Israeli refusenik soldier jailed

[Darranar]

A reservist Israeli staff sergeant who is refusing army duty on political grounds has been sentenced to military prison for 28 days.


Tom Mehager told a military tribunal that he was no longer prepared to participate in the ''harassment'' of Palestinians in villages near the Rimonim checkpoint, northeast of Ram Allah.

Mehager, 27, refused to serve at the military outpost close to the Ofra settlement in the West Bank.

In an interview from his prison cell, he told Israeli military radio he was no longer prepared to carry out orders which in his opinion had ''no military value''.

Al Jazeera
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For the skeptics: http://www.spacewar.com/2003/031105104924.05iz83ib.html

[DuctapeFatwa]

1. He's a Hero, he's a Mensch, and may the day soon come

When he can sue the pants off the oilngun mafia bitches who feed on his country and walk off with enough money to send his great-grandchildren to wherever they want to go to school.

[bemildred]

2. The punishment seems rather modest.

I would have thought an attempt would be made to show that this
sort of thing "will not be tolerated". I wonder why?

And yeah, he is a mensch and a patriot.

[Herschel]

3. Much too little indeed

An example should have been made.

[Darranar]

4. What?

This man should have been given a medal for courage; of course, that's impossible.

Why should an example be made of someone who refuses to cooperate with Israel's systematic ethnic cleansing and oppression of the Palestinians?

[Herschel]

5. He is to serve as instructed

Refusing assignments would bring chaos.

[Darranar]

6. If I was told...

to aid something I knew was immoral, I hope I would have the courage to refuse.

He did.

A :toast: to him an to the other refuseniks, who are the true heroes of the conflict, along with the 100 - 150k who rallied in Tel Aviv for a real and just peace.

[laura888]

14. bingo - we have a winner!!!!

how can you criticize anyone who refuses to do something against his principles?

He is indeed a hero. If only others would follow...

[DuctapeFatwa]

7. There was a pretty smart Jewish fellow a while back who had occasion

to do some thinking about this kind of thing, and here is what he had to say on the subject:




Never do anything against conscience even if the state demands it.


Albert Einstein

[Darranar]

8. Albert Einstein was brilliant...

and not simply in the field of physics.

[dudeness]

13. Indeed, I would have this coward pistol whipped..

:)

[bemildred]

16. Patton?

[tinnypriv]

9. This is done deliberately

The army is trying to keep the Refuseniks under wraps, and one of their tactics is to avoid sentencing whenever possible.

(can explain that in more detail, but essentially that is what is happening)

[bemildred]

12. I was speculating it was something of the sort.

When the level of disobedience reaches a certain point the pedagogic
value of harsh punishment disappears, and the danger of public
knowledge of the number of refusers increases, so the strategy becomes
to minimize it or to pretend it does not really exist. Large numbers
of refusers undermine the legitimacy of command. If that is the case,
then it suggests a progression over time in the number of these cases.

[yotam]

15. The Palestinian equivalent

would be dragged through the streets of Ramalla sorrounded by a cheering throng.

[bemildred]

17. There is no Palestinian equivalent,

since there is no Palestinian armed forces, nor conscription.

I suppose you are referring to "collaborators", which is
an entirely different situation.

[Resistance]

19. wrong, yotam

The "Palestinian equivalent" is the Hamas member who refuses to carry out a suicide bombing mission. (Yes, it does happen.)

[Gimel]

21. It's the firing squad

for him.

[Jack Rabbit]

29. And we salute him, too

[tinnypriv]

20. You know, I wished you guys had static IP's like me

Or is that "guy", not "guys"?

Who knows.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. This is true courage

Courage is not simply setting oneself in harms's way knowing one can be killed; courage is fighting that battle that must be fought, regardless of what the outcome may be. Men of conscience must now be called to the front to fight those often lonely battles against chaotic forces because it necessary to defeat that chaos.

We should recall the brave Americans in the dark days of the Vietnam War who refused to kill Vietnamese and chose prison or exile as preferable to service in an unjust war. In time, their sacrifice was rewarded with an end to that chaotic episode in our history. If such men as Sergeant Mehager can inspire others to work to bring order and justice in place of the chaos that has too long visited the land that lays between the Jordan and the sea, then their sacrifice will be worthwhile.

[DuctapeFatwa]

11. TERRIFIC POST! Thanks!

Mr Jack Rabbit, you do some mighty fine word writin'!

[truthspeaker]

18. uh huh

quote: "He is to serve as instructed. Refusing assignments would bring chaos."

Thus spake the SS officer to the reluctant death camp guard.

[Proudlib]

22. I'm Sure

That those who are singing this soldier's praises will want an IDF full of these guys protecting you while you ride an Israeli bus or eat at a resteraunt.

Think about it.

[Forkboy]

23. I'd love to have people

with ethics,principles and honor protect me.

[Proudlib]

24. Ride A Bus

Or eat at a resteraunt.

You'll be protected by IDF soldiers who didn't refuse to protect their people from the terrorists.

[Forkboy]

25. Thats not what the soldiers are refusing

but if demagoguery works for ya....

[bluesoul]

26. And who is going to protect

Palestinian civilians from their houses demolished, their agriculture demolished, their land occupied, illegal settlers sent instead, from the daily raids of the IDF, from the IDF shooting anything that moves or approaches even if they're civilians...

[DuctapeFatwa]

27. When the orders are given to harm your family and destroy your home

I hope that they are given to someone with the courage of Tom Mehager and the other now over a thousand Israeli heroes who have said "NO."

I want Tom Mehagers around when they come for me, too.

[Resistance]

28. great point, DF

:thumbsup: