IDF dismisses 5 conscientious objectors from military service

The Israel Defense Forces has dismissed from service the five conscientious objectors who were released last week from the civilian prisons where they were serving their sentences.

The five have served some two years in military and civilian prisons, including 10 months "open detention" in an army camp.

The pre-holiday release of the five - Haggai Matar, Matan Kaminer, Noam Bahat, Shimri Tzameret, and Adam Maor - was made possible after a special committee reduced their sentence by one-third.

The permanent dismissal from army service did not come as a complete surprise, as the committee that commuted their sentence also discussed bringing them before the IDF "unsuitability committee" to have them released from service, a position taken by two of the three military judges who sentenced them.

Although the objectors were described in a negative light by the military prosecutor during their trial, the committee particularly noted their potential to contribute to society, which they had done before they were taken into custody for refusing to be inducted, and continued to do during their incarceration, serving as tutors and helping other prisoners in various ways.

"We were in prison for almost two years because our moral belief prohibits us from being part of an army occupying another people and destroying Israeli society, and we come to Yom Kippur with a clean heart," Shimri Tzameret said on the eve of his release.

Adam Maor said the five felt they had won.

"In spite of the heavy punishment we received, we feel victorious," he said. "We will continue working to end the occupation and to contribute to society."

Said Matan Kaminer, "We refused out of love for this place and for the people who live here. All along the way, we asked to do alternative service to contribute in our own way to the community. With our release, we will work according to these principles."

	The five conscientious objectors at a military court in Jaffa in June 2003. (Archive photograph by Ariel Shalit)