Israel

As reported by Mesarvot and the Refuser Solidarity Network, in mid-February, Shahar Schwartz and Evyatar Moshe Rubin were released after 120 days in prison and received an exception to military service. However, the refuser Nave Shabtay Levin (19 y/o) is still incarcerated, after being sentenced to an additional 45 days in prison.

This Thursday, 1st December, is Prisoners for Peace Day, a day to show solidarity with those activists who have been imprisoned for their work for peace and conscientious objectors imprisoned for their refusal to take up arms.

This year, we want to highlight the situation of many people in Russia and Ukraine that are imprisoned or facing imprisonment for resisting the current war in Ukraine. 

You can find the list of Prisoners for Peace here.

This Thursday, 1st December, is Prisoners for Peace Day, a day to show solidarity with those activists who have been imprisoned for their work for peace and conscientious objectors imprisoned for their refusal to take up arms. See a list of those imprisoned for their peace activism and conscientious objection here.

We, Israeli youth, refuse to join the Israeli army and take part in the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza strip. We call out to all citizens of Israel to open their eyes and see the policy of oppression over the palestinian people carried out by the Israeli government. We object to the militaristic education forced on us by the same oppressive policies, we object to the educational system teaching us to hate our neighbors, and we object to the social norms that prohibits the educational system from sharing the true reality in the Palestinian territories with children and youth.

Israel will be holding parliamentary elections in November, and we need to make sure our Prime Minister and parliamentary candidates for office understand the occupation needs to end NOW. We will not accept nor participate in human rights violations. We have written the following statement and we need your help to make sure it reaches these Israeli politicians.

An IDF disciplinary body sentenced 18-year-old Israeli conscientious objector Shahar Schwartz to 10 days in military prison on Monday over his refusal to serve in the army. Schwartz, who graduated from high school this year, was jailed after appearing before the IDF’s conscientious objectors committee where he declared his intention to refuse service due to Israel’s policies toward the Palestinians.

In a webinar on June 22, 2022, refusers Shahar Perets and Eran Aviv will explain their approaches to conscientious objection in Israel and address the importance of conscientious objection to a peace and reconciliation process in the Middle East.

This is a list of those who are currently in prison for their conscientious objection to military service and their work for peace.

Here is a list of some of those currently in prison for their work for peace.

Conscientious objector Eran Aviv from Israel got his exemption from military service after spending 114 days behind bars.

Eran, 19, declared his conscientious objection in May 2021, stating his refusal to serve in the Israeli military due to his opposition to the occupation. Since his refusal, Eran has spent a total of 114 days in military prison in six separate terms. 

Read the stories of Shahar Peretz,18, and Eran Aviv, 19, who are currently serving time in prison for their conscientious objection to military service. Shahar and Eran describe how young people in Israel, from an early age, are habituated through school and the wider society to their joining the IDF, and their refusal to take part in the occupation and the cycle of violence.

Unionised dockworkers in the ports of Livorno and Naple have refused to load a shipment of arms destined for the Israeli port of Ashdod, in a show of solidarity with Palestinians facing a military attack from the Israeli Defence Force.