Israeli citizen Shahar Perets has served her third term in jail for refusing to join the Israeli military, the BBC reported.
In an email sent out to supporters of refuser network Mesarvot between jail sentences, Perets said she just spent her 19th birthday behind bars.
Shahar Perets (19) and Eran Aviv (19) arrived again at the Israeli military enlistment center to declare their refusal to serve as soldiers and take part in the oppression of the Palestinians.
Good on these kids. More moral fortitude than most. #Israel pic.twitter.com/oS5Xwpqftx
— Abier (@abierkhatib) October 22, 2021
Describing the conditions in prison, Perets said she was deprived of writing down her thoughts and experiences by prison guards, with access to a pen for sometimes only ten minutes per day.
“The military does not want me to write, speak or share my thoughts. They are trying to silence me,” Perets said, adding:
“The silencing of political refusers is a small part of a more violent pattern of behavior – The silencing of the Palestinian struggle for human rights in the West Bank and Gaza.”
BREAKING: Shahar has just been sentenced to a further 30 days in military jail. This is her third prison sentence. pic.twitter.com/KQU3GNUP2u
— Momentum 🌹 (@PeoplesMomentum) October 22, 2021
In an interview with the BBC, it was revealed that her parents fully supported her decision to refuse.
“Some people call me a traitor or say I don’t care about my people, different names,” she told the BBC.
“I decided to refuse to join the army because I am not willing to take part in the oppression of millions of people who live in the West Bank and Gaza.”
Under international law, the right to conscientious objection to military service is based on Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief.
(The Palestine Chronicle, MEMO, Social Media)
“Should I back this horrible violence towards anyone who isn’t Jewish?”
I’ve spent the past two hours watching Shahar Perets’ video, absolutely amazed at how intelligent, educated and noble she is. She’s the exact opposite of all the garbage that one will find in the Zionist community, here in New York City.
How horribly cruel to make her spend her days inside a military prison, because she rightfully refuses to become a terrorist member of the Israeli military, and therefore participate in the genocide against the Palestinians.