Refusenik: An Israeli who refuses to serve in the Israeli Defense Forces under certain conditions

Etymologically, a portmanteau of refuse and -nik, a Russian suffix denoting a person's occupation. Originally, Jewish citizens of the former USSR who were refused permission to emigrate. Later came into use to describe conscientious objectors to the IDF's mission in the Occupied Territories.

A lot of refuseniks are jailed because they refuse to carry out missions that may place civilian lives at risk. The IDF kills many more Palestinian civilians than the Israeli casualties inflicted by Hamas and/or Hizbollah. Some IDF soldiers refuse to serve, and are often arrested. Some IDF pilots are said to "miss" their assigned targets.

An interview with two refuseniks is posted here: http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/08/09/1422204

This is a site made by former combatants on both sides, the IDF and Palestinian militants, who have laid down their arms to walk the path of peace: http://www.combatantsforpeace.org/

This is a site featuring Israeli soldiers who have publicly declared their opposition to the occupation of Palestine and/or Lebanon, and their reasons for doing so: http://www.seruv.org.il/english/default.asp

Here, an Israeli soldier justifies a withdrawal from the Occupied Territories.
Ouval Tamari replies:
Palestinian terrorism is cruel and brutal. But if there is one thing the current Intifada has taught us, it is that terrorism cannot be beaten by force. At the moment the Israelis and Palestinians are caught in a vicious circle, where acts of terror and assassinations follow each other in an endless, bloody succession. It would be incredibly unwise to sustain this gridlock, which has already taken a heavy toll, killing thousands and injuring tens of thousands. The first step towards breaking the cycle is to minimize the friction and give both sides some hope. It takes a climate of total hopelessness for such hatred and disregard for human life to develop. We do not claim that leaving the territories will magically bring an end to the conflict, but it is preferable by far to staying there, because our being there fuels the hatred – and with it, the terror. No people in the world would be willing to live under occupation. From within clear boundaries, both geographical and moral, we would be able to defend ourselves much more efficiently, just as evacuating the “Security Zone” in south Lebanon has only served to improve our condition.

Prayers for all those on both sides who have the courage to lay their weapons down and just talk. Prayers for those who face persecution for their nonviolent actions. Prayers for an end to the fighting.