Socialist Viewpoint

The advertisement below appeared in the Jan. 25, 2002, weekend edition of the Israeli newspaper, Ha’aretz. Despite the pro-Zionist views expressed in this ad we reproduce it for the information of our readers since even partial opposition to an unjust war by members of the armed forces of any nation at war is more than significant.

We, combat officers and soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), raised on the values of Zionism, sacrifice, and giving to the Jewish people and the State of Israel, who have always served on the front line and were the first to fulfill every mission, regardless of how difficult, in order to defend and strengthen the State of Israel;

We, combat officers and soldiers, who serve the State of Israel for long weeks every year, despite the high personal price we pay, who have performed reserve duty throughout the territories and have been issued orders and instructions that have nothing to do with the security of our country, orders whose sole purpose was to perpetuate domination over the Palestinian people;

We, who have personally witnessed the terrible bloodshed on both sides of the conflict;

Who have seen that the orders we were issued undermine all the values we were taught in this country;

Who understand today that the price of occupation is the loss of humanity of the IDF, and corruption of Israeli society in general;

Who know that the territories are not Israel, and that ultimately the settlements will be evacuated;

We hereby declare that we will not go on fighting a war for the peace of the settlements.

We will not go on fighting beyond the “green line” for the purposes of domination, expulsion, starvation, and humiliation of an entire people.

We hereby declare that we shall continue to serve the Israel Defense Forces in any mission that serves the defense of the State of Israel. The mission of occupation and repression does not serve this goal, and we refuse to participate in it.

A list of the name, rank, and unit of the 53 IDF soldiers was included in the ad, and it was funded by the participants themselves. (For further information www.seruv.org.il.)