ISRAEL: Fourth prison term for objectors

War Resisters' International learned today from the Israeli organisation New Profile about recent imprisonments of conscientious objectors.

Conscientious objector Misha Hadar (ISR14725) was sentenced to a fourth prison term of 28 days on 6 June. Misha Hadar decided to now also refuse to wear a military uniform while in prison. He explains this decision in the following letter:

"June 2005
It is now two months since my first refusal to serve in the Israeli army and since I made my request to be heard by a "conscience committee" - a right which I have so far been denied. After several terms in jail I have come to the conclusion that sooner or later, any dialogue with the military follows the logic of the military - a way of thinking which is fundamentally lacking in conscience, which bases itself in brute force, and which, since 1967 leads to the consistent abuse of the Palestinian people and their rights. In my case, the army has rejected outright and without any explanation my repeated appeals to be allowed to appear before the conscience committee, or to voice my arguments in an alternative way. As a result, I feel that any attempt on my part to speak has become wholly superfluous. In fact, it only creates strange types of co-operation with what is lacking in conscience. I will, therefore, from now on, no longer have any communication with representatives of the military as such. At the same time I will be very willing to respond to anyone who, as an individual - even if he or she be uniformed - addresses me as an individual person with rights. This situation would, of course, change should I be allowed to appear before the conscience committee.

Misha Hadar"

Misha Hadar was first sent to the Isolation Ward of Military Prison 4, but after this fact had been brought to the attention of the Commander of the Prison, this decision was reversed, and he is now being held in the Reserves Company of the prison. He is due to be released on 1 July, but is likely to be imprisoned again.

Eyal Brami (ISR14727) was imprisoned for the fourth time on 20 June, sentenced to 21 days. He followed the same course of action as Misha Hadar, and refuses to wear a uniform. He is presently, according to information provided by New Profile, held in the Isolation Ward of Military Prison No 4. He is due to be released on 8 July.

Conscientious objector Alex Kohn (ISR14726) was sentenced to a fourth prison term of 21 days on 20 June. He is imprisoned in Military Prison No 4, and is due to be released on 8 July, but likely to be imprisoned again.

Druze objector Wissam Qablan (ISR14735) was imprisoned for the fourth time on 5 June, this time for 21 days in prison. He is held in Military Prison No 6, and is due to be released on 24 June, but he too is likely to be imprisoned again.

War Resisters' International calls for letters of support to the imprisoned objectors: Misha Hadar, Military ID 7323957
Alex Kohn, Military ID 6866693
Eyal Brami, Military ID 7706258
Military Prison No 4
Military Postal Code 02507, IDF
Israel

Wissam Qablan
Military Prison No 6
Military Postal Code 01860, 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/20050622a.html .

War Resisters' International calls for the immediate release of conscientious objectors Misha Hadar, Alex Kohn, Eyal Brami, Wissam Qablan, 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 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:
.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

Archives of co-alert can be found at http://wri-irg.org/news/alerts