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I’m 18 — and facing jail because I won’t fight for Israel (www.thetimes.co.uk)

submitted 8 months ago by naturalgasbad@lemmy.ca to c/worldnews@lemmy.ml

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[-] FoxBJK@midwest.social 13 points 8 months ago

Paywall. There are deferments you can get so you don’t have to fight. What’s the full story here?

[-] mathemachristian@lemm.ee 33 points 8 months ago

Concientious objectors are jailed in Israel. This isn't anything new, see here for another case https://www.amnesty.org.uk/urgent-actions/conscientious-objector-detained-israel

[-] KevonLooney@lemm.ee 4 points 8 months ago

Conscientious objectors are not jailed.

Anyone can just do community service roles instead of the military. Sounds like only people who completely refuse to help out at all are punished.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherut_Leumi

Sherut Leumi (Hebrew: שירות לאומי, lit. 'National Service') is an alternative voluntary form of national service in Israel, as opposed to the mandatory military conscription prevalent in the country. It is designed for individuals who do not meet the eligibility criteria for service in the Israel Defense Forces, or who hold conscientious objections to military enlistment. The program primarily was created for religious Jewish girls aged 17 to 24, although it is open to all applicants who cite diverse grounds for their decision.

The majority work in schools, but can also work in places such as special education, administration, hospitals,[3] law, geriatrics, nursing homes, health clinics, teens at risk, internal security, disadvantaged communities, immigrant assistance, and many other organizations. Acceptance is based on an interview via a placement organizations that try to find the youth appropriate skills, interests, and needs.

[-] mathemachristian@lemm.ee 19 points 8 months ago

Although the Israeli army’s Conscience Committee can decide to allow exemption from military service, this is usually granted only to those conscientious objectors who refuse to serve on religious grounds. However, according to the UN Human Rights Committee, no discrimination is permitted “among conscientious objectors on the basis of the nature of their particular beliefs” - i.e. whether they are religious or otherwise. Even though Israeli law does allow for exemption on grounds of pacifism, the army’s Conscience Committee frequently rejects pacifists' cases. The authorities deny objectors the possibility of performing alternative civilian service. Conscientious objectors in Israel can be convicted of and imprisoned for the same “offence” repeatedly. In 2003, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said that this practice flouts the rights of conscientious objectors under international human rights standards which prohibit “double jeopardy”.

Your point was already refuted in the article from amnesty I linked.