Israeli women explain choice and consequences of refusal to join army

When Israeli student Netta Mishly was 15 years old, her class was taken to a shooting range as an introduction to military service. After sitting down with several educators to explain her unorthodox decision not to attend, they allowed her to write a paper instead. Her report card that term read: "Student refused to participate in social events."

For Israeli Jews, joining the Israeli Defense Force after twelfth grade is not a choice; it is law - even for women.

Mishly and Maya Wind are just two of the dozens of Israeli Jewish teenagers who resisted conscription into the IDF and, as a result, faced up to eight terms in military prison. The girls recounted their experiences yesterday in Houston Hall as a part of the "Why We Refuse" tour.

"The fact that an 18-year-old kid must put his books aside and pick up a rifle is not natural," Mishly said.

The girls are part of a group of shministim - a Hebrew word meaning 12th grader - who sent a letter to their prime minister and defense minister stating that their refusal to enlist is a conscientious objection to the Israeli military occupation of Palestinian territory.

The students were tried and imprisoned as soldiers and experienced much social isolation, but they think the political statement they made is worth it.

"We are trying to make a global movement for justice," Wind said. "We're motivated by love and we see injustice and just want to end it."

Since Sept. 12, Wind and Mishly have been speaking in the "Why We Refuse" Tour, sponsored by CODEPINK women for peace and Jewish Voice for Peace at 29 universities across the United States. The tour will end Oct. 9.

The event ignited controversy at Penn since it deals with the ongoing debate on Israeli occupation of Palestine. According to Penn for Palestine's President and Engineering junior Dara Elass, fliers for the event were ripped down.

"I think it's really important to listen to all sides of the story no matter the issue," Elass said. "To those who were ripping down our fliers, you're not representing your belief very well."

In the Q&A; session after the presentation, several members of the audience argued with the girls, which was welcome, said Mishly, because they like to discuss ideological differences.

"I think it is very brave and hard to go against the mainstream opinion," said Comparitive Literature and Theory graduate student Asma Al-Naser. "I was very happy because the talk was very civil and that's because [the girls] set the tone."

Wind said she "would love for Israel to wake up one day and change, but Palestinians are dying now, Palestinians are suffering now ... and the world must intervene."

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