International Conscientious Objection Day

Peretz Kidron

Andreas Speck

The situation of Druze conscientious objectors does not receive much attention - neither from the media, nor from the peace movement inside Israel, nor from abroad.

The Druze form a minority within the Arab population of Israel. When Israel introduced military service in 1949, it was supposed to be compulsory for all Arab and Palestinian men.

Israel is the only country with conscription for women. Shani Werner, a woman activist with the Shministim and with New Profile, takes a look at women's draft resistance.

Shani Werner

Israel is the only country in the world that practises conscription for women. It is thus also the only country in the world where women's draft resistance exists.

Support to Israeli conscientious objectors is needed War Resisters' International Executive, 23 February 2003

The Executive Committee of War Resisters' International, the 81-year-old international network of pacifist organisations with 90 affiliates in 45 countries, expressed its grave concern about the situation of conscientious objectors to military service in Israel during its Executive meeting in London this weekend.

Yesh Gvul have found over the years that an effective way of supporting jailed refuseniks, is by having them adopted by support groups from outside of Israel.

Sergeiy Sandler

This issue of The Broken Rifle focuses on War Resisters' International's campaign in support of Israeli conscientious objectors and refusers, and nonviolent resistance to the occupation of the Palestinian Territories.

When one hears via foreign media of Israeli tanks rampaging in the streets of Palestinian cities (for some reason it's hardly ever on the news of the Israeli media), then we don't hear the whole truth.

Uri Ya'acobi
(Shortened version Ha'aretz, 18 August 2002)
(Full Text Ma'ariv, 22 August 2002)

Take peace into your hands. Listen to your conscience and refuse war.

We are international antimilitarists and conscientious objectors coming from Spain, Croatia, Macedonia, Turkey, Finland, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Britain and France ... We are at the headquarters of NATO on 15th of May- International Conscientious Objectors´ Day-because NATO is a symbol of international militarism which keeps the global domination system alive.

Three activists arrested - but released after 1 hour

On 15 May 2002 - International Conscientious Objectors' Day - an international group of conscientious objectors and antimilitarists from Spain, Croatia, Macedonia, Turkey, Finland, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Britain, and France, blocked the main gate of the NATO headquarters in Brussels for about 30 minutes.

Rudi Friedrich

The debate about conscientious objection - is it basically a human right, or is it an antimilitarist action? - is an old debate within War Resisters' International, but still relevant. Here, Andreas Speck, WRI staff, and Bart Horeman, WRI Treasurer, discuss this question.