Anyway,
Bryan ---------------------------------------------- Alex Lyakas, a student of computer science at the Technion, was called for reserve duty between April 10th and 26th, 2001. On April 11th, he gave his commander the letter below, and was put on trial, in which he was given a suspended sentence of 10 days imprisonment, and told that he will be called for an interview with his commander, who will "try to solve his problem".
He was now called again for reserve duty on July 24th. As of July 16th, an interview with his commander has not been scheduled.
Alex Lyakas can be reached at: alex_lyakas at yahoo.com print article From: Alex Lyakas To: L., commander of unit XXXX Copies: Unit XXXX secretariat Unit XXXX liaison office
Notice of inability to bear the load of reserve duty
I am a reserve soldier in your unit. I was recruited for reserve duty twice already since my release from my regular military service, but today I am in a situation in which I cannot bear to continue with my service, for reasons which I will explain here. I feel obliged to clarify my refusal, because I believe this is the right thing to do.
I was born in the Soviet Union which was, as you know, a state with a totalitarian and militaristic regime. From my childhood days, I believed in values of freedom, peace and justice. I was raised in a family none of whose members were involved in any kind of military service, and I was educated to believe in the above values. Therefore, I was not prepared to participate in taking human lives, violating their freedoms or other natural rights, as I believe is being done today in the West Bank and Gaza.
Prior to my emigration to Israel, a real civil war engulfed Lithuania (the republic in which I was born). My exposure to this war and the subsequent collapse of the state's legal and justice systems, left a deep and lasting mark on me.
Another point which is related to my being an immigrant from another country, has to do with my deep disappointment with the free and democratic character of Israel, as it was portrayed to us by the delegates of the Jewish Agency. I didn't expect that in a free country I will be required, every once in a while, to participate in actions which I so deeply oppose. In addition, the fact that I wasn't born in Israel makes it difficult for me to understand the reasons for these actions.
My opponent will say that I have, after all, served in the Israeli army, in a combat unit. But I will reply that ideological beliefs are not fixed, and they change as one gains experience. Active military service, part of which was carried out in the occupied territories, observing reality "from within", encounters with Palestinian residents, settlers and especially people who I view as enlightened, who object in principle to the mere continuation of the occupation, added to the final crystallization of my opinions about the actions of the Israeli army in those territories. But since I am first and foremost a law abiding citizen, and due to my young age which caused me to surrender to social pressure and propaganda which abound in the Israeli society, I forced myself to continue my military service in the hope that fulfillment of this duty will spare me the need to participate in military activities during my civilian life. But this didn't happen. The growing intervention of the army in civilian life, and especially the frightening letter which all soldiers of the unit received from you in the beginning of this year, where you recommended for us to make changes in our civilian plans to suit the military needs, all these brought an end to my ability to surrender to those pressures.
I now wish to focus on the ideological side of my objection to be recruited to reserve duty and this is that I view the continued occupation of the West Bank and Gaza as unjust and illogical. Holding on to these territories is, in my view, the source of most of the problems which Israel is facing today. A conflict over a stretch of land, whichever it may be, which is accompanied by bloodshed, seems futile to me, and must end. In any case, I am not willing to take an active part in it. I was heavily influenced by the views of Leftist Israeli groups such as "Yesh Gvul" and "New Profile". I also discovered that I enjoy widespread support among acquaintances and friends for the decision I have made.
It is important, in my view, to understand that my objection is ideological but not only ideological. It is a natural reaction of a sane person in a state in which compliance with the law means giving up the right to be who you are, to develop a civilian life which isn't mobilized by the agenda of the military system, and a value system which is based on your own beliefs. As a law abiding citizen, I am not trying to avoid reserve service with medical or other excuses. I am honestly expressing my reasons, and informing you that I cannot abandon my studies in order to be recruited for a cause which is not mine.
Due to all of the above, I hereby announce to you, and through you to all other military echelons, that I cannot, under today's circumstances, be recruited for reserve duty and take part in violent actions in the occupied territories.
Hoping that my words will be understood as they are meant.
Sincerely, Alex Lyakas.
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IDF soldier David Haham Herson (18.5) has just [on 16 July] been sentenced to 28 days in a military jail for refusing to serve with his unit near Jericho in the West Bank. print article Sergeiy Sandler
Dear Friends,
The following message is forwarded from Yesh-Gvul. It contains information
about a new CO just imprisoned - David Khacham Kherson - and a brief update
on CO Idan Landau, who is due to be released from prison this Friday (it is not yet clear what will happen then).
Our usual list of addresses for sending appeals is pasted at the end of the message. I still have no information as to where precisely David Khacham
Kherson is held and what is his prison address, but I will send you these
data as soon as I get them.
One general remark - the brief analysis of the general situation regarding
COs, provided by Yesh-Gvul in one of the paragraphs of their message is
quite accurate, but is only true of COs objecting specifically to service in the Occupied Territories. The situation regarding other COs is somewhat
different.
All the best,
Sergeiy Sandler - New Profile.
Dear friends,
IDF soldier David Haham Herson (18.5) has just [on 16 July] been sentenced
to 28 days in a military jail for refusing to serve with his unit near
Jericho in the West Bank.
At his trial, David declared: "I believe in an army of defence, not an army of occupation. As a Jew, I am not prepared to take part in a campaign of repression and denial of freedom."
David is the 15th IDF soldier jailed for refusal to take part in anti- Palestinian repression since the beginning of the present intifada.
Overall refusals now exceed 200, but relatively few have been jailed: in an effort to keep the issue out of the limelight, the military authorities are following a consistent line of avoiding prosecution, knowing from experience
(the Lebanon war and the first intifada) that jailing "refuseniks" is a sure-fire recipe for inducing others to follow their example.
David's case is notable because he is a young conscript rendering his 3-year stint of compulsory army service. In the past, very few conscripts dared to refuse - the overwhelming majority of refuseniks were reservists, who are older and less over-sawed by military discipline. But this intifada has
seen a significant number of refusals by conscripts, possibly reflecting a new trend.
We will shortly send you a further e-mail with addresses, phone numbers etc. for messages of support for David.
David's jailing comes as we continue to receive a flood of letters of
support for Captain (res.) Idan Landau, who was jailed last week for the
same "offence". Landau is a lecturer in linguistics at the Ben Gurion
University, Beersheba, and many of his colleagues, in Israel and elsewhere,
have rallied to his defence. In particular, prominent academics worldwide,
headed by Prof. Noam Chomsky of MIT (where Landau studied) have launched a petition on Landau's behalf.
Peace - Shalom - Salam.
Peretz Kidron - Ram Rahat
LIST OF ADDRESSES
Edan Landau
Military Personal Number 4364477
Military Prison No. 6,
Military postal number 03734, IDF
Israel.
Commander of Military Prison No. 6,
Military Prison No. 6,
Military postal number 03734, IDF
Israel.
Fax: ++972-4-869-28-84
Military Attorney General,
Military postal number 9605, IDF,
Israel.
Fax: ++972-3-569-43-70
Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz,
IDF Chief of Staff,
Ha-Qirya,
Tel-Aviv,
Israel.
Fax: ++972-3-569-55-94
Mr. Binyamin Ben-Eliezer,
Minister of Defence,
Ministry of Defence,
37 Kaplan st.,
Tel-Aviv 61909,
Israel.
e-mail: sar at mod.gov.il
Fax: ++972-3-696-27-57 / ++972-3-691-69-40 / ++972-3-691-79-15
Mr. Ariel Sharon,
Prime Minister
Prime Ministers' Office,
Qiriat David Ben-Gurion
Jerusalem,
Israel.
e-mail: webmaster at pmo.gov.il
Fax: ++972-2-566-48-38 / ++972-2-651-26-31
Also, please send copies of your appeals to media and, for those of you who live outside Israel, to your local Israeli embassies and consulates.
Addresses of Israeli media:
Ma’ariv:
2 Karlibach st.
Tel-Aviv 67132
Israel
Fax: ++972-3-561-06-14
e-mail: editor at maariv.co.il
Yedioth Aharonoth:
2 Moses st.
Tel-Aviv
Israel
Fax: ++972-3-608-25-46
Ha’aretz (Hebrew):
21 Schocken st.
Tel-Aviv, 61001
Israel
Fax: ++972-3-681-00-12
Ha’aretz (English edition):
21 Schocken st.
Tel-Aviv, 61001
Israel
Fax: ++972-3-512-11-56
e-mail: letters at haaretz.co.il
Jerusalem Post:
POB 81
Jerusalem 91000
Israel
Fax: ++972-2-538-95-27
e-mail: news at jpost.co.il or letters at jpost.co.il
Jerusalem Report:
Fax: ++972-2-537-94-89
Radio (fax numbers):
Kol-Israel ++972-2-531-33-15 and ++972-3-694-47-09
Galei Tzahal ++972-3-512-67-20
Television (fax numbers):
Channel 1 ++972-2-530-15-36
If this message was forwarded to you, you can subscribe to the list directly by sending a blank message to: NewProfile-subscribe at topica.com
New Profile – Movement for the Civil-ization of Israeli Society
POB 48005, Tel-Aviv 61480, Israel
E-mail: newprofile at speedy.co.il
Voice box: ++972-(0)3-696-11-37
Website: http://www.newprofile.org/
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RESERVIST JAILED FOR REFUSAL by peretz kidron/ram rahat 6:04am Wed Jul 11 '01 address: p.o. box 10726 jerusalem phone: 054-931715 rahat at isdn.net.il
RESERVIST JAILED FOR REFUSAL Captain (res.) Idan Landau has been jailed for 14 days for refusing to escort operatives of the Shin Bet (General Security Service) in the occupied territories. print article
RESERVIST JAILED FOR REFUSAL Captain (res.) Idan Landau has been jailed for 14 days for refusing to escort operatives of the Shin Bet (General Security Service) in the occupied territories.
At his trial, Landau made the following declaration: "In progress in the occupied territories is a war of repression entirely subservient to the ideology of the settlement drive. The Palestinian population is being subjected to starvation, denial of medical treatment, demolition of homes and economic strangulation. I will take no part in these war crimes, nor will I serve as a fig leaf for them."
Landau (34, single) is a lecturer in linguistics at the Ben Gurion University, Beersheba. He is the eigth reservist jailed for refusal during the current intifada (5 conscripts have also been sentenced for the same "offence"). Yesh Gvul lists show that over 200 soldiers, reservists and conscripts, have refused to take part in the campaign of repression - in most cases, the military authorities have evaded prosecution of the "refuseniks" with the evident intention of playing down the growing reluctance to take a part in the dirty war.
Landau was sent to at Military Prison 6 at Athlit on Monday July 9th for 14 days, and Yesh Gvul plans to hold its customary support vigil on the hillside overlooking the jail.
We appeal to our friends and sympathisers to help us take up Landau's case, with the following steps: 1. Messages of support (send them to us, we'll make sure Landau gets them); 2. Alerting your local media to his protest, to highlight the efforts of the Israeli peace movement to halt the repression; 3. Fundraising to help us in our campaign.
Please keep us informed of your efforts.
Peace/Shalom/Salam
Peretz Kidron Ram Rahat - rahat at isdn.net.il
add your comments
List of addresses for sending appeals by Sergeiy Sandler - New Profile 5:50pm Fri Jul 13 '01 address: POB 15125, Beer-Sheva, Israel phone: ++972-8-6438819 sergeiy at bgumail.bgu.ac.il
print comment
Letters of protest can be sent to the following addresses (a sample letter follows):
1. Prison authorities: Commander of Military Prison No. 6, Military Prison No. 6, Military postal number 03734, IDF Israel.
Fax: ++972-4-869-28-84
2. Chief Military Attorney, Ha-Qirya, Tel-Aviv Israel.
3. Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz, IDF Chief of Staff, Ha-Qirya, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Fax: ++972-3-569-55-94
4. Government authorities: Mr. Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Minister of Defence, Ministry of Defence, Ha-Qirya, Tel-Aviv 61909, Israel. e-mail: sar at mod.gov.il Fax: ++972-3-696-27-57 / ++972-3-691-69-40 / ++972-3-691-79-15
5. Mr. Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister Prime Ministers' Office, Qiriat David Ben-Gurion Jerusalem, Israel. e-mail: webmaster at pmo.gov.il Fax: ++972-2-566-48-38 / ++972-2-651-26-31
Sample letter:
I wish to support the position of Idan Landau who is currently serving a two week sentence in military prison for refusal to serve in the military reserve.
I agree with his statement that "the army is conducting a war of repression in the occupied territories, a war which is entirely subservient to the ideology of the settlement drive. The Palestinian population is being subjected to starvation, denial of medical treatment, demolition of homes and economic strangulation." I therefore endorse his conclusion that one should take no part in these war crimes.
The following is a letter that a group of prominent professors from MIT are sending to the editors of various newspapers in Israel and the US. They call for the immediate release of conscientious objector Dr. Idan Landau from prison in Israel. print article
To the editor,
We wish to express our admiration and support for our friend and colleague Dr. Idan Landau, a linguist of international reputation, who has just been imprisoned for his refusal to take part in acts of violence committed by the Israeli army in the occupied territories. At his trial, Dr. Landau made the following statement: "In progress in the occupied territories is a war of repression entirely subservient to the ideology of the settlement drive. The Palestinian population is being subjected to starvation, denial of medical treatment, demolition of homes and economic strangulation. I will take no part in these war crimes, nor will I serve as a fig leaf for them."
These days much attention is paid to various efforts to prosecute individuals for the commission of war crimes. We are appalled that at the same time, a US ally imprisons people for their attempt to exercise their right (and comply with their duty) to refrain from committing such crimes. We call on the Israeli government to immediately release Dr. Landau.
Sylvian Bromberger sbromber at mit.edu 617-332-3417 Noam Chomsky chomsky at mit.edu 617-253-7819 Michel DeGraff degraff at mit.edu 617-258-5270 Kai von Fintel fintel at mit.edu 617-253-3228 Danny Fox fox at mit.edu 617-258-7411 Suzanne Flynn sflynn at mit.edu 617-253-7821 Kenneth Hale klhale at mit.edu 617-253-5744 Morris Halle halle at mit.edu 617-253-3221 Irene Heim heim at mit.edu 617-253-2565 Sabine Iatridou iatridou at mit.edu 617-253-2640 Jay Keyser keyser at mit.edu 617-253-1917 Alec Marantz marantz at mit.edu 617-253-9373 Shigeru Miyagawa miyagawa at mit.edu 617-253-6346 Wayne O'Neil waoneil at mit.edu 617-253-2557 David Pesetsky pesetsk at mit.edu 617-253-0957 Norvin Richards norvin at mit.edu 617-258-6837 Kenneth Wexler wexler at psyche.mit.edu 617-253-5797 Cheryl Zoll czoll at mit.edu 617-252-1472
The signatories are faculty members in the department of linguistics and philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (E39 245, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA).
add your comments
More Info on C.O. Dr. Idan Landau by Compiled by IMC-Israel 8:04am Thu Jul 12 '01
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Dear All,
Following the message about Edan's imprisonment, here are some postal & Email addresses, as well as fax numbers where you may protest against Edan's imprisonment.
First on the list you will find Edan's own address for letters of support.
Use them and share them with your friends...
******************************************************
Edan Landau Military Personal Number 4364477 Military Prison No. 6, Military postal number 03734, IDF Israel.
2. Prison authorities: Commander of Military Prison No. 6, Military Prison No. 6, Military postal number 03734, IDF Israel.
Fax: ++972-4-869-28-84 3.
Other military authorities: Chief Military Attorney, Ha-Qirya, Tel-Aviv Israel.
Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz, IDF Chief of Staff, Ha-Qirya, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Fax: ++972-3-569-55-94
4. Government authorities: Mr. Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Minister of Defence, Ministry of Defence, Ha-Qirya, Tel-Aviv 61909, Israel. e-mail: sar at mod.gov.il Fax: ++972-3-696-27-57 / ++972-3-691-69-40 / ++972-3-691-79-15
Mr. Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister Prime Ministers' Office, Qiriat David Ben-Gurion Jerusalem, Israel. e-mail: webmaster at pmo.gov.il Fax: ++972-2-566-48-38 / ++972-2-651-26-31
One more bit of information about CO Edan Landau - we have his military personal number, and with it - his full address in prison. Here it is:
Edan Landau Military Personal Number 4364477 Military Prison No. 6, Military postal number 03734, IDF Israel.
Please send him your letters of support (postcards are preferable, as they take less time to go through).
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At the opening ceremony of the 16th Maccabiah Games 8 brave women, divided into two groups and dressed in black took action to protest Israeli policies. When Prime Minister Ariel Sharon started speaking, one group of women stood with a large banner, "War Criminals." When this first group was dragged and beaten by other spectators and then brutally removed from the stadium by Israeli police, the second group of women stood with a large sign, "Stop Ethnic Cleansing." Again, Israeli spectators hit and grabbed the women, and again, Israeli police came and dragged away the peaceful, nonviolent protesters. The women were detained outside the stadium and then taken to Talpiyot Prison, where they were being held. The group was released after being charged with improper behavior.
The group released the following statement by circulating flyers at the ceremony:
To the Jewish Communities: We citizens of Israel want to warn you that you have been duped!
The Israeli government invited you to come as a show of support for the State of Israel. And yet, your presence here does the exact opposite.
Any support for the State of Israel today, is a rubber stamp for assassinations, bombings of civilian cities, ethnic cleanings, forced impoverishment, discrimination and apartheid of millions of Palestinians. These were the warning signs in the Munich 1936 Olympics. The whole world turned away then, and look what happened. Are you ready to do the same?
We, who have been living this nightmare day in and out, want to tell you the truth that you will not hear from the Israeli Maccabiah officials who brought you over. The Israeli government does not act in self-defense, but purely on an offensive basis. The Israeli military is occupying a foreign land and the struggle to end this occupation and return Palestinian refugees is a struggle for liberation from oppression like in South Africa. Just look at the facts. In the last 10 months, the Israeli government murdered 560 Palestinians (31% children), shot and injured over 16,000 Palestinians, beat up 72 journalists, damaged over 4000 Palestinian buildings, uprooted 25,000 olive and fruit trees, bulldozed 42,000 dunams of Palestinian land, closed 41 schools (20,000 students) and caused $2 billion in losses to the Palestinian economy.
The entire world human rights community including Israeli organizations, have denounced Israel’s killings and excessive use of force against the 3 million Palestinians under Israeli occupation and the 1 million Palestinian citizens of Israel.
And while you sit here in Teddy Stadium, built on the destroyed Palestinian village of Malha, and celebrate a Jewish (“white-only”) sports event, know that those same indigenous Malha residents are just a few miles from here, barely surviving in squalid refugee camps inside Jerusalem and in the West Bank. Just last week, Jerusalem Mayor Olmert destroyed 13 homes of these same refugees rendering these Palestinians homeless and destitute once again. Is this the Jewish dream?
Your presence here for the Maccabiah supports Ariel Sharon, under indictment for war crimes and who at the very moment together with the security forces, is planning the next round of bombings, assassinations, destruction and atrocities. Most of these actions have and will be carried out with US made weapons, financed by US tax dollars.
We citizens of Israel cannot sit silent, when the writing is on the wall for the next atrocity against the Palestinian people. We plead with you to get up and leave and withdraw your support for the Israeli government’s horrific policies against Palestinians. They kept silent, and millions of Jews suffered. It’s your chance to speak up.
For more information: www.btselem.org, www.law.org ,www.hdip.org. Bryan Atinsky IMC-Israel Engish Editorial Coordinator http://www.indymedia.org.il