Israelis refuse conscription
18/09/2002 01:26  - (SA)  

Israel on alert for holidays Israelis raid Gaza strip

Jerusalem More than 200 young Israelis called up for the national service said in a petition released Tuesday that they would refuse to serve in an "army of occupation".

"We refuse to be soldiers in an army of occupation," the 213 young Jewish conscientious objectors said in the petition, a copy of which was received by AFP here.

The petition, signed by "secondary school students" was addressed to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Israeli Defence Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer and education Minister Limor Livnat, a spokesman for the petitioners said.

The 213 petitioners accuse Israel of "committing war crimes and violating human rights" in the Palestinian territories, and back any form of refusal to do military service.

"Among us there are some who refuse to wear the uniform, others refuse to serve beyond the Green Line (separating Israel from the West Bank and Gaza Strip) and others will find different ways of refusing to serve the occupation," said the text. - Sapa-AFP

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