Increasing numbers of young people in Israeli territories are refusing to join the army every day. Those who reject this compulsory service face the possibility of imprisonment. Refusing to enlist in Israel means choosing to be excluded. Young people who are marginalized by society are labeled as antisemitic, terrorists, and traitors by their surroundings.

For most Israeli Jews and some minorities who have turned 18 in Israel, military service is mandatory. Young people who refuse to perform this service face the threat of imprisonment. The American broadcasting company CNN has examined Israel’s “conscientious objectors.”

HE SPENT 197 DAYS IN JAIL Itamar Greenberg, an 18-year-old detained in a military prison in the country’s center, is one of these names and has served a total of 197 days in jail. Greenberg says that rejecting the service was the culmination of “a long process of learning and moral reckoning.” He described the process of refusing to fight, saying, “The more I learned, the more I understood that I could not wear a uniform that symbolizes killing and oppression.”

GENOCIDE AGAINST PALESTINIANS The Israeli government vehemently denies allegations that the war in Gaza constitutes genocide against the Palestinian people. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, more than 50,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in the renewed conflict triggered by Israel’s resumption of ground operations over 17 months.

REFUSING MILITARY SERVICE MEANS EXCLUSION Greenberg said of his decision to go to prison instead of serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), “I want this change and I will give my life for it.” This is a crucial decision for conscientious objectors like Greenberg, as refusing to be conscripted essentially means choosing to be excluded.

MILITARY SERVICE AND THE ARMY FOR ISRAEL The army in Israel is more than just an institution. The military service, which is part of the social structure, is deeply intertwined with the secular Jewish-Israeli identity. Greenberg stated that he is even called antisemitic, a terrorist, and a traitor by his family and friends.

NUMBER OF OBJECTORS INCREASING EACH YEAR According to Mesarvot, an organization supporting objectors, only a dozen Israeli youths have refused to go to the army for conscientious reasons since the start of the war.

An average of 20% of young people who are required to serve in the army each year refuse to enlist. The Israeli army, however, does not publish figures on refusing military service.

NETANYAHU’S POLITICAL INTERESTS Meanwhile, anger toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has peaked. Protesters believe that Netanyahu increasingly resorts to anti-democratic methods to stay in power. Many think that Netanyahu prioritizes his own political presence over his country’s security.

TURNING POINT IN THE WAR This sentiment signals an important turning point in the war. Conscientious objectors hope that more Israelis could refuse military service as a protest against the ongoing attacks.