-mail: sar@mod.gov.il or pniot@mod.gov
Fax: +972-3-696-27-57 / +972-3-691-69-40 / +972-3-691-79-15
Commander of Military Prison No 4
Military Prison No 4
Military Postal Code 02507
IDF, Israel
Fax: +972-3-957-52-76
Commander of Military Prison No 6
Military Prison No 6
Military postal number 01860,
IDF, Israel.
Fax: +972-4-869-28-84
Addresses of Israeli embassies can be found at http://www.embassyworld.com/embassy/israel1.htm
Addresses of Israeli media:
Ma'ariv:
2 Karlibach st.
Tel-Aviv 67132
Israel
Fax: +972-3-561-06-14
e-mail: editor@maariv.co.il
Yedioth Aharonoth:
2 Moses st.
Tel-Aviv
Israel
Fax: +972-3-608-25-46
Ha'aretz (Hebrew):
21 Schocken st.
Tel-Aviv, 61001
Israel
Fax: +972-3-681-00-12
Ha'aretz (English edition):
21 Schocken st.
Tel-Aviv, 61001
Israel
Fax: +972-3-512-11-56
e-mail: letters@haaretz.co.il
Jerusalem Post:
P.O. Box 81
Jerusalem 91000
Israel
Fax: +972-2-538-95-27
e-mail: news@jpost.co.il or letters@jpost.co.il
Jerusalem Report:
Fax: +972-2-537-94-89
Radio (fax numbers):
Kol-Israel +972-2-531-33-15 and +972-3-694-47-09
Galei Tzahal +972-3-512-67-20
Television (fax numbers):
Channel 1 +972-2-530-15-36
Channel 2 +972-2-533-98-09
wri-irg.org