TEL AVIV — Around 10,000 people rallied here on February 9 to back the growing numbers of Israeli reserve soldiers who are refusing to serve in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
A year ago, at a rally called by much the same peace and human rights groups, only hundreds showed up. One big difference between then and now has been the impact on Israeli public opinion of the 200 reserve soldiers and officers who refuse to oppress the Palestinians.
The Yediot Aharonot newspaper opinion poll on February 8 found that 26% of Israel's people sympathise with the soldiers' refusal to serve in the occupied territories.
The 'refuseniks' were undoubtedly the centre of attention at the rally in Tel Aviv's Museum Plaza. Among the colourful medley of printed and hand-made flags, signs and banners were many in Hebrew, Arabic and English that expressed warm support for the refusers.
There were prolonged cheers whenever a speaker mentioned the refusers, and even more when each of the three refusers who addressed the gathering spoke.
[Abridged from <http://www.gush-shalom.org>.]
From Green Left Weekly, February 20, 2002.
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