Israeli Conscientious Objector Profiles
 Rotem Mor
My name is Rotem Mor. I am a 23 year-old Israeli conscientious objector and peace activist. I was born in Mevaseret Zion, a small town near Jerusalem. When I was younger I also spent some time living in England and Canada. My mom was born in Israel and my dad emigrated from Poland with my grandparents when he was 10.
When I was 18,I was drafted into the Israeli army like most Jewish Israelis. At that time I was not thrilled about it but I went because almost everyone I knew had been, or was going to, the army. I also went because I knew I would have an easy army job and thought it would be good for my career.
I spent my first six months of service in the army liaisons unit, and then another year as a soldier teacher in Jerusalem. During this time I began questioning the truth about my army service. More and more, I became convinced that being a soldier was not the right thing for me and that I had the responsibility to refuse. I felt, and still do, that the state manipulates its young people into becoming soldiers even though this is actually against their interests. I realized that a person like myself who believes in dialogue, equality, personal responsibility and freedom, has no place in the military. After a year and a half I chose to refuse to continue my service in the military.
After I announced my decision to refuse service I ceased to wear my uniform and follow orders. I made my position public through the media and conversations with other Israelis. Due to my decision I spent a month in prison. I worked for my release from the army as a conscientious objector and eventually I was dismissed as "unfit for service" by the army.
After my release I spent a year traveling and meeting with political activists in several countries. When I returned to Israel I began running seminars for young people who were contemplating their own refusal. At first, these seminars were organized by a group called New Profile, a feminist organization working to create a civil, demilitarized society in Israel. Later, I ran similar workshops organized by the American Friends Service Committee. These 2-day seminars created a safe space for young people to contemplate their army service and refusal. The seminars also provide youth with a variety of information and strategies for carrying out their decision to refuse. The number of participants has grown with each seminar and the impact of our work is now evident inside the peace and justice community in Israel.
Currently, I am continuing my work with AFSC to strengthen the Israeli conscientious objector movement. Among other things, I am involved in creating a large alternative summer event for Israeli youth. In addition, I am organizing meetings between Israeli conscientious objectors and Palestinians, living both in Israel and in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
I have also been involved in the growing resistance movement against the Separation Wall. This wall not only separates Palestinians from Israelis, but also from their lands, their work, their medical services, their friends, their families and other vital aspects of their lives. I have focused my work in my own community of Mevasseret, where we resisted the building of the Wall along with our Palestinian neighbors in the village of Beit Suriq. Our resistance has included demonstrations, direct action, solidarity with families facing house demolitions, joint tours, and a Supreme Court petition. So far we have succeeded in impacting the route of the wall and to date no barrier has been built in our region.
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