Teenage Conscientious Objection in Israel
JVL Introduction
On Sunday 25th February Sophie Orr, aged 18 arrived at the Army Recruitment Centre in Tel Aviv and told them she refused to serve. She was imprisoned for 20 days and this is likely to be extended if she continues to refuse. Her decision was made before the Gaza “war” and she is the second to do so since October 7th even as attitudes in Israel have hardened towards Palestinians. In this interview she outlines her reasons and her concerns. Being a Conscientious Objector is always a brave and potentially isolating thing to do, rarely more so than in Israel today. Key to her decision was to refuse to think like this: “The moment you stop believing that Palestinians are people, it’s much easier to dismiss the idea that their lives are worth something, and to kill them without thinking twice.”
We have also published the note from +972 which is heartfelt; they are an important partner for us and we are happy to share their statement and their appeal for support.
LL
This article was originally published by +972 on Mon 26 Feb 2024. Read the original here.
‘People say I’m naive, antisemitic, a traitor’: Israeli teen jailed for draft refusal
Conscientious objector Sofia Orr explains why she never wavered in her decision despite the crackdown in Israel against opponents of the war.
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How very brave Sofia Orr is; here, in Britain, we have no idea just how brave and alone a conscientious objector. How ironic that so many Israelis can legitimately refuse to serve because of their religious beliefs whilst people like Sofia Orr are imprisoned and marginalised for believing that all human beings are equal.
What a brave young woman. I hope many more will follow her example.
Is there any way Sofia can be included in any peace talks? Please pass on my best wishes and support to her. She is a hero