Mesarvot

'''Mesarvot''' ({{langx|he|מסרבות||Refusers (fem.)}}) is an Israeli organization supporting conscientious objectors in their total refusal to serve in the Israel Defense Forces. The organization has existed since 2015<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Kaminer |first=Tair |title=Israel: Weiblich-politische Verweigerung als feministische Aktion |url=https://de.connection-ev.org/de.connection-ev.org%2Farticle%3Aisrael-weiblich-politische-verweigerung-als-feministische-aktion |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=Connection e.V. |language=de}}</ref> and provides a network for public attention and legal support of youth refusing to join the army and former conscientious objectors.

== Activities == The organization publicises cases of youth that completely refuse to serve in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and promotes public discourse on the topic, supports conscientious objectors legally and with media trainings, during imprisonment and provides community for young people who make the decision to refuse. The organization supports hundreds of people every year. Usually, young people they support refuse to serve in the army to protest Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and to stand in solidarity with Palestinians.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Hallward |first=Maia |last2=Tuschling |first2=Lina |date=2020-09-01 |title=Opposition from within – Israeli soldiers resist the occupation |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14781158.2020.1797659 |journal=Global Change, Peace & Security |language=en |volume=32 |issue=3 |pages=246–247 |doi=10.1080/14781158.2020.1797659 |issn=1478-1158|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Thakker |first=Prem |date=2024-01-08 |title=Israeli Refuseniks Forsake Army Despite Post-October 7 Nationalist Frenzy |url=https://theintercept.com/2024/01/08/israel-army-refusal-protest/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=The Intercept |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=14 May ’24 – Infotalk: Refusing Military Service in Israel and anti-occupation activism (verhuur*) – Theater De Generator |url=https://theaterdegenerator.nl/14-may-24-infotalk-refusing-military-service-in-israel-and-anti-occupation-activism/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |language=nl-NL}}</ref>

=== Notable refuseniks supported by Mesarvot === Mesarvot has provided legal and media support for numerous high-profile refuseniks who served time in military prison. Some notable cases include: * Tair Kaminer (2016) - Served 170 days in military prison, one of the longest sentences for a female conscientious objector in Israel.<ref name=":2" /> * Aiden Katri (2016) - The first transgender woman to be jailed for refusing to join the army.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1 April 2016 |title=Israeli transgender activist asks to go to women’s prison |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-transgender-activist-asks-to-go-to-womens-prison/ |access-date=1 July 2024 |work=The Times of Israel}}</ref> * Noa Gur Golan (2017) - Served 98 days in prison; she and her mother were targeted in a smear campaign by the right-wing tabloid ''Israel Hayom''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marom |first=Yali |date=2017-11-19 |title=Israel Hayom's new target: Conscientious objector's mother |url=https://www.972mag.com/israel-hayoms-new-target-the-mother-of-a-conscientious-objector/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=+972 Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> * Ofir Averbukh (2017) - Released after serving 150 days in military prison.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-11-06 |title=Conscientious objector freed after 150 days in IDF prison |url=https://www.972mag.com/topic/mesarvot/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=+972 Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> * Adam Rafaelov (2018) - Imprisoned seven times for his refusal to be stationed in the occupied territories.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-12-09 |title=Israeli conscientious objector sent to prison for seventh time |url=https://www.972mag.com/topic/mesarvot/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=+972 Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> * Maya Brand-Feigenbaum (2019) - Imprisoned multiple times for her refusal.<ref name=":0" /> * Roman Levin (2019) - A former soldier who became a refusenik after spending over a year as a truck driver in the military, sentenced to 30 days in prison.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Noy |first=Orly |date=2019-02-28 |title=Israeli conscientious objector sentenced to 30 days in prison |url=https://www.972mag.com/topic/mesarvot/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=+972 Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> * Hallel Rabin (2020) - Served 56 days in military prison before being released by the military's conscientious objectors committee.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ziv |first=Oren |date=2020-11-27 |title='Refusing to serve in the army is my small act of making change' |url=https://www.972mag.com/topic/mesarvot/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=+972 Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> * Tal Mitnick and Sofia Orr (2023–2024) - The first to refuse enlistment following the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, calling for an immediate ceasefire and an international arms embargo.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Toi Staff |date=28 December 2023 |title=Teen sent to military prison over draft refusal; cited ‘revenge campaign’ in Gaza |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/teen-sent-to-military-prison-over-draft-refusal-cited-revenge-campaign-in-gaza/ |access-date=1 July 2024 |website=The Times of Israel}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Thakker |first=Prem |date=2024-05-09 |title=Israeli Military Refusers Appeal to Biden: "Stop Arming Israel’s War" |url=https://theintercept.com/2024/05/09/israel-military-teenagers-ceasefire-mesarvot/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=The Intercept |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Segalov |first=Michael |date=2024-01-23 |title=‘More killing won’t bring back lost lives’: Tal Mitnick, 18, on going to prison instead of joining IDF |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/23/israel-man-jailed-refuse-serve-idf-military-tal-mitnick-interview |access-date=2024-07-01 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> * Itamar Greenberg (2024–2025) - An Israeli teenager who refused conscription during the Gaza war, stating his refusal to wear a uniform that he believed symbolized "killing and oppression." Greenberg served 197 days in military prison—the longest sentence for an Israeli conscientious objector in over a decade—before being released in March 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 2025 |title="I couldn't wear a uniform that symbolizes killing and oppression": Israeli activist who refuses to serve in the Israeli army |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2025/03/i-couldnt-wear-a-uniform-that-symbolizes-killing-and-oppression-israeli-activist-who-refuses-to-serve-in-the-israeli-army/ |access-date=2026-03-08 |website=Amnesty International}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=24 March 2025 |title=Israeli teens refuse military service |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/24/middleeast/israel-refuseniks-teens-military-intl-cmd |access-date=2026-03-08 |work=CNN}}</ref> * Ella Keidar Greenberg (2025) - The first openly transgender conscientious objector in a decade. Sentenced to military prison in March 2025 for refusing the draft, Keidar Greenberg publicly articulated her ideological opposition to both the Gaza War and the broader Israeli occupation. A prominent activist with Mesarvot and the Youth Communist League, she closely linked her refusal to her transgender identity, framing her objection as a rejection of the patriarchal and capitalist systems she believes the military enforces.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ziv |first=Oren |date=2025-03-24 |title='When our grandchildren ask what we did during the genocide, I'll say I refused' |url=https://www.972mag.com/ella-keidar-greenberg-israeli-military-refusal/ |access-date=2026-03-08 |website=+972 Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Greenberg |first=Ella Keidar |date=2025-03-25 |title=‘I refuse’: Israeli draft resister and trans activist Ella Keidar speaks out |url=https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/i-refuse-israeli-draft-resister-and-trans-activist-ella-keidar-speaks-out/ |access-date=2026-03-08 |website=People's World |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Political positions == The organization describes itself as feminist and criticizes patriarchal structures in the IDF as well as sexual harassment.<ref name=":2" />

Mesarvot is part of the Anti-Occupation Bloc, an alliance of Israeli and Palestinian organisations advocating against the Israeli occupation of Palestine. In 2022, Mesarvot staged a protest in Tel Aviv to mourn the killing of the Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh by the IDF while reporting in the West Bank. The group also participates in solidarity actions in the West Bank. In February 2023, Mesarvot activists joined protests against the eviction of Palestinian buildings in Masafer Yatta.

Mesarvot also participated in the 2023 Israeli judicial reform protests and connected the planned reform with the government's occupation policies.<ref name=":1" />

== External links == {{Portal|Israel|Politics}} * [https://mesarvot.wixsite.com/mesarvot Homepage of Mesarvot] (in Hebrew) * [https://www.instagram.com/mesarvot/ Mesarvot] on Instagram * [https://x.com/Mesarvot_ Mesarvot] on Twitter * [https://www.972mag.com/topic/mesarvot/ Articles about Mesarvot] on ''+972 Magazine''

== References == <references />

Category:Organizations established in 2015 Category:2015 establishments in Israel Category:Human rights organizations based in Israel Category:Jewish anti-occupation groups Category:Peace organizations based in Israel Category:Conscientious objection organizations Category:Conscription in Israel Category:Palestinian solidarity movement in Israel