2 Young Israelis Jailed for Refusing Mandatory Military Conscription

Two young Israelis were jailed for refusing conscription. Shahar Perets and Eran Aviv were each sentenced to 10 days in a military prison. Military service is compulsory in Israel.

It is the fourth time that Aviv has been given a punishment of jail time. Perets, 18, was one of 120 high school seniors who signed a letter in January declaring that they would not serve in Israel’s military in protest of its policies toward the Palestinians. Her father also was jailed four times for being a conscientious objector.

They arrived at the Tel Hashomer induction base in central Israel on Tuesday with dozens of supporters, including Knesset lawmaker Ofer Cassif of the Joint List.

There is a process to apply for an exemption from service as a conscientious objector, but Perets chose instead to refuse outright in an effort to raise awareness about the issue, she told +972 magazine. Aviv started the conscription process in May after being promised a position that did not involve the West Bank. When the Israel Defense Forces did not honor that promise he refused to move forward, according to the magazine.