The story of an Israeli refuser

"I think that the most dangerous thing about it is that we have gotten used to it. This is the status quo and many of us can't see things being any different." The words of Sahar Varadi (18), a young Israeli woman who has refused military service and participation in the military occupation of Palestinian territory. The Israeli occupation of Palestinian Territories has remained illegal under international law under UN Resolution 242, since 1967. From September 2000 to the end of 2008, 2190 Palestinians who did not take part in hostilities were killed by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) in the same time period 490 Israeli civilians were killed by Palestinians.* A growing number of young Israelis are refusing mandatory conscription to the IDF. However Israel is a highly militarised society and the social pressure to conform is something only a few can stand against. Sahar is one of those few.

The IDF has an official route for 'Conscientious Objectors' (COs) to refuse military service. However Sahar explains that what the CO Committee defines as a Conscientious Objector is narrow and difficult to understand. "At the CO Committee hearing they want to find out if you are a pacifist. They ask questions like 'If your mother was raped on the street what would you do to the perpetrator?'" If you mention the word 'Occupation' at the hearing then that is it, it is over and you will not be accepted as a CO. I was asked if I was refusing because of my objection to the occupation and I said yes. These interviews are usually 45-60 minutes long – mine was only 15 minutes. I of course failed my CO Committee hearing. In the refusal letter it stated that my '…refusal was political but not conscientious.' I would like them to explain that one to me. This was mid July 2008."

Sahar describes the day she and her friends went to the military base at Tel HaShomer near Tel Aviv, when they were imprisoned for refusing military service. "On August 25th, 2008 we all became soldiers whether we liked it or not. When you get to the army base and refuse we are tried as soldiers for refusing. Before we went in we had a demonstration outside and some interviews with media. There were a lot of people shouting at us – people who came to enlist and their family and friends. One of them headbutted one of my friends who was refusing. After all this we went into the base. There was a series of booths where you picked up your uniform, ID etc. At the entrance to the first booth we refused."

"There are other people who do not want to go further at this stage simply because they are scared of joining the army. At the booths a lot of girls are crying. Some are leaving their family for the first time. Some people are really scared of basic training and how commanders treat people. I would say harassment of women in the army could be at a rate of 100% and women get sexually harassed all of the time. So we actually had to convince the people there that we were not refusing because we were scared of joining the army. Then they take you to a high-ranking officer – it is a long procedure but eventually you are taken to trial on the same day."

While Sahar's experience in prison was difficult other women have horrific stories of their experiences not just of military prison but of serving in the IDF.

"I refused to wear the prison uniform and for this I was put in confinement. It was a cell, 1.5 metres by 3 metres, with a florescent light that was on 24 hours a day, there was no window. I was there with another prisoner. This actually meant that there were four people in this small cell as everyone who goes to confinement is also accompanied by a guard. It was August and it was 38 degrees – I spent two days in there and I agreed to wear the uniform. Another girl did 19 days in there. In prison visitors are only allowed once every 14 days and only for 30 minutes and it can only be a member of your immediate family. My father visited me, he was very supportive of what I did. I was in prison for seven days, then another seven days, then another 21 and another 21."

"A lot of girls in the prison actually simply refused to do a particular job in the IDF."

"I was in prison with a girl who was raped by her commanding officer. She tried to change her position but they would not let her. So she deserted for the required 45 days in order to get a change of position. I know at least two other girls raped by their commanding officers."

Sahar attended Leyada school next to the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Leyada has one of the highest enlistment rates in Israel. Of the 250 people in her year group there was only one other refuser – he was accepted by the CO Committee. Three others were exempted on medical grounds but enlisted anyway. She explains that in school you are taught that military service is a way of giving back to society: "There are many people who consider refusing but are undecided, and I think most of what they fear is the social price in the sense that most of the Israeli society sees us as parasites, and that's something that goes with us the rest of our lives."

Finally Sahar reflects on the current situation and the war of words between Netanyahu and Obama on the issue of settlements: "In 1947 there was a situation that allowed the two state solution, in 1967 we were talking of a different two state solution, in Oslo we were talking of another, and now we are talking of another, and each one takes another bite of the possibility of a viable Palestinian state. And since 1967 that had been the goal of the settlements – to separate and minimize the Palestinian territories. In a way the more time passes, the less the two state solution is possible because of the settlements."