The amount of AWOLS and refusals to serve are unprecedented in our history as a nation as well as are refusals to carry out orders that involve firing on targets where civilians may be harmed. In a time now in Israel where jobs are scarce and people are losing their homes and businesses to Sharon's vendetta, many career soldiers - among them pilots and intelligence personnel - have chosen jail and unemployment over what they cold only describe as murder.
I am supposed to report to the Military Justice department - it is my job to hunt down runaway soldiers and bring them in. I have not reported in for 18 months. Instead, I've been using my talents and credentials to document on film and see with my own eyes what the ISMers and other internationals have claimed my boys have been up to.
I love my country. I believe that Israel is under the leadership of some very bad people right now. I believe that settlers and local police are in collusion with each other and that the border police are acting disgracefully. They are an embarrassment to 40% of the Israeli public and they would be an embarrassment to 90% of the population if they knew what we know.
Please document as much as you can and do not embellish anything with creative writing. The media here serves as a very convincing spin control agent through all of this. Pass this on letter to your friends. There are many soldiers among the ranks of those serving in the occupied territories that are sickened by what they see.
There is a code of honor in the IDF - it is called "tohar haneshek" (pronounced TOWhar haNEHshek). It's what we say to a comrade who is about to do something awful, like kill an unarmed prisoner or carry out an order that violates decency. It means literally "the purity of arms".
Another phrase that speaks to a soldier in his own language is "degle shachor" (DEHgel ShaHor) - it means "black flag". If you say, "Atah MeTachat Degle Shahor" it means "you are carrying out immoral orders". It's a big deal and a shock to hear it from the lips of "silly misguided foreigners"
At all times possible try to engage the soldiers in conversation. Do not make the mistake of objectifying them as they have objectified you. Respect is catching, as is disrespect, whether either be deserved or not.
You are doing a good thing. I thank you for it.
Peace,
Danny
An unrelated poster:
(My) Palestinian friends are a good example of how to be in it for the long haul. I know that the situation gets to them...I am nevertheless amazed at their strength in being able to defend such a large degree of their humanity, laughter, generosity, family time-against the incredible horror occuring in their lives and agains the constant presence of death...I spent a lot of time writing about the disappointment of discovering the degree of evil of which we are still capable. I should at least mention that I am also discovering a degree of strength and basic ability for humans to remain human in the direst of circumstances-which I also haven't seen before. I think the word is dignity.
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