Israeli youth's refusal to enlist marks first crack

In a rare development and for the second year running, there is a growing sign of refusal to enlist in the Israeli army among many Jewish youth in Israel, in a protest against the brutality of the Israeli soldiers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).

A group of 213 secondary education students, almost four times their number of last year, have signed a letter and sent it to Israel's premier Ariel Sharon declaring they will 'refuse to be soldiers of the occupation forces' in the Palestinian territories.

Copies of the letter, known as "The Seniors' Letter 2002" were also sent to Minister of Education Limor Livant, Minister of Defence Benjamine Ben-Eliezer and Israel's Chief of Staffs Lt. General Moshe Ya'alon.

The fact that the number of signatories of last year "Seniors' Letter 2001" had jumped from 62 students to 210, is significantly stark.

With the increasing number of reservists who are refusing to serve their period in the OPT, this is fast becoming a worrying phenomenon which is starting to irk Sharon and his right-wing alliance of fundamentalists.

Though they are still small in number and boycotted almost by all media set-ups in Israel, the voice of dissent in Israeli society against the re-occupation of Palestinian territories started to cause concern within the ruling coalition.

A long time opponent to the Israeli government's policy in the occupied territories, the Israeli activist who resides in London, professor Moshe Machover known for his studies of social changes in his society, says the refusal to serve in Israel's army of occupation is under the circumstances an exceptionally brave act.

Other Israeli experts on public opinion in the Jewish state believe the phenomenon represents 'a kind of a beginning of cracks in Israel coherence which has survived since Sharon was elected less than two years ago.' These cracks are likely to widen, they say if Israel's brutal occupation continues.

It is widely assumed that the only way for any Israeli government to change direction, is through internal influence which could come from swaying public opinion in Israel.

The "seniors" believe that Israel is committing warcrimes and acts that defy human morality, and that this policy prolongs suffering, fear and despair among Palestinians and indeed provoke suicide bombing attacks.

The young students accuse their government of 'violation of treaties ratified by Israel.'

"Destroying Palestinian cities, towns and villages, expropriating land, detaining and executing without trial, conducting mass demolitions of houses, businesses and public institutions, looting, closure, curfew, torture, prevention of medical care, construction and expansion of settlements - are actions opposed to human morality and violate international treaties ratified by Israel," the "seniors" say.