A handful of young people in Israel are refusing mandatory military service in the Israel Defence Forces on political grounds, in opposition to the Israel-Hamas war and the occupation of Palestinian territories.
Israeli teen Tal Mitnick, 18, was the first person arrested for refusing service on political grounds since Oct. 7 and was sentenced to 30 days in military prison on Tuesday. He first refused to enlist several weeks ago, setting in motion a trial process.
Mitnick wrote his reasons in a statement shared Tuesday by Mesarvot, one of several Israeli support groups for conscientious objectors, or “refuseniks” as they call themselves.
“Violence cannot solve the situation, neither by Hamas,
