In 1993, I was one of the few Canadian Jews who moved to Israel. A year later, I volunteered for the Israeli army. I was 23 years old, five years older than native-born Israelis when they begin to serve. I served for a year in the Golani infantry brigade and then, for the next ten years, I did one month of reserve duty annually.
Today, almost half of secular Jews refuse to serve in the army. Not three years, not one year and certainly not ten years of reserve duty. These people, who mostly come from the Israeli elite, are not punished. They are excused from defending the nation that has benefited them so much. On the other hand, the national-religious sector now accounts for half of all the officers in the army, though they make up less than a quarter of the nation.
What's more, most Israelis do not do reserve duty. They excuse themselves from defending the state that gives them a safe home. It is estimated that only 10% of the population does reserve duty. I am one of them. That is, I was one of them.
Last year, I was called up for reserve duty three months before the army was scheduled to expel Jews from their homes in Gush Katif. I wrote the army a letter explaining that I would like to do reserve duty, but that I could not in good conscience serve in an organization that acted against Jews.
I told them that ethnic cleansing is listed as a crime by the International Court in the Hague and that what the army was doing was illegal. I also told them I could not serve in an army that surrendered Jewish land to our enemies and enabled them to create a terrorist state, which would threaten the safety of the Jewish people. I said it wouldn't have hurt either if the expulsion plan had been accepted democratically, instead of by means of the prime minister running on a platform opposing unilateral surrender and then, after getting elected, using those votes to push the plan through.
I volunteered to serve in the Israel Defense Forces. I refuse to serve in the Israel Destruction Forces. I refuse to serve in an organization that beats Jews, as in Amona, and I refuse to serve in an organization that expels people from their homes only because they are Jewish. It saddens me greatly that politicians like Shimon Peres (who never served in the IDF) are using the people's army for political ends.
The consequences of my conscientious objection were not immediate, but come they did. Three times in the past couple of months, I have received "visitors" in the middle of the night. Three burly men dressed as civilians came to my door, rang the door bell and then proceeded to pound on the door and to try to force their way in. The last time, I feared for my safety. They pounded on my door so loud it shook my whole apartment. All my neighbors woke up and came outside in their pajamas. The "visitors" broke my metallic door handle and threatened my life. "Yehezkel we will annihilate you", came a sweet voice through the door. My neighbors, who were shocked by their brutal behavior, said they acted like beasts.
I came to this country to help defend it and protect it. I don?t understand why it has turned on me and is treating me like a criminal.
Then again, maybe I do. Last month the Olmert government gave NIS 50 million to the Hamas terror organization, which has called for the genocidal destruction of the State of Israel. He called it "humanitarian aid". The Prime Minister's Office issued a press release admitting that money donated to the Palestinian Authority by the European Union, the United States and Israel was used to buy weapons used in terror attacks against Jews. There is a famous Jewish saying: "Those who are merciful to the cruel will end up becoming cruel to the merciful." I wish I hadn't lived to see the day.
I never expected a reward for defending the State of Israel. I never expected somebody to come up to me and say, "Thank you." Then again, I never expected my "reward" would be to be hunted down like a wild animal and then thrown in jail. Funny how life turns out, isn't it?
Today, almost half of secular Jews refuse to serve in the army. Not three years, not one year and certainly not ten years of reserve duty. These people, who mostly come from the Israeli elite, are not punished. They are excused from defending the nation that has benefited them so much. On the other hand, the national-religious sector now accounts for half of all the officers in the army, though they make up less than a quarter of the nation.
What's more, most Israelis do not do reserve duty. They excuse themselves from defending the state that gives them a safe home. It is estimated that only 10% of the population does reserve duty. I am one of them. That is, I was one of them.
Last year, I was called up for reserve duty three months before the army was scheduled to expel Jews from their homes in Gush Katif. I wrote the army a letter explaining that I would like to do reserve duty, but that I could not in good conscience serve in an organization that acted against Jews.
I told them that ethnic cleansing is listed as a crime by the International Court in the Hague and that what the army was doing was illegal. I also told them I could not serve in an army that surrendered Jewish land to our enemies and enabled them to create a terrorist state, which would threaten the safety of the Jewish people. I said it wouldn't have hurt either if the expulsion plan had been accepted democratically, instead of by means of the prime minister running on a platform opposing unilateral surrender and then, after getting elected, using those votes to push the plan through.
I volunteered to serve in the Israel Defense Forces. I refuse to serve in the Israel Destruction Forces. I refuse to serve in an organization that beats Jews, as in Amona, and I refuse to serve in an organization that expels people from their homes only because they are Jewish. It saddens me greatly that politicians like Shimon Peres (who never served in the IDF) are using the people's army for political ends.
The consequences of my conscientious objection were not immediate, but come they did. Three times in the past couple of months, I have received "visitors" in the middle of the night. Three burly men dressed as civilians came to my door, rang the door bell and then proceeded to pound on the door and to try to force their way in. The last time, I feared for my safety. They pounded on my door so loud it shook my whole apartment. All my neighbors woke up and came outside in their pajamas. The "visitors" broke my metallic door handle and threatened my life. "Yehezkel we will annihilate you", came a sweet voice through the door. My neighbors, who were shocked by their brutal behavior, said they acted like beasts.
I came to this country to help defend it and protect it. I don?t understand why it has turned on me and is treating me like a criminal.
Then again, maybe I do. Last month the Olmert government gave NIS 50 million to the Hamas terror organization, which has called for the genocidal destruction of the State of Israel. He called it "humanitarian aid". The Prime Minister's Office issued a press release admitting that money donated to the Palestinian Authority by the European Union, the United States and Israel was used to buy weapons used in terror attacks against Jews. There is a famous Jewish saying: "Those who are merciful to the cruel will end up becoming cruel to the merciful." I wish I hadn't lived to see the day.
I never expected a reward for defending the State of Israel. I never expected somebody to come up to me and say, "Thank you." Then again, I never expected my "reward" would be to be hunted down like a wild animal and then thrown in jail. Funny how life turns out, isn't it?