Think before you “take part in occupation and war,” says jailed Israeli refusenikNatan Blanc walks into Tel Ha’Shomer military base near Tel Aviv, where he refused once again to serve in the Israeli army, 2 April.
(Oren Ziv / ActiveStills)
Natan Blanc, a 19-year-old from Haifa, has spent more than 120 days in prison for refusing to serve in the Israeli military.
He began thinking about resisting conscription during Operation Cast Lead, Israel’s three-week offensive against Gaza in late 2008 and early 2009.
Israel’s Defense Service Law — introduced in 1949 — gave the Israeli military the authority to enroll any Israeli citizen who turns 18. After finishing a mandatory service of one year, Israelis remain in a reserve unit in the army. This requires Israelis to spend one month in the army each year until the age of 40.
Conscientious objection to military service is considered a felony in Israel. It is usually punished by imprisonment for a few weeks — during which pressure is put on an objector to change his or her mind. Following that spell in jail, the objector is summoned again to a military recruitment committee. Continued refusal to serve can lead to further imprisonment.
In total, Blanc has been summoned to a recruitment committee eight times. On each occasion, he has been sent to jail. He is scheduled for release in three weeks’ time.
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