Israeli Itamar Greenberg, due to report for mandatory military service on August 7, 2024, has publicly refused to serve, citing opposition to killing Palestinians and occupying territories.
Conscientious Objection in Israel
Itamar Greenberg was scheduled to report for military service on August 7, 2024, at the Tel Hashomer military base near Tel Aviv. This is a standard procedure for all Israeli citizens upon turning 18. However, Itamar intended not to fulfill his duty to the state.
He stated that he did not want to participate in the mass killing of Palestinians or in the occupation of their territories. In Israel, people like him are called “mesarvot” in Hebrew or “refuseniks” in English. The term originally referred to Jews who were denied the right to emigrate from the Soviet Union to Israel, but over time it entered common language as a term for young people who refuse mandatory military service on grounds of conscience.
The Emergence of ‘Refuseniks’
While there are few rebels among Israeli youth, they have become more visible since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip. They express their dissent publicly: they meet in central city points and demonstratively burn conscription notices, shouting that Israel is committing genocide.
They report their actions on social media and regularly give interviews to media from around the world.
A Small but Visible Movement
“This is a very small community, we all know each other well,” Itamar told me. The entire movement, in his opinion, consists of no more than 100 people, although he emphasized that it is not easy to estimate, as not everyone decides to publicly manifest their opposition to military service.
Some simply obtain fraudulent psychiatric exemptions and quietly resolve the matter. They too have acquired a nickname—they are said to be “grey refuseniks,” refuseniks from the grey zone.
