Two Israeli teenagers were sentenced to 30 days in military prison this week for refusing mandatory conscription in protest of the war and the occupation. Iddo Elam and Soul Behar Tsalik, both 18-year-olds from Tel Aviv, became the seventh and eighth refuseniks to publicly oppose the draft for political reasons since October 7.
The pair arrived at the Tel Hashomer recruitment center on Wednesday to declare their refusal, accompanied by dozens of friends, relatives, and activists from Mesarvot — a refuser solidarity movement — and Banki, the youth movement of the Israeli Communist Party. They were subsequently transferred to the Neve Tzedek military prison to begin their initial period of incarceration, which is expected to be extended. Joining them was Itamar Greenberg, who is now entering his fourth period of incarceration lasting 45 days after he refused the draft in August, and has already served 105 days in prison….more
