Subject: Cowards or commanders with a conscience 040602
>From the ELCA Middle East Networking List...
June 2, 2004
The "Globe and Mail" in Ontario, Canada, ran a story Monday
about members of Israel's army who refuse to serve in the
occupied territories. Here is a sample:
Cowards or commanders with a conscience
A growing number of Israel's army refuse to serve in
Palestinian territories
By MARK MacKINNON
Monday, May 31, 2004 - Page A1
TEL AVIV -- When Muli Linder watched the news footage of
Israeli troops and tanks destroying Palestinian homes last
week in the Rafah refugee camp, he was hit by two strong
emotions.
The first thing he felt was sorrow for the Palestinian
civilians, people he says were already "living in hell"
before the latest Israeli army operation in the Gaza Strip.
The second was sympathy for the soldiers who carried out the
operation. Dr. Linder has served in Gaza and knows what it's
like to be in their boots.
"I felt really sorry for those soldiers. They're not the ones
who should be blamed. I remember myself as a 19-year-old
soldier. You do these horrible things because you're ordered
to. You're not thinking for yourself," Dr. Linder said.
"I blame the commanders and the government that sent them
there," he said.
Now a 29-year-old physician, he still shudders at some of the
things he witnessed as a soldier in Gaza. The savage beating
of a handcuffed Palestinian man by three Israeli troops
sticks out most in his mind. He said that once he finished
his four-year regular army stint, he realized there were some
orders that should never have been obeyed.
Dr. Linder, who was raised by staunch Zionist parents, said
he came to see the occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza
Strip as not only morally wrong, but also damaging to the
security interests of Israel.
The full story is at :
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/2
0040531/ISRAEL31//?query=Muli+Linder
Or, go to the home page Http://www.globeandmail, and run a
search.
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Division for Global Mission, ELCA
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800-638-3522, ext. 6466
040602 globe&star
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