More than 60 Israeli students sign letter refusing IDF draft

Teenagers pen declaration criticising the Israeli army, saying it 'implements the policy of a racist government' violating rights

Some 63 Israeli secondary school students signed a public letter declaring that they will refuse to be drafted into the Israel Defence Forces.

The letter, published on Thursday in the Hebrew-language daily Yediot Acharonot, was addressed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Education Minister Naftali Bennett and IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot.

“The army implements the policy of a racist government that violates basic human rights, which applies one law to Israelis and another to the Palestinians in the same area,” the students, most in 12th grade, wrote. “Therefore we decided to not take part in the occupation and oppression of the Palestinian people, which separates people into two hostile camps. Because as long as people live under occupation that denies them human rights and national rights, we cannot achieve peace.”

The letter also said: “An entire nation is living under institutionalised incitement directed against Palestinians on both sides of the Green Line, and we are here – young men and women from different parts of the country and different social backgrounds – refusing to believe the systematic incitement or participate in the government’s oppressive and occupying arm.

The letter writers called on their fellow secondary school students to consider refusing service until the occupation ends.

One of the signatories is currently in jail over his refusal to be drafted, Haaretz reported.

Medical issues and religious objection are considered valid reasons for exemption from military service.