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Why many Israelis agree with this IDF refusenik

July 21, 2016 10:19
Conscientious objector Tair Kaminer

By

Nathan Jeffay,

Nathan Jeffay

1 min read

To many Israelis, Tair Kaminer has done the unthinkable. But her parents are kvelling.

The Israeli military has just agreed to release the 19-year-old from prison later this month, when she will have served more than half a year for refusing her draft order and become the longest-serving military objector. Kaminer refuses to serve in the army because of the "occupation" and the "oppression of the Palestinian people" - and wants to join the state's civilian service programme instead.

Speaking to the JC this week, her father, Micah Kaminer, said that his daughter was following in his family's left-wing tradition. He said: "We are proud of our daughter. We feel she has done a great service to the country and to Israelis."

His pride stems from the fact that she has forced conscientious objection on to the country's news agenda, with articles about her even appearing in mainstream, centrist press like Yediot Achronot. The tone of the coverage was not sympathetic to her ideological position but tended to argue that her long imprisonment was heavy-handed.

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