Teenagers rally against army service
High school seniors who signed letter against army recruitment protest impending arrest of two fellow students refusing to enlist. Protestors in Jerusalem rally in support of bill meant to block draft-evasion on religious grounds
Dozens of students who signed a letter expressing their refusal to join the IDF rallied in Tel Aviv on Wednesday in protest of the impending recruitment of two of the teenagers behind the initiative, Or Ben-David and Effi Brenner.
The protestors, who marched through the streets of Tel Aviv, carried signs reading: "Education doesn't equal militarism" and "I'm not IDF's property."
Brenner is expected to stand trial on Thursday after he arrives at the recruitment center and refuses to enlist. However, he has no intention of giving up. "Granted, I'll spend seven to 28 days in jail, but when I see what the army is doing everyday I cannot regret my decision," he told Ynet.
Tel Aviv rally. Dodgers face jail-time (Photo: Ofer Amram)
Brenner also noted that since the high school seniors' letter became public he faced violent reactions and blamed the IDF for making Israeli society violent and militaristic.
Meanwhile, the struggle against draft-evasion continued when earlier Wednesday members of the campaign to release Gilad Shalit demonstrated in Jerusalem in favor of a bill meant to aggravate the terms for females seeking to be exempt from service on religious grounds.
The vote on what has been dubbed as "the draft-dodgers bill" has been postponed by a month in order to allow the parties to reach understandings for fear of a crisis with Shas.
Amir Goldschmidt, 18, who demonstrated in the capital, referred to the students refusing to enlist and said, "I would suggest that they look at Gilad Shalit who bore the burden and defended them and has been rotting in captivity for years."
