Support Israel's Refuseniks - Tair Kaminer and Tanya Golan

Tair Kaminer, a 19 year old Israeli, has already spent 20 days in a military prison for refusing to serve in the Occupied Territories.  She is being hauled up again and faces a repeat of the sentence.  Joining her is another 19 year old, Tanya Golan.

Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton has already raised this attack by the Israeli state and army against these brave Israeli teenagers, who have defied the nationalist hysteria and atmosphere engendered by Netanyahu’s racist regime. 

These are the Israelis who we should support.  Israelis with a conscience.  Those who aren’t prepared to commit more war crimes against the civilian population of the West Bank.  Instead our politicians arm Israel to the teeth and repeat slogans about Israel having the most moral army in the world and being the Middle East’s only democracy.

It is good that Caroline Lucas has raised this, but why the hell has Jeremy Corbyn not done so? Or perhaps he finds his hands too full appointing Zionists to the Shadow Cabinet to devote time to supporting these two young Israeli women.

Tony Greenstein

The Gaoling of Two Brave Israeli Teenagers for Refusing to Kill Palestinian Civilians

Tair Kaminer

On Sunday (Jan. 31), at 12:00 noon, Tair Kaminer returns to the IDF Induction Center to reaffirm to officers there her intention to refuse service in the IDF. This is after spending 20 days in the military prison. This time she is joined by Tanya Golan, 19 from Beit Shean, who after following the campaign for Tair has decided to make her own refusal to enlist public. Both of them are expected to undergo the army's "disciplinary proceedings" (an "instant trial" by an officer, with no lawyers or witnesses, which usually lasts no more than five to ten minutes) after which they would be sent to the military prison. Dozens of demonstrators will be present to accompany the two young women to the gates of the gates of the Induction Center, at Tel Hashomer (east of Tel Aviv) and will call for their release and for the end of the occupation.  

Protest demonstration in Israel outside army base

Three weeks ago Tair Kaminer, past volunteer of the Israeli Girl Scouts, 19 yrs old from Tel Aviv, spent 20 days in the military prison for her refusal to serve in an occupying army which is the IDF. Her refusal went viral on social media and initiated posts that were viewed by hundreds of thousands in Israel and around the world. Her incarceration was .ireported by international media and was even debated in the British Parliament, when MP Caroline Lucas called for her immediate release.

Tair Kaminer

Tair Kaminer (middle) with Joint List leader, MK Ayman Odeh (Hadash), and her parents,
Sybil Goldfainer and Micah Kaminer, and sister Romi Kaminer Goldfainer (Photo: Al Ittihad)

Tair: “We are being talked into believing that there is no other way other than the violent militaristic way, but i believe that this is the most destructive method, and there do exist  alternatives. I wish to remind all of us all that there are other choices: negotiations, peace, optimism, a real desire to live as equals with freedom and in safety".                i

Tanya: “There are those who are benefiting by the continuation of the Israel- Palestine Conflict and will never willingly give up on the economic control of the Occupied Territories. I refuse to be part of an organisation that executes racist, fascist, discriminatory and oppressive policies".

Three Israeli refuseniks, left to right: Ron Gerlitz, a software engineer now living in Cupertino; Ofer Shorr, a translator married to a UC Berkeley graduate student; and Ishai Rosen Zvi, a visiting scholar in Berkeley's Near Eastern Studies department. 
(BAP photos)

The demonstration is organised by ‘Mesarvot”- a new political refusal group which connects all of the letters, enterprises and refuseniks from recent years in order to work together. Joining us in this demonstration are other groups such as the Refusers Letter of 2014 and the political organisation “Unity". 

For more information:

Mandy- 0526672026, mandycrtnr@gmail.com

Noa- 0523872231 noa.levy.noa@gmail.com

see http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/tair-kaminer-israeli-teenager-jailed-for-refusing-to-do-military-service-because-of-palestinian-a6841206.html 

Protest outside military base

Press release: Tanya Golan joins Tair Kaminer in her refusal to serve in the IDF

On sunday (31.1), at 12:00 noon, Tair Kaminer returns to the induction centre to reaffirm her intention not to serve in the IDF, this is after spending 20 days in the military prison. This time she is joined by Tanya Golan, 19 from Beit Shean, who after following the campaign for Tair has also decided to make her refusal public. Both of them are expected to be put on trial and imprisoned. Tens of demonstrators will accompany them on their way and will call for their release and for the end of the occupation.

Three weeks ago Tair Kaminer, past volunteer of the scouts, 19 yrs from Tel-Aviv, spent 20 days in the military prison for her refusal to serve in an occupying army which is the IDF. Her refusal went viral on social media and initiated posts that were viewed by hundreds of thousands in Israel and around the world. Her incarceration was reviewed by international media and was even discussed in the British parliament, when Caroline Lucas called for her immediate release.

Israeli high school refuseniks

Tair: “We are being talked into believing that there is no other way other than the violent militaristic way, but i believe that this is the most destructive method, and there are alternatives. I wish to remind us all that there are other choices: negotiation, peace, optimism, a real desire to live as equals with freedom and in safety.”

Tair Kaminer with protesters before going in to begin her sentence

Tanya: “There are those who are benefiting by the continuation of the Israel- Palestine conflict and will never willingly give up on the financial control of the occupied territories. I refuse to be part of an organisation that executes racist, fascistic, discriminatory and oppressive policies.”

The demonstration is organised by ‘Mesarvot”- a new political refusal group which connects all of the letters, enterprises and refuseniks from recent years in order to work together. Joining us in this demonstration are other groups such as the refusers letter of 2014 and the political organisation “Unity”.

For more information:

Mandy- 0526672026, mandycrtnr@gmail.com

Noa- 0523872231