[Peace] FYI: Background and Context of Refusenik Visit

[David Green]

COURAGE TO REFUSE SUPPORT CAMPAIGN (C2R) E-Newsletter
#3, May 22, 2002
www.couragetorefuse.org 

Building support for and visibility of the growing
ranks of courageous Israeli military refusers, many of
whom declare: "We shall not continue to fight beyond
the 1967 borders in order to dominate, expel, starve
and humiliate an entire people."

HIGHLIGHTS

* Haggai Matar, an 18 year old high school student and
co-initiator of the "Seniors Letter," a letter to
Ariel Sharon sent by over 120 Israeli students
refusing to serve in the Occupied Territories, toured
the Midwest during May. In Chicago, he spoke to high
school and college groups. Minneapolis audiences
included members of the Arab-American community,
Jewish activists, and peace and justice church groups.
Madison, WI reports that you can see an article on
Haggai on the front page of the May 15th Capital Times
at www.captimes.com . 

Haggai also told his story in Indianapolis and
Lafayette, IN. Over $5000 was raised in these cities
for Yesh Gvul, New Profile, and Ta'ayush. Ta'ayush
(http://taayush.tripod.com) is an Arab-Jewish Israeli
organization that utilizes non-violent direct action
to overcome political passivity, provide concrete
relief to Palestinians impacted by occupation, and
build strong ties between Palestinians and Israelis.

Haggai is now finishing up his last two days in New
York City (May 23 - 25). Visit the Courage to Refuse
website to find out about the locations and times of
those engagements.  

Haggai will be going to prison in July. We will let
you know how to send letters of support and solidarity
to him soon.

*At the end of April, Guy Grossman, a leader of Ometz
Le'sarev ("Courage to Refuse"), visited Boston for a
series of presentations at synagogues and universities
that were enormously successful. He spoke to over
2,000 Bostonians directly and over $20,000 was raised
to support the work of Ometz. The Boston Globe ran an
editorial that was very supportive of the refuser
movement and also covered Grossman's visit with an
article.

* If you saw the recent "60 Minutes" segment on the
refuser movement, we suggest that you take a few
minutes to write or email a few words of appreciation.
Any "good press" we get should be responded
to–especially since we know that they'll hear plenty
from the opposition.

* Latest Statistics:

768 signers for the Courage to Refuse support campaign
Over $11,000 raised to support campaign activities
Over $3000 raised for -- and sent to -- to Israeli
refuser groups.

IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS

* New Profile
(http://www.newprofile.org/english/index.html) reports
that there has been a change for the worse in the
army's treatment of draft resisters. Some have been
sent to prison as many as five times. Check their
website for lists of military and government officials
who should receive letters of complaint. The site also
has prison addresses for letters of support.

Here, in brief, are two recent resister profiles:

* Denis Ruttenburgh, a 23-year-old immigrant from the
former USSR living in Haifa, was sentenced to 28 days
in prison on May 6. Denis is a Russian-Orthodox
Christian studying to become a priest who refuses to
serve on religious grounds. He says, in part, I am a
religious person and my convictions are based on the
laws of religion. The army...is an apparatus of
violence, which contradicts my convictions". Denis is
due to be released from prison on May 31. It is likely
that he will be imprisoned again afterwards.

* 18-year-old Victor Sabransky was sentenced on April
25 to 28 days in prison. In a letter to the Minister
of Defence announcing his objection Victor wrote: "I
was raised on democratic values... I believe in full
equality among people... I am sure the main reason I
have not yet declared refusal is the fear... and the
social pressure applied...by the Israeli society to
enlist in the State's military forces....I am not a
soldier at all, I am still a boy and I was born into
this world to live and not to die in the Territories
for the misguided policy of the State and the
Military...."

* And finally: We have news that there are Yesh Gvul
support activities and speaking engagements in
Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Turkey, Italy, Sweden,
and Japan! 

DON'T MISS THESE STORIES!

* See:
www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=165086
for a
feature by Ha'aretz Correspondent Nathan Guttman,
headlined "U.S. Jews Opposing Israel Are Increasingly
Vocal."

* Fifteen Israeli reservists belonging to an elite
unit staged a demonstration on May 14 in front of
Ariel Sharon's house. They had just been discharged
and wanted to demonstrate while still wearing their
uniforms.

One of the demonstrators, Baruch Eitam, 28, said:
"When we were mobilized we were told that we were
going to destroy the terror infrastructure, that this
is a war for the sake of our home [meaning defending
Israel]. According to the operation's orders which we
saw, its aim was to impose military rule on the West
Bank's cities. We don't want to stay in the
territories another 18 unnecessary years, like in
Lebanon. Therefore, we are calling for a withdrawal
from the cities of the West Bank."

EVENTS
(Visit
http://couragetorefuse.org/default.asp?content=tour
for details)

CHICAGO 

May 23 - 30, Ram Rahat and Ishai Sagi
Ram Rahat is a senior spokesperson of Yesh Gvul and
was a Lebanon War refuser. Ishai Sagi is also active
in Yesh Gvul and was jailed last summer for refusing
to serve in the Occupied Territories. 

Wednesday, May 29th at 7:30 p.m. 
*** PLEASE NOTE: CHANGE IN LOCATION! ***
North Park Covenant Church
5250 N Christiana
(1 block N of Foster, 3 blocks W of Kedzie)
Chicago

See website for other Chicago engagements.

NEW YORK

May 18 - 25, Haggai Matar
For information on his remaining events, email
ny at couragetorefuse.org with "Haggai Matar Tour" on the
Subject line.

PHILADELPHIA

June 2, Noam Sheizaf
Contact: Mira Colflesh: 215-508-0226, ext. 64 or
Email: tikkkun.olam at verizon.net

TO GET IN TOUCH

Please join us by visiting www.couragetorefuse.org.
Check the website regularly for new features and
updates.
If you have any questions about anything in this
newsletter or about the Courage to Refuse campaign,
please send an email to:

newsletter at couragetorefuse.org 

You can also call us: 312/409-4845 or write to us: 

PMB 206
2859 Central St
Evanston, IL 60201 USA


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