ISRAEL: CO Dan Tamir jailed for 28 days

en

Today, War Resisters' International learned from the Israeli organisation Yesh Gvul, that IDF Capt. (res.) Dan Tamir has been jailed for 28 days, for refusal to take part in the Israeli campaign of repression in the occupied territories. At his trial, Dan Tamir declared: "As a man who believes in democracy and Jewish values, and is troubled over the future of the state and its character, I will take no part in military actions whose purpose is perptuation of the Israeli occupation regime in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip." Tamir contacted Yesh Gvul two months back after his first confrontation with his superiors, when he was instructed to detail a detachment of ten men from his section for duty in the occupied territories.

Tamir refused to do so, citing IDF tradition which demands that an officer set a personal example, and never send subordinates on an assignment that he himself would reject.

Summoned in for a rebuke by his unit commander (in civilian life a prominent official of the far-right settlers' movement) Tamir was unrepentant, whereupon he was told that his upcoming tour of reserve duty would be in the territories, and put on notice that refusal on his part would entail a term in military jail - a very unusual procedure in relation to an officer of his rank.

The CO has now kept his pledge. Tamir is the nineteenth IDF soldier jailed during the current intifada for refusing duties with the occupation forces.

Overall for this period, Yesh Gvul lists well over 200 cases of soldiers - reservists or conscripts - refusing to take part in the campaign of repression .

There are currently four soldiers - Ariel Levin (see ISR11307-100801), Searg. (res.) Jonathan Moss (see ISR11306-100801), Lieut. (res.) Ishai Sagi (see ISR11166-310701) and now Tamir - in jail for refusal at various levels -

whether for refusing specific duties in the territories, or a more blanket refusal to enlist in "the army of occupation". Others refuse to take part in any army whatsoever on pacifist grounds. War Resisters' International calls for support to Dan Tamir and all those imprisoned for their conscientious objection. Send your messages of support to War Resisters' International, or to: Yesh Gvul PO Box 6953 Jerusalem 91068 ISRAEL Fax: +972-2-6434171 email: peretz@yesh-gvul.org

War Resisters' International calls for letters of protest to the Israeli authorities (listed below).

Andreas Speck, War Resisters' International

LIST OF ADDRESSES



Military Attorney General, Military postal number 9605, IDF, Israel. Fax: +972-3-569-43-70

Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz, IDF Chief of Staff, Ha-Qirya, Tel-Aviv, Israel. Fax: +972-3-569-55-94

Mr. Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Minister of Defence, Ministry of Defence, 37 Kaplan st., Tel-Aviv 61909, Israel. e-mail: sar@mod.gov.il Fax: +972-3-696-27-57 / +972-3-691-69-40 / +972-3-691-79-15

Mr. Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister Prime Ministers' Office, Qiriat David Ben-Gurion Jerusalem, Israel. e-mail: webmaster@pmo.gov.il Fax: +972-2-566-48-38 / +972-2-651-26-31

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: POB 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