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Israeli Conscientious Objector Profiles

Alex Cohn

Alex Cohn served five months in Israeli military prison for his decision to refuse to serve in the Israeli military. After being released from military duty Alex now helps lead a youth discussion group about militarism in Israeli society. In September, 2006, Alex came the the United States and participated in a month-long internship at AFSC.

The following is the statement Alex wrote when he refused his intial induction notice into the Israeli military.

My name is Alex Cohn. I'm 18 years old, from Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Israel.

For almost forty years, Israel has been controlling the Palestinian people in the occupied territories, while depriving them of their basic rights. Under a mask of military arguments, Israel has destroyed Palestinian homes, stolen lands, killed, injured, arrested without trial in many cases, creating a situation of unbearable poverty. Now the Israeli government is building on Palestinian land a long and tall wall that will destroy the livelihood of many Palestinians.

As a young person who has been active for years in the struggle for human rights and peace, I shall not join the occupation army and take part in the crimes that Israel is carrying out against the Palestinian people. My decision has been influenced by my background as a Jewish person. My people have been oppressed themselves. Members of my own family were murdered in the Holocaust.

In the next few months I will be recruited by the army. When that day comes I'll simply say that I see the rule that forces me to join the occupation army as an unjust and immoral one, and therefore I will not go. I'll probably be punished by being sent to jail. Meanwhile, I am active in a youth refusal movement and working to advance the idea of refusing to serve the occupation.

I believe that the values guiding me as a refusenik should lead all of us, in all situations. Equality and freedom for Palestinians is equality and freedom for women, gays, minorities, immigrants, the handicapped, and the poor. It is necessary to work toward democracy, peace, and social justice for all. And, most importantly, it is necessary to remember that we have the choice to act humanely, even when unjust laws tell us to forget about our humanity.

Contact Alex Cohn via email at: vegalex@gmail.com

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