18-year-old conscientious objector Sofia Orr declares her refusal to enlist in mandatory military service as an act of protest against the war on Gaza and the occupation, at Israeli army’s Tel Hashomer recruitment center. She was sentenced to 20 days in prison and faces repeated prison sentences until she compiles. On Xitter: @OrenZiv_.
Protest video and interview:
https://x.com/OrenZiv_/status/1761789742801134032
Earlier interview with Sofi Orr by Al Jazeera:
More on draft resistance in Israel at hasbrouck.org
What a brave and courageous and principled young woman is Sophia Orr. She is so inspiring and wise beyond her years. I have lived long enough to know that we are all complicit through our silence in allowing cycles of violence to continue. It is rare indeed to find someone so brave and willing to speak truth to power in this way.
As someone who came of age during the Vietnam debacle, I fully understand the useless nature of war especially war to defend an ideology. Israel is not defending itself by robbing Palestinians of their land, culture, history and life. Zionism has never been about co-existence or being a part of the region and this young woman was brought into a world she did not decide to be a part of, a world of constant war and hatred. There is no harmony to be sought in the ways of Zionism and sadly the Jewish people of Israel will continue to suffer for decades to come because the option of simply live and let live was not chosen by their grandparents and parents. It will take tremendous courage to rid Israel of it’s Zionism and save its people to be free to live in the entire Middle East as opposed to usurping the Palestinians of the human and civic rights under the guise of religious zealotry gone astray.