Hello everyone,
My name is Oren. Last time I wrote to you was right after I was released from a jail sentence of 14 days for refusing to do my reserve service in the Israeli army. In Israel, in addition to serving two or three years in regular service, you are also obligated to continue to serve as reserve duty for 15-20 years. As someone who is wholeheartedly and completely against serving any time as a soldier of the occupation, I’m happy to let you know that I have now received an exemption from military reserve duty.
Oren Feld
Not many people around the world know this, but there are many Israelis who oppose the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and who are trying to receive an exemption from military service so they would not participate in these war crimes. Because it is so hard to receive an exemption based on conscientious objection and there is a risk of incarceration, many resort to indirect ways of receiving an exemption on psychological or physical grounds.
Help us support youth refusers
My journey was a bit different. I was asked to report to reserve duty and I refused. I was sentenced to a military trial in which I received a jail sentence of 14 days. Before entering prison, I wrote a strong, critical, political letter to the army. It stated the reasons why I am not willing to serve an occupying army and why I am not willing to support the militarization of Israeli society, after which I served the sentence I was given. A couple of weeks ago, I finally received my exemption from reserve duty. I am glad I stood my ground and received my exemption from service solely by stating my objection to the occupation.
This is a very important accomplishment. Like some of my refuser friends, who you heard about in previous updates, I did not try to present other personal reasons that might make it a problem for me to serve. It shows that we have the option to stand up and speak our truth. If many more will join us in doing so we will be able to understand the true extent of the resistance to the Israeli occupation. The real number of Israeli citizens who are not willing to be a part of an occupying force but are not able to publicly state that fact because they are reluctant to serve jail time or suffer dire social sanctions. If we can make that happen, then the Israeli army will not be able to conceal citizens' objections to its detrimental policies. Help us in supporting youth refusers, to make sure this happens.
In solidarity,
Oren