Peace Now on Refusal to Serve in the Occupied Territories

The increase in the refusals to serve in the occupied territories is a direct and understandable response to the policies of the Sharon government.

A year after his election, the public grasps that the government has turned its back on every opportunity to calm the situation and return to negotiations. Abandoning all pursuit of diplomatic directions, the government continues to use methods of ever increasing oppression and violence. The government refuses to recognize the simple truth that there is no military solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Under the cover of a just war against terror, the government leads a policy that denies the existence of the Palestinian people and their basic rights.

The question of service in the occupied territories presents a difficult dilemma and supporters of peace have sought various ways to cope with this dilemma. Those who refuse to do military service in the occupied territories are worthy of our respect for their personal and civic courage and their position of conscience.

Together with this, a large number of morally committed individuals who are constant and committed seekers of peace, continue to view IDF service, including in the occupied territories, as a civil obligation that must be humanely fulfilled.

Peace Now has always been and continues to be a broad based, grassroots Israeli peace movement. It is only natural, therefore, that among our ranks a variety of responses to this question of personal conscience would appear. As a pluralistic movement, that reflects hundreds of thousands of Israelis, Peace Now leaves this question to the individual consciences of each and every one of its activists and the movement continues to support every step that will help to bring the end of the occupation.

Confirmed by the Executive Committee of Peace Now, March 31, 2002

See also Leftist Zionists Sympathize with Refuseniks But Don’t Support Refusal as Policy (in Recommended Articles)