State of Israel
Geography
Land of Israel Districts · Cities · Transportation Dead Sea · Red Sea · Sea of Galilee Mediterranean · Negev · Judea · Samaria Jerusalem · Tel Aviv · Haifa Israeli Coat of Arms Original digital image can be found at the site of the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs: http://www. ... Motto: none Anthem: Hatikvah Capital Jerusalem Largest city Jerusalem Official language(s) Hebrew, Arabic Government President Prime Minister Acting Prime Minister Parliamentary democracy Moshe Katsav Ariel Sharon1 Ehud Olmert Independence  Declaration From the United Kingdom 14 May 1948 (05 Iyar 5708) Area  â€¢ Total  â€¢ Water (%)   20,770 km² (150th) ~2% Population... Image File history File links Flag_of_Israel. ... This article concerns the concept of The Land of Israel (Hebrew: ארץ ישראל Eretz Yisrael) in Jewish and Christian thought throughout the history from its Biblical sources to the present day. ... There are six main districts of Israel, known in Hebrew as mehozot (singular: mehoz) and thirteen sub-districts known as nafot (singular: nafa). ... Cities in Israel, by district: // Northern District See also North District, Israel. ... The Jordan River flowing into the Dead Sea The Dead Sea (Arabic البحر الميت, Hebrew ים המלח) is the lowest exposed point on the Earths surface. ... Location of the Red Sea The Red Sea (Arabic البحر الأحمر al-Bahr al-Ahmar; Hebrew ים סוף Yam Suf; Tigrigna ቀይሕ ባሕሪ QeyH baHri) is a gulf or basin of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. ... The Sea of Galilee with the Jordan River flowing out of it to the south and into the Dead Sea Kineret redirects here; for the Amgen drug having this tradename, see Anakinra The Sea of Galilee is Israels largest freshwater lake, approximately 53 kilometers (33 miles) in circumference, about... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... Ruins in the Negev desert This article is about the region of Israel, for the light machine gun see IMI Negev. ... Desert hills in southern Judea, looking east from the town of Arad Judea or Judaea (יהודה Praise, Standard Hebrew , Tiberian Hebrew ) (Greek: Ιουδαία) is a term used for the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel (Hebrew: ארץ ישראל Eretz Yisrael), an area now divided between Israel and the West Bank, and... Samaria, or Shomron (Hebrew שֹׁמְרוֹן, Standard Hebrew Å omÉ™ron, Tiberian Hebrew ŠōmÉ™rôn, Arabic سامريّون SāmariyyÅ«n (but commonly called in Arabic جبال نابلس Jibal Nablus), (in the New Testament Greek Σαμαρεία, in Russian Самария ) is a term used for the mountainous northern part of the area on the west bank of the Jordan... Jerusalem (31°46′N 35°14′E; Hebrew: (help· info) Yerushalayim; Arabic: (help· info) al-Quds) is an ancient Middle Eastern city on the watershed between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea at an elevation of 650-840 meter. ... Tel-Aviv was founded on empty dunes north of the existing city of Jaffa. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...
History of Israel
Zionism · Timeline ·Aliyah · Herzl Balfour · Mandate · 1947 UN Plan Independence · Austerity · Refugees This article discusses the history of the modern State of Israel, from its independence proclamation in 1948 to the present. ... Poster promoting a film about Jewish settlement in Palestine, 1930s: Toward a New Life (in Romanian),The Promised Land (in Hungarian) 1844 Discourse on the Restoration of the Jews by Mordecai Noah, page one. ... Timeline of Zionism in the modern era: 1861 - The Zion Society is formed in Frankfurt, Germany. ... Aliyah (Hebrew: עלייה; ascent or going up) is a term widely used to mean Jewish immigration to the Land of Israel (and since its establishment in 1948, the State of Israel). ... Theodor Herzl, in his middle age. ... The Balfour Declaration was a letter dated November 2, 1917 from British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour on behalf of the British government, to Lord Rothschild (Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild), a leader of the British Jewish community, for transmission to the Zionist Federation, a private Zionist organization. ... Map of the territory under the British Mandate of Palestine. ... On 29 November 1947 the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine or United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181, a plan to resolve the Arab-Jewish conflict in the British Mandate of Palestine, was approved by the United Nations General Assembly, at the UN World Headquarters in New York. ... Austerity in Israel: From 1949 to 1959, the state of Israel was, to a varying extent, under a regime of austerity (צנע), during which rationing and similar measures were enforced. ...
Arab-Israeli conflict · Proposals
1948 War · 1949 Armistice · Suez War Six-Day War · Attrition War Yom Kippur War · Lebanon War Peace treaties with: Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan Israel (in blue color) and the Arab League states (in green, Comoros is not shown). ... Geneva Accord October 20, 2003 Road Map for Peace April 30, 2003 The Peoples Voice July 27, 2002 Elon Peace Plan 2002 ... The 1948 Arab-Israeli War is referred to as the War of Independence (Hebrew: מלחמת העצמאות) or as the War of Liberation (Hebrew: מלחמת השחרור) by Israelis. ... The 1949 Armistice Agreements are a set of agreements signed during 1949 between Israel and its neighbors Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. ... Combatants Israel, France, United Kingdom Egypt Commanders Moshe Dayan (CoS of the IDF) General Sir Charles Keightley (C-in-C), Vice-Admiral Pierre Barjot (Deputy) Gamal Abdel Nasser Strength 45,000 British, 34,000 French, 175,000 Israeli 300,000 Egyptians Casualties 189 Israelis KIA, unknown number WIA, 16 British... Combatants Israel Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq Commanders Yitzhak Rabin, Moshe Dayan, Uzi Narkiss, Israel Tal, Ariel Sharon Abdel Hakim Amer, Abdul Munim Riad, Sharif Zaid Ibn Shaker, Hafez al-Assad Strength 50,000 troops (264,000 including mobilized reservists); 197 combat aircraft Egypt 150,000 troops; Syria 75,000; Jordan... The War of Attrition was a limited war fought between Egypt and Israel from 1968 to 1970. ... Combatants Israel Egypt, Syria, (Jordan, Iraq) Commanders Moshe Dayan, David Elazar, Ariel Sharon, Shmuel Gonen Saad El Shazly, Ahmad Ismail Ali Strength 415,000 troops; 1,500 tanks, 3,000 armored carriers; 945 artillery units 100 mm and up; 561 airplanes, 84 helicopters; 38 battleships. ... The 1982 Invasion of Lebanon, dubbed Operation Peace for Galilee (Shlom HaGalil in Hebrew), began June 6, 1982, when the Israel Defence Force invaded southern Lebanon purportedly in response to the Abu Nidal organizations assassination attempt against Israels ambassador to the United Kingdom, Shlomo Argov, and to halt...
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Timeline · Peace process · Peace camp 1st Intifada · Oslo · 2nd Intifada Barrier · Disengagement This article needs to be updated to deal with the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. ... This is an incomplete timeline of events in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. ... The Peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has taken shape over the years, despite the ongoing violence in the Middle East. ... The Israeli peace camp is a collection of political and non-political movements which desire to promote peace, mainly with the Arab neighbours of Israel (the Palestinians, Syria and Lebanon) and encourage co-existence with the Arab citizens of Israel. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles (DOP), were finalized in Oslo, Norway on August 20, 1993, and subsequently officially signed at a public ceremony in Washington D.C. on September 13, 1993, with Mahmoud Abbas signing for the... It has been suggested that October 2000 riots (Israel) be merged into this article or section. ... The barrier route as of May 2005. ... A map illustrating the four phases of the Gaza disengagement plan. ...
Economy
Science & Tech. · Companies · Tourism This article does not cite its references or sources. ... . The top 10 Israeli companies by sales are: Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd. ... // Tourism in Argentina Argentine Antarctica Bariloche Buenos Aires and the neighborhoods La Boca, Puerto Madero, Recoleta and San Telmo Cordoba Cueva de las Manos Esquel Iguazu Falls Los Alerces National Park Mar del Plata Mount Aconcagua Nahuel Huapi National Park Patagonia Perito Moreno Glacier Pinamar Quebrada de Humahuaca Tucuman Ushuaia...
Demographics · Culture
Judaism · Israeli Arabs · Kibbutz Music · Archaeology · Universities Hebrew · Literature · Israelis This article discusses the demographics of Israel. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The great majority of citizens in the State of Israel are Jewish; the great majority of Israeli Jews practice Judaism as their religion. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Kibbutz Dan, near Qiryat Shemona, in the Upper Galilee, 1990s A kibbutz (Hebrew: קיבוץ; plural: kibbutzim: קיבוצים, gathering or together) is an Israeli collective community. ... Modern Israeli music is heavily influenced by its constituents, which include Palestinians (see Palestinian music) and Jewish immigrants (see Jewish music) from more than 120 countries around the world have brought their own musical traditions, making Israel a global melting pot. ... The archaeology of Israel is a national passion that also attracts considerable international interest on account of the regions Biblical links. ... There are eight official universities in Israel. ... Hebrew (עִבְרִית ‘Ivrit) is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by more than 7 million people, mainly in Israel, the West Bank, the United States and by Jewish communities around the world. ... Israeli literature is literature of the nation of Israel. ...
Laws · Politics
Law of Return · Jerusalem Law Parties · Elections · PM · President Knesset · Supreme Court · Courts The Basic Laws of Israel function as Israels uncodified constitution. The State of Israel has no formal constitution. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Law of Return (חוק השבות) is Israeli legislation that allows Jews to settle in Israel and gain citizenship. ... The Jerusalem Law is a common name of Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel passed by the Israeli Knesset on July 30, 1980 (17th Av, 5740). ... Political parties in Israel: Israels political system is based on proportional representation which allows for a multi-party system with numerous parties, in which a single party usually has no chance of gaining power by itself, forcing the parties to cooperate and form coalition governments. ... Elections in Israel gives information on election and election results in Israel. ... The Prime Minister of Israel (Hebrew: ראש הממשלה, Rosh HaMemshala, lit. ... President of the State of Israel (Hebrew: נשיא המדינה, Nasi Hamedina) is the head of state of Israel, but has a largely ceremonial, figurehead role with real power lying in the hands of the Prime Minister of Israel. ... The Knesset (כנסת, Hebrew for assembly) is the Parliament of Israel. ... Frontal view The Supreme Court (Hebrew: בית המשפט העליון, Beit Hamishpat Haelyon ) is at the head of the court system in the State of Israel. ... Judicial branch is an independent branch of the government which includes secular and religious courts. ...
Foreign affairs
UN · Intl. Law · Arab League Foreign relations of Israel deals with some of the following issues: In addition to seeking an end to hostilities with Arab forces, against which it has fought five wars since 1948, Israel has given high priority to gaining wide acceptance as a sovereign state with an important international role. ... Israel and the United Nations have had very mixed relations, since the states founding on May 14, 1948. ... Arguments about the applicability of various elements of international law underlie the debate around the Arab-Israeli conflict. ... From the time it was established in March 1945, the Arab League took an active role in the Arab-Israeli conflict. ...
Israeli Security Forces
Israel Defense Forces Mossad · Shabak · Aman Sayeret · YAMAM · Magav · Police The Israeli Security Forces (ISF) are several organizations collectively responsible for Israels security. ... The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (Hebrew: צבא ×”×”×’× ×” לישראל (help· info), [Army] Force for the Defense of Israel), often abbreviated צהל Tsahal, alternative English spelling Tzahal, is the name of Israels armed forces, comprising the Israeli army, Israeli air force and Israeli navy. ... Error creating thumbnail: convert: unable to open image `/mnt/upload3/wikipedia/en/2/2a/MossadLogo. ... Shabak emblem Defender who shall not be seen The Shabak (in Hebrew, שבכ (help· info)) an acronym of ShérÅ«t ha-BÄ«tāhōn ha-KlālÄ« שירות ביטחון כללי) known in English as the Shin Bet (which was how the Shabak was known in Israel in its early days) or the... Aman badge Aman (אמן) is the Hebrew abbreviation for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Directorate of Military Intelligence (אגף מודיעין), Israels central, overarching military inteligence. ... Sayeret (Hebrew סיירת, pl. ... The YAMAM ( יממ ) is the elite civilian counter-terrorism unit of Israel. ... The Israel Border Police (Hebrew: משמר הגבול, mishmar hagvul) is the combat branch of the Israeli Police. ...
Portal:Israel
View this template

Refusal to serve in the Israeli military includes both refusal to obey specific orders and refusal to serve in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in any capacity due to pacifistic or antimilitaristic views or disagreement with the policies of the Israeli government as implemented by the army. People who refuse to serve in either capacity are sometimes called refuseniks (Hebrew: סרבנים, pronounced sarvanim). The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (Hebrew: צבא ×”×”×’× ×” לישראל (help· info), [Army] Force for the Defense of Israel), often abbreviated צהל Tsahal, alternative English spelling Tzahal, is the name of Israels armed forces, comprising the Israeli army, Israeli air force and Israeli navy. ... Pacifism is opposition to war. ... Antimilitarism is a doctrine commonly found in the anarchist and socialist movement, which may be both characterized as internationalist movements. ... Refusenik: The name (in Hebrew: sar-van-nim) is used by Israeli soldiers and reservists who refuse to serve in the occupied territories, in protest against Israels actions in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. ... Hebrew (עִבְרִית ‘Ivrit) is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by more than 7 million people, mainly in Israel, the West Bank, the United States and by Jewish communities around the world. ...

Overview

Although Israel has a universal draft, many Israelis do not serve in the military for a number of reasons. Israeli Arabs are not drafted, though they may enlist, and small numbers serve voluntarily. Haredi Jews are exempt so long as they study in yeshivas, based on an arrangement worked out with David Ben-Gurion in 1948, though small numbers of them do serve. Orthodox women can avoid service in the military by doing national service work instead. Also, many people who are "unfit" or "unqualified", either mentally or physically, are also exempt. Military service can often be postponed for further education—either college or university, or technical studies. Finally, a number of people refuse to serve because of pacifist views, or refuse certain orders based on their disagreement with government policy. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Haredi Judaism, also called ultra-Orthodox Judaism, is the most theologically conservative form of Judaism. ... Yeshiva or yeshivah (Hebrew: ישיבה pl. ... Israeli postal stamp commemorating Ben-Gurion â–¶ (help· info) (October 16, 1886 – December 1, 1973; Hebrew: דָּוִד בֶּן גּוּרִיּוֹן) was the first Prime Minister of Israel. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Orthodox Judaism is the stream of Judaism which adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized in the Talmud (The Oral Law) and later codified in the Shulkhan Arukh (Code of Jewish Law). It is governed by these works and the Rabbinical commentary...

Some distinguish between refusal to serve in the military because of a pacifist world view that rejects any manifestation of violence and encompasses a refusal to submit to compulsory military service in any form, and partial refusal to serve, such as the Courage to Refuse who "do their reserve duty wherever and whenever they are summoned, but refuse to serve in the occupied territories."[1] The diverse range of opinions regarding the refusal to serve is the reason why there is no single umbrella organization that encompasses all groups of refuseniks. While most instances of refusal to serve have historically been found among left-leaning Israelis, there is a rapidly expanding movement among right-wing soldiers to refuse orders to remove Israeli civilians from settlements in the West Bank (and formerly in the Gaza Strip). Pacifism is opposition to war. ... Violence refers to acts —typically connotative with aggressive and criminal behaviour —which intend to cause or is causing of injury to persons, animals, or (in limited cases) property. ... Ometz Lesarev (Hebrew: Courage to Refuse) is an organization of Zionist reserve officers and soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) who refuse to serve beyond the 1967 borders, but shall continue serving in the Israel Defense Forces in any mission that serves Israels defense. ... The Golan Heights plateau, formerly known as the Syrian Heights, overlooking the site of the ancient city of Hippos The Israeli-occupied territories are the territories captured by Israel during the Six-Day War in 1967 and held afterward. ... An umbrella organization is an association of (often related, industry specific) institutions, who work together formally to coordinate activities or pool resources. ... Refusenik: The name (in Hebrew: sar-van-nim) is used by Israeli soldiers and reservists who refuse to serve in the occupied territories, in protest against Israels actions in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Israeli settlement. ...

Contemporary instances of refusal to serve occur among individuals and in groups. Some claim that the rise in instances of soldiers refusing to serve, as well as the gradual shift in public opinion regarding the phenomenon, has been influenced by the growing politicization of the IDF.

The issue of refusal to serve is now the middle of a hot, passionate and emotional debate within the Israeli public.

In February 2004, Israeli Chief of Personnel Major-General Gil Regev told a Knesset committee that the number of soldiers refusing to serve in the territories had dramatically decreased in 2003 despite the increase in the number of high-profile refusals. He said that 18 reserve soldiers and 8 officers had been imprisoned for refusal in 2003 compared to 100 reservists and 29 officers in 2002, a decrease of 80%. Members of the refusers' organization Yesh Gvul claimed in reply that actually 76 people, including 11 officers, had been jailed for refusal in 2003. They also said that 79 soldiers and 18 officers had added their names to the Courage to Refuse letter in 2003, and that the number of high-school refuseniks had risen to 500. The Knesset (כנסת, Hebrew for assembly) is the Parliament of Israel. ...

The first well-known instance of an individual refusing to serve in the IDF occurred in 1954 when Amnon Zichroni, a lawyer, asked to be released from military service as a pacifist. Initially, then Minister of Defense Pinhas Lavon refused to release Zichroni, though he was eventually discharged from the army reserves. 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Pinhas Lavon (born July 12, 1904 in Kopychintsy in what was previously Galicia and is now in Ukraine, died January 24, 1976 in Tel Aviv, Israel) was an Israeli politician and labor leader. ...

Refusals actions and movements

The high school seniors' letter

On April 28, 1970, a group of high school seniors about to be drafted sent a letter to Prime Minister Golda Meir expressing their reservation about the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, the War of Attrition and the government's failure to take steps to avoid conflict. In 1986, a new group called the "Shministim" was founded by Charles 'Chad' Lenchner, Mor Stoler, Karin Levy and others. Initially a group of 16 twelfth graders, eventually more than 250 pledged to refuse service in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. In 2001, a new high-school refuseniks movement - again called Shministim (Hebrew: שמיניסטים, literally "twelfth graders"), followed in their stead. Over 300 Israeli high school students are currently members of Shministim.[2] April 28 is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 247 days remaining. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister A prime minister is a politician who serves as the head of the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ... Golda Meir (Hebrew: (help· info)) (b. ... Image:Gazaseal. ... The War of Attrition was a limited war fought between Egypt and Israel from 1968 to 1970. ...

Yesh Gvul

Yesh Gvul (Hebrew: יש גבול, literally "there is a limit") is a movement founded in 1982 at the outbreak of the Lebanon War by reservists who refused to serve in Lebanon. A petition, delivered to Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Defense Minister Ariel Sharon was signed by 3,000 reservists, some of whom were court martialed and served time in military prison for refusing to obey orders. Currently it sees its main role as "backing soldiers who refuse duties of a repressive or aggressive nature."[3] It also engages in other political activities of distinct leftist nature. As of 2004, it is probably the biggest and most active group supporting refusal. Note: The original term Refusenik was used to describe Russian Jews who had applied to leave the former Soviet Union and who either refused to leave without their family members, or more commonly, were refused exit-visas to leave for Israel. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The term Lebanon War is used to describe either of the following events: Lebanese Civil War (starting 1975) 1982 Lebanon War (also known as Operation Peace for Galilee) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Menachem Begin on the front cover of TIME 1982. ... For more detail of Sharons recent illness, see Illnesses of Ariel Sharon; for an overview, see Health problems. ... A court-martial (plural courts-martial) is a military court that determines punishments for members of the military subject to military law. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Courage to Refuse

In January 2002, 51 reserve soldiers and officers signed a "Combat Troops' Letter" or "Combatants' Letter"[4] in which they declared their refusal "to fight beyond the 1967 borders in order to dominate, expel, starve and humiliate an entire people." They established the group, Courage to Refuse (אומץ לסרב, pronounced Ometz Le'sarev), which distinguishes itself by using conspicuously Zionist discourse: "Refusal to serve in the Territories is Zionism." There are currently 633 combatants from all units of the IDF and from all sectors of the Israeli society who have signed the letter and joined Courage to Refuse. 2002 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December A timeline of events in the news for January, 2002. ... Ometz Lesarev (Hebrew: Courage to Refuse) is an organization of Zionist reserve officers and soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) who refuse to serve beyond the 1967 borders, but shall continue serving in the Israel Defense Forces in any mission that serves Israels defense. ... Ometz Lesarev (Hebrew: Courage to Refuse) is an organization of Zionist reserve officers and soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) who refuse to serve beyond the 1967 borders, but shall continue serving in the Israel Defense Forces in any mission that serves Israels defense. ... Poster promoting a film about Jewish settlement in Palestine, 1930s: Toward a New Life (in Romanian),The Promised Land (in Hungarian) 1844 Discourse on the Restoration of the Jews by Mordecai Noah, page one. ... ...

New Profile

New Profile is a movement for civilization of the Israeli society. It's a voluntary organization that acts against the compulsory law of enlistment and supports people who refuse to enlist in the Israeli army. New Profile is a feminist organization and most of its activists are women. New Profile is a movement for civilization of the Israeli society. ...

The pilots' letter

"The pilots' letter," published on September 24, 2003, was signed by 27 reserve pilots and former pilots already exempt from reserve duty. One of the signatories was a famous former pilot Brigadier General (res.) Yiftah Spector. In their letter, the pilots stated: September 24 is the 267th day of the year (268th in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

We, veteran and active pilots alike, who served and still serve the state of Israel for long weeks every year, are opposed to carrying out attack orders that are illegal and immoral of the type the state of Israel has been conducting in the territories. We, who were raised to love the state of Israel and contribute to the Zionist enterprise, refuse to take part in Air Force attacks on civilian population centers. We, for whom the Israel Defense Forces and the Air Force are an inalienable part of ourselves, refuse to continue to harm innocent civilians. These actions are illegal and immoral, and are a direct result of the ongoing occupation which is corrupting all of Israeli society. Perpetuation of the occupation is fatally harming the security of the state of Israel and its moral strength.[5]

The signatories clarified that they do not reject military service in the IDF but declared:

We ... shall continue to serve in the Israel Defense Forces and the Air Force for every mission in defense of the state of Israel.

In response, the Chief of Staff announced that the pilots would be grounded and will no longer be allowed to train cadets in the country's flight school. In response to their letter, hundreds of IAF pilots signed a petition denouncing the pilots' letter and their refusal to serve. Because of the harsh response, several of the pilots who originally signed the letter reneged and removed their signatures. Later, in an interview given to Israeli journalist Dan Margalit, Yiftah Spector stated that the letter was misunderstood and that pilots should not refuse to perform "targeted killing" of "terrorist leaders". The Israeli Air Force (IAF) (Hebrew: חיל האוויר Heyl haAvir) is the air force of the Israel Defense Forces. ... Dan Margalit (born 1939) is an Israeli journalist and columnist. ...

The commandos' letter

This letter, dated December 2003, was signed by 13 reservists of Sayeret Matkal, an elite commando unit, serving in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (nine commandos in Sayeret Matkal, 2 soldiers who had been removed from reserve duty because of prior refusals to serve there, and 2 additional combatant soldiers). Their letter, addressed to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, states: 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sayeret Matkal (Hebrew: סיירת מטכל - General Staff Reconnaissance unit) is the elite special forces unit of the Israeli Defence Force (IDF). ... For more detail of Sharons recent illness, see Illnesses of Ariel Sharon; for an overview, see Health problems. ...

We shall no longer lend a hand in the occupation of the territories. We shall no longer take part in the deprivation of basic human rights from millions of Palestinians. We shall no longer serve as a shield in the crusade of the settlements. We shall no longer corrupt our moral character in missions of oppression. We shall no longer deny our responsibility as soldiers of the Israeli DEFENSE force.[6]

The letter, released just three months after the Pilots' Letter, was condemned sharply by politicians on both the right and the left of the Israeli political spectrum. Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz claimed that the soldiers were exploiting the reputation of their unit in order to attack the government's policies. Israeli Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz Shaul Mofaz (b. ...

Refusal to remove settlements

There are some Israeli Rabbis, former generals and public figures who call on soldiers to refuse orders to dismantle Israeli settlements and remove their residents. One of the prominent figures who call soldiers to refuse removal order is Uri Elitzur, a publicist and former civil servant. Eliztur claims that settlers-removal order is an illegal order, and therefore soldiers must refuse to obey it. He used the emotionally charged Hebrew term פקודה בלתי חוקית בעליל (literally, a clearly illegal order), which is a judicial term for an order that a soldier must refuse, coined in relation to the Kafr Qasim massacre. He used a Yossi Sarid (centeral left wing politician, Yachad) quotation that an order to transfer Palestinians should be resisted by any means, as a legitimation to a total and even semi-violent resistance against transfer of settlers. For Israeli settlements in Israel proper, see Settlements in Israel Israeli settlements are communities built for Israeli Jewish settlers in areas that it captured during the 1967 Six-Day War. ... Memorial at Kafr Qasim The Kafr Qasim massacre took place in the Israeli Arab village of Kafr Qasim (also known as Kafr Qassem, Kufur Kassem and Kafar Kassem) on October 29, 1956. ... Yossi Sarid (born October 24, 1940) is an Israeli left wing politician. ... This is an article about the Israeli political party. ...

Elitzur's and others calls to refusal were condemned by the many of the settlements' Rabbis and by the settlers leadership, including senior right wing politicians such as Efi Eitam. Ephraim (Efi, Effie) Eitam (Fein) אפי איתם is an Israeli religious Zionist politician. ...

On June 2004, Knesset members Efi Eitam (Mafdal) and Arie Eldad (National Union) initiated a law bill called "Unity of the Military Law." The law says that only police officers could engage in the removal of Jewish settlements, and soldiers could not. 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December See also: June 2004 in sports Deaths in June • 28 Anthony Buckeridge • 26 Naomi Shemer • 26 Yash Johar • 22 Bob Bemer • 22 Thomas Gold • 22 Francisco Ortiz Franco • 16 Thanom Kittikachorn • 10 Ray Charles • 5 Ronald Reagan... The Knesset (כנסת, Hebrew for assembly) is the Parliament of Israel. ... Ephraim (Efi, Effie) Eitam (Fein) אפי איתם is an Israeli religious Zionist politician. ... The grammar in this article needs to be checked. ... Prof. ... It has been suggested that National Union Party be merged into this article or section. ...

In 2005, as a reaction to the disengagement plan, a right wing group called "Mateh Chomat Magen" (the name referring to Operation Defensive Shield) published a letter with 10,000 signatures of soldiers who signed a petition saying that they would refuse to uproot and remove Israeli settlements. The group now claims to have gathered over 30,000 signatures. 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Gaza Disengagement Plan describes the move to withdraw all Jewish Israeli settlers from the Gaza Strip unilaterally as soon as possible, lead by Ariel Sharon. ... Operation Defensive Shield (In Hebrew, מבצע חומת מגן) was a large-scale military operation conducted by the Israeli Defence Forces in April 2002. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Israeli settlement. ...

Reaction to the refuseniks

Almost all the political factions in Israel have condemned refusal to serve on ideological grounds, using terms such as dangerous and undemocratic. The refuseniks found support within leftist and the Arab parties, Hadash, Balad, Raam and parts of Meretz (Zehava Galon, Roman Bronfman and Shulamit Aloni). The Israeli Labor Party and other Meretz members have condemned the refuseniks and said that although their protests against the occupation are justified and understandable, the means they are taking to manifest it are wrong. Some major leftist politicians expressed the fear that leftist-oriented refusal to serve in the territories will lend legitimacy to right-oriented refusal to remove settlements. Hadash (חדש) is a left wing, largely Arab, anti-Zionist popular front group in Israel made up of the Communist Party of Israel and other left-leaning political groups. ... Balad (Hebrew acronym for Brit Leumit Demokrati (National Democratic Assembly), (in Arabic Al-Tajamu Al-Watani Al-DÄ«mÅ«qrati; balad (بلد) is also Arabic for country) is a political party in Israel representing the Israeli Arab minority. ... RAAM may mean: United Arab List, Hebrew. ... Meretz (מרצ, Hebrew: vitality, energy) was an Israeli political party, considered to be on the left and secular. ... Labour (העבודה HaAvoda) is an Israeli political party. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Israeli settlement. ...

Right wing politicians have claimed that the refuseniks' actions are helping the enemies of Israel in their anti-Israeli incitement. Some have even accused the refuseniks of treason during war-time. This viewpoint was given some support when the book The Seventh War, by Avi Yisacharov and Amos Harel was published in 2004; it contains extensive interviews with Hamas leaders, at least one of whom explicitly stated that the actions of the commandos' and pilots' letters encouraged to promote and continue the use of suicide bombers. [7] Treason also commonly refers to a book by Ann Coulter In law, treason is the crime of disloyalty to ones nation or state. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A suicide bombing is a bomb attack on people or property, committed by a person who knows the explosion will cause his or her own death (see suicide, suicide weapons). ...

The Israeli High Court of Justice ruled in 2002 that refusal to serve was legal on the grounds of unqualified pacifism, but "selective refusal" which accepted some duties and not others was illegal. The court said that allowing selective refusal would “weaken the ties that bind us as a nation”. The court also said that the refusal to serve in the territories is selective refusal and not conscientious objection. A conscientious objector is an individual whose personal beliefs are incompatible with military service, or sometimes with any role in the armed forces. ...

On January 4, 2004, a military tribunal imposed one-year prison terms on five young activists who refused to enlist in the IDF. The court accepted that the five acted in accordance with their conscience but "ruled that they did not refuse to serve as individuals, but rather as a group, with the explicit goal of bringing about a change in Israeli policy in the territories. As such, the court ruled, their action strayed from the norms of classic conscientious objection into the realm of civil disobedience" (Haaretz). January 4 is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Haaretz (Hebrew: (help· info), The Land) is an Israeli newspaper, founded in 1919. ...

See also

• Refusenik (Israel)
• Refusenik (Soviet Union)

Refusenik: The name (in Hebrew: sar-van-nim) is used by Israeli soldiers and reservists who refuse to serve in the occupied territories, in protest against Israels actions in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. ... Refusenik (he: מסורב, me-su-rav), or Otkaznik (ru: отказник, from отказ (refusal, rejection), en equivalent) was an unofficial term for individuals, usually but not exclusively Soviet Jews, who were denied permission to emigrate abroad by the authorities of the former Soviet Union. ...

External links

• Shministim (Highschoolers)
• Tayasim (Pilots: in Hebrew)
• Hadash coverage of trials of highschool refusers
• oznik.com
• Yesh Gvul (There is a Limit/Border)
• Seruv (Courage to Refuse)
• New Profile
• Free the Five (highschoolers)
• Refuser Solidarity
• Text of pilot's letter
• The IAF commander reaction to the pilot's lettero
• Amnesty International article on Israeli conscientious objectors
• Supreme Court of Israel's ruling in the case of the refuseniks: Full text in Hebrew.