Omri Evron, Israeli refusenik

I, Omri Evron, refuse to serve in the army because I am faithful to the moral principles in which I believe.

My refusal to enlist is a protest against the longstanding military occupation of the
Palestinian people, an occupation that deepens and entrenches the hatred and terror between peoples. I oppose participation in the cruel war for the control over the occupied territories, a war waged in order to protect the Israeli settlements and to maintain the "Greater Israel" ideology.

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I refuse to serve an ideology that does not recognize the right of all nations to independence and peaceful coexistence. In no way am I prepared to contribute to the systematic oppression of a civilian population and the deprivation of their rights. These policies are being carried out by an apartheid regime and the Israeli military in the occupied territories. I am outraged by the starvation and incarceration of millions of people behind walls and checkpoints. I refuse to enlist because I do not believe that violence is a solution and that war brings peace.

I refuse to serve the arms industries, mega-corporations, greedy contractors, preachers of racism and cynical leaders whose business is the advancement of suffering and who rob people of their basic human rights. I refuse in order to draw attention to the fact that not everyone is willing to be indoctrinated by and co-opted for nationalist and racist causes. With this act I want to express my solidarity with all prisoners for freedom worldwide. I refuse to believe the lies that come to sow division and antagonism between workers on both sides of the border so that they cannot join hands in the struggle for their rights. I would like my refusal to be a message of peace and solidarity and to appeal to all those who kill, and are prepared to be killed, for interests that are not their own, to lay down their arms and to join the struggle for a more just world.

Though I am aware that this act constitutes an infringement of Israeli law, I am compelled to stand by my democratic, humanist and egalitarian values. Military rule over millions of Palestinians is not democratic. It is my duty to oppose any law that makes it possible to deprive others of their rights and freedom, or to treat them with such violence that their fundamental humanity is negated.

I refuse against the nationalist "peace for the settlements" war.

I refuse against the systematic oppression and humiliation of civilians.

I refuse against the occupation and military rule that prevents a civilian population from determining its own fate.

I refuse against the apartheid and racist regime.

I refuse to consider people my enemies for reasons of race, ethnicity or religion.

I refuse to take part in the bloody cycle that is destroying both peoples.

I refuse in order to call for international solidarity for the sake
of peace and the well-being of all nations that wish to live in
freedom and free of exploitation, oppression and war.

I refuse to kill! I refuse to oppress! I refuse to occupy!

I declare my loyalty to peace and refuse to serve the war and occupation!