More than 50 ex-Israeli soldiers have blamed its military for repression against Palestinians, reports The Washington Post.
In a petition, they crticised the Israeli military for its “role” in “ national conversation”.
The ex-soldiers issued the petition as Israel has summoned the reserves–which are made up of ex-soldiers–to service.
A protest held in Haifa against the Israeli operation in Gaza, July 19, 2014. Photo by Rami Shllush
Noting the military plays a central role in every action plan and proposal discussed in the [Israeli] national conversation, the former soldiers said it explains the absence of any real argument about non-military solutions to the conflicts Israel has been locked in with its neighbors.
The Palestinian residents of the West Bank and Gaza Strip are deprived of civil rights and human rights, the ex-Israeli soldiers stated in their petition.
“They live under a different legal system from their Jewish neighbors,” they added.
They also regretted the militarization of Israel and the army’s discriminatory policies.
The ex-soldiers said: “One example is the way women are often relegated to low-ranking secretarial positions. Another is the screening system that discriminates against Mizrachi (Jews whose families originate in Arab countries) by keeping them [away] from being fairly represented inside the army’s most prestigious units.”
They believe that their petition has a special urgency as a brutal military operation now taking place in their name.
If there is a reason to oppose combat operations in Gaza, there is also a reason to oppose the Israeli military apparatus as a whole, the petition noted.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
