ISRAEL: three women conscientious objectors in prison

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Three women conscientious objectors are presently serving prison time in Israel for refusal to enlist. Omer Goldman (ISR14951), Tamar Katz (ISR14952), and Mia Tamarin (ISR14953), all three signatories of the 2008 High School seniors' refusal letter, reported at the military induction base on 22 September 2008, and refused to enlist.

Omer Goldman, 19, from the Tel Aviv suburb of Ramat HaSharon, was sentenced to 21 days in prison on 22 September. In her declaration of refusal she stated:

"I refuse to enlist in the Israeli military. I shall not be part of an army that needlessly implements a violent policy and violates the most basic human rights on a daily basis.

Like most of my peers, I too have not dared to question the ethics of the Israeli military. But when I visited the Occupied Territories I realized I see a completely different reality, a violent, oppressive,
extreme reality that must be ended.

I believe in service to the society I am part of, and that is precisely why I refuse to take part in the war crimes committed by my country. Violence will not bring any kind of solution, and I shall not commit violence, come what may.
"

CO Omer GoldmanOmer is due to be released from prison on 10 October, although due to the Jewish High Holidays an earlier date of release is also possible.

Tamar Katz and Mia Tamarin were both given a conditional sentence of 7 days in prison on 22 September, and were kept at the induction base. On the next morning, they were sentenced to five days of confiment to base. On 28 September, both were then sentenced to 14 days in prison
for refusing to enlist.

Mia Tamarin, 19, from Tel Aviv had appealed to the so-called Conscience Committee before, but her application had been rejected, as the Comittee members were left "insufficiently convinced". In her declaration of refusal, Mia Tamarin stated:

"I have no doubt that I should be serving my country, I have been doing so in many ways from a very young age, and intend of course to continue doing so, not out of compulsion but fully and truly of my own will. I cannot become part of an organization the purpose of which is to fend off violence by violence, because it stands unequivocally contrary to everything I believe in and to my whole life. There always is another, non-violent option, and it is this option that I choose."

Tamar Katz, 19, from the Tel Aviv suburb of Ramat HaSharon, declared in her declaration of refusal:

"I refuse to enlist in the Israeli military on conscientious grounds. I am not willing to become part of an occupying army, that has been an invader of foreign lands for decades, which perpetuates a racist regime of robbery in these lands, tyrannizes civilians and makes life difficult for millions under a false pretext of security.

I oppose the anti-Palestinian policy of attrition and the oppression, not because I prefer the Palestinian society to the Israeli one, but out of an understanding that this policy has led us down a dead-end road politically and to immorality, forced especially on soldiers stationed in the Occupied Territories. I am not willing to become on of those holding the gun pointed indiscriminately at Palestinian civilians, and I do not believe that such actions could bring any
change except ever more antagonism and violence in our region.
"

Tamar Katz and Mia Tamarin are due to be released on 10 October, the same day as Omer Goldman. Due to the Jewish High Holidays, and earlier date of release is also possible.

War Resisters' International calls for letters of support to Omer Goldman, Mia Tamarin, and Tamar Katz:

Omer Goldman's prison address (note the different surname, as listed
in official documents) is:



Omer Granot

Military ID 5398532

Military Prison No. 400

Military Postal Code 02447, IDF

Israel

Fax: +972-3-9579389

Mia Tamarin

Military ID 5399776

Military Prison No. 400

Military Postal Code 02447, IDF

Israel

Fax: +972-3-9579389

Tamar Katz

Military ID 5396326

Military Prison No. 400

Military Postal Code 02447, IDF

Israel

Fax: +972-3-9579389

War Resisters' International calls for letters of protest to the Israeli authorities, and Israeli embassies abroad. An email letter can to Israels Minister of Defence Ehud Barak can be sent at

/co/alerts/20080929a.html.



War Resisters' International calls for the immediate release of conscientious objectors Omer Goldman, Mia Tamarin, Tamar Katz, and all other imprisoned conscientious objectors.

Andreas Speck

War Resisters' International