Gaza and The Revenge of Conscience

Source: guardian.co.uk Chris McGreal in Tel Aviv



- Courage to Refuse: Israeli refuseniks newspaper:
"The brutal, unprecedented violence in Gaza is shocking. The false hope that this kind of violence will bring security to Israel is all the more dangerous. We cannot stand aside while hundreds of civilians are being butchered by the IDF [Israel Defense Forces],"

- No'em Levna, First lieutentant IDF:
"Killing innocent civilians cannot be justified," he said, Nothing justifies this kind of killing. ....the hatred and anger we are planting in Gaza will rebound on us."

- Ben Mocha, IDF elite combat parachute unit:
"I joined the military believing I would be fighting "terror organisations." instead I found myself suppressing Palestinian aspirations for freedom and putting down protest of Palestinian farmers "against the incontinent theft of their lands"
" I am not a pacifist. I recognise the necessity of Israel to have a strong defensive army, ...but attacking Gaza and perpetuating occupation in not defending Israel."
"This war is likely to strengthen [the resolve of the] resisters once Israel can reflect on the scale of the killing."

- Yoni Ben Artzi, conscientious objector, nephew of Binyamin Netanyahu,
"The Israeli public is blind to the fact that hundreds of palestinians have been cut to pieces by Israeli fire power. ....it's not a war of defense. We are creating a thousand suicide bombers for the future from the brothers and sons of the dead .......we are creating more terror.