While some Israelis have refused to serve in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, the military's structure is such that serving in any capacity forces one to play a role in the conflict, said the soldiers, most of whom are women who would have been exempted from combat.
"Many of us served in logistical and bureaucratic support roles; there, we found that the entire military helps implement the oppression of the Palestinians," they said.
Their comments come as the conflict in Gaza continues to escalate,
displacing thousands more Palestinians in the battered territory even as
the United States presses both sides for an immediate ceasefire and
longer-term peace plan. [ID:nL6N0PY0Q2]
Earlier this month, Israel said it was mobilizing more reservists in anticipation of increased fighting. [ID:nL6N0PJ473]
In the petition, the soldiers pointed to the army's structure and
fundamental role in Israeli society as reasons for being unable to
decouple any form of service from the fighting.
"The military plays a central role in every action plan and proposal
discussed in the national conversation, which explains the absence of
any real argument about non-military solutions to the conflicts Israel
has been locked in with its neighbors," the soldiers wrote.
"To us, the current military operation and the way militarization affects Israeli society are inseparable."
