(some of the 2010 shministim, right: Or Ben-David, currently in prison)

Want to support the Shministim? Organize a demo this January 9th!

If you would like to arrange such a demo, or if you know someone who will, please email shministim10 at gmail.com

More info here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=228763641008&ref=mf

(If you are in the San Francisco/Bay Area, please join Dialogues Against Militarism and friends this Saturday,  January 9th, at the Ferry Building Farmers’ Market — Embarcadero BART Station in SF — at 11 a.m. for a solidarity party for imprisoned war resisters. More info: clare at collectiveliberation.org)

After four prison terms, Israeli conscientious objector Mia Tamarin was finally discharged from the Israeli military. Continue reading »

Or Ben-David returns to prison after being sentenced for 34 days. This is her 3rd prison term in a row. After completing a second prison term, Or Ben-David, of the 2009-2010 high school seniors letter of refusal, was sentenced earlier today, Dec. 15th, to 34 days in prison. She will serve her sentence in the military prison for women (no. 400) in Tzrifin/Sarafand. Or is expected to be released on Jan. 21st and is likely to be imprisoned again soon afterwards.

Take action here: http://www.shministim.com/2009/12/34-days-in-prison-for-co-or-ben-david/

After completing her first prison term, Or Ben-David, of the 2009-2010 high school seniors letter of refusal, was sentenced earlier today (16 Nov.) to 20 more days in the military prison for women (no. 400) in Tzrifin. This is her second term in prison and the third time she has been tried and sentenced for her refusal to enlist. She is due to be released from prison on 3 December and is likely to be imprisoned again soon afterwards.

For full information and recommended action, go to: http://www.shministim.com/2009/11/second-prison-term-for-conscientious-objector-or-ben-david/

Or Ben-David, 19, from Jerusalem, a signatory of the 2009-2010 high school seniors letter of refusal, was sentenced earlier today (29 Oct.) to 20 days in military prison. This sentence follows a sentence of seven days of confinement to base given her a week ago (on the evening of 22 Oct). She is now held in the military prison for women (no. 400) in Tzrifin.

For more info and suggested actions go to: http://www.shministim.com/2009/10/first-prison-term-for-or-ben-david/

Read the text of the remarks delivered by Sahar Vardi, Yuval Ophir-Auron, and Omer Goldman at the Ashley Kriel Memorial Lecture Hall at the University of Western Cape in South Africa.

Continue reading »

A new group of Shministim has formed. Their letter of refusal, has already been signed by 88 young Israelis.

Continue reading »

By Sydney Levy

Are Israeli youth allowed to speak about their views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Not always.

Some believe that the ideals of Israeli democracy and free speech stop at the border. Take the example of the young Israeli conscientious objectors — the Shministm — currently in speaking tours both in the United States and in South Africa.

Here’s Dan Klein, the North America campus director for StandWithUs, speaking to the JPost on the issue:

“I definitely understand that Israelis have the right not to agree with their government. That`s fine. Every citizen in a democracy has that right. But you take that up in your country. Once you take that abroad, what does that gain you?”

I do not understand the distinction he makes. Maybe Dan believes that news and information stop at the border, at any border. Or maybe he ignores the fact that the Shministim have already gathered a great deal of international attention while they were still in Israel: over 60,000 letters of support and counting, over 53,000 hits on their short film in Youtube, and a great deal of media attention in a good number of countries around the world.

Continue reading »

Two women objectors, Raz Bar-David Varon and Maya Yechieli Wind, both signatories of the 2008 high school seniors refusal letter, reported on Wednesday, 14 Jan., at the Induction Base, declaring their refusal to serve in the Israeli military and were sentenced to 14 days in military prison. Continue reading »