{{Short description|Israel Defense Forces draft resister}} '''Tair Kaminer''' ({{Langx|he|תאיר קמינר}}) is an Israeli conscientious objector. In 2016, Kaminer served six consecutive prison terms, totaling 160 days, for her refusal to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces, the longest imprisonment of any female objector.<ref name="Dearden" />
==Refusal to enlist and prison sentence== In January 2016, Kaminer, then-19, was arrested for her refusal to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces.<ref name="Matar">{{Cite web |last=Matar |first=Haggai |date=2016-01-10 |title=Dozens protest in support of Israeli conscientious objector |url=https://www.972mag.com/dozens-protest-outside-idf-base-in-support-of-conscientious-objector/ |access-date=2025-07-11 |website=+972 Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> Kaminer said she viewed the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories as a human rights violation and did not want to participate in the IDF's activities targeting Palestinians.<ref name="Louter">{{Cite web |last=Louter |first=Lysanne |date=2016-07-04 |title=Tair Kaminer, Israeli Conscientious Objector, Imprisoned |url=https://amnesty.ca/features/blog-tair-kaminer-israeli-conscientious-objector-imprisoned/ |access-date=2025-07-11 |website=Amnesty International Canada |language=en-US}}</ref> She was sentenced to 20 days at a military center in Tel HaShomer.<ref name="Dearden">{{cite web|last1=Dearden|first1=Lizzie|title=Tair Kaminer: Israeli teenager facing multiple prison sentences for refusing military service says she 'won't break'|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/tair-kaminer-israeli-teenager-facing-multiple-prison-sentences-for-refusing-military-service-says-a6845316.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220526/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/tair-kaminer-israeli-teenager-facing-multiple-prison-sentences-for-refusing-military-service-says-a6845316.html |archive-date=2022-05-26 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|website=Independent|date=3 February 2016 |accessdate=13 May 2016}}</ref><ref name="Dearden 2" /><ref name="Levy">{{cite web |last1=Levy |first1=Noa |date=30 January 2016 |title=Israeli women reaffirm their refusal to serve in the occupation army |url=http://www.redressonline.com/2016/01/israeli-women-reaffirm-their-refusal-to-serve-in-the-occupation-army/ |accessdate=14 May 2016 |website=redressonline}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Staff writer |title=No One Would Serve in the Israeli Army if They Knew |url=https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2016-03-29/ty-article/.premium/no-one-would-serve-in-the-idf-if-they-knew/0000017f-df36-d3a5-af7f-ffbeb8660000 |access-date=14 May 2016 |website=Haaretz}}</ref> Her imprisonment was met with a small protest of around 40 individuals, among them her cousin Matan Kaminer, who was sentenced to two years in prison for his refusal to enlist in 2003, citing concerns for Palestinian welfare and opposition to the occupation of Palestinian territories.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Five conscientious objectors sentenced to one year in prison |url=https://www.fidh.org/en/region/north-africa-middle-east/israel-palestine/Five-conscientious-objectors |access-date=2025-07-11 |website=International Federation for Human Rights |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Matar"/> The protest was organized by then-newly formed Israeli anti-war organization Mesarvot.
Kaminer was arrested and imprisoned on six occasions, serving a total of 160 days.<ref name="Louter"/> Kaminer did not seek an exemption from military service but she was granted one involuntarily after her sixth arrest, with a judge declaring her unfit for service due to "a history of poor behavior."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Konrad |first=Edo |date=2016-07-14 |title=IDF releases longest-serving female conscientious objector |url=https://www.972mag.com/idf-releases-longest-serving-female-conscientious-objector/ |access-date=2025-07-11 |website=+972 Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Reaction== According to ''The Independent'', the goal of Tair Kaminer for refusal is the reformation of laws punishing conscientious objectors, but she has been known as a traitor.<ref name="Dearden 2">{{cite web|last1=Dearden|first1=Lizzie|title=Tair Kaminer: Israeli teenager jailed for refusing to do military service because of Palestinian territories occupation|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/tair-kaminer-israeli-teenager-jailed-for-refusing-to-do-military-service-because-of-palestinian-a6841206.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220526/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/tair-kaminer-israeli-teenager-jailed-for-refusing-to-do-military-service-because-of-palestinian-a6841206.html |archive-date=2022-05-26 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|website=The Independent|date=29 January 2016 |accessdate=14 May 2016}}</ref>
The ordered demonstrations have been held out of her prison and the training bases for soldiers by objectors.<ref name="Dearden 2"/>
The Green Party MP stated to Brighton Pavilion : “With tensions high in Israel, this is a particularly difficult time to be a conscientious objector … (we call) on the Government to request the Israeli authorities to accept the conscientious objection of Israeli citizens who do not wish to bear arms against a civilian population under military occupation.” when this statement was mentioned at the Houses of Parliament, Amnesty International Israel controverted it. Some parties confirmed this statement like Labour, Scottish National Party, the Conservatives and Plaid Cymru for the legal impunity for demurrer of Israeli's military service such as Tair Kaminer.<ref name="Dearden 2"/>
==See also== *Israeli–Palestinian conflict *Itamar Greenberg, an Israeli conscientious objector who served 197 days in prison between 2024 and 2025 *Mesarvot, an Israeli organization dedicated to the support of conscientious objectors
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== * [https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/im-a-teenage-conscientious-objector-in-israeli-military-prison-for-refusing-to-join-the-idf-this-is-a7025966.html The letter of Tair Kaminer], January 2016
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaminer, Tair}} Category:Living people Category:Israeli conscientious objectors Category:Israeli prisoners and detainees Category:People from Sderot Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
{{Israel-bio-stub}}