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Even though social media may make it seem like all Israelis support what’s happening in Gaza, the truth is more complicated. Many people in Israel are deeply conflicted. Imagine sunbathing on a Tel Aviv beach while knowing that just 50 miles away, your country’s army is killing children trying to collect water. That’s a hard reality to live with, and some people, especially young ones, are saying enough is enough.
In Israel, military service in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is mandatory. Most teens are expected to join after high school, and refusing isn’t taken lightly. But some young people are choosing to say no. Just recently, a group of Israeli teens marched through Tel Aviv holding signs that said things like “Stop the genocide,” “Free Palestine,” and “End the occupation.” To make their point clear, they burned their official draft orders right there in protest.
For these teens, joining the IDF doesn’t feel like serving their country; it feels like taking part in something they believe is deeply wrong. They’re asking themselves tough questions: What if they’re ordered to hurt innocent people? What if they’re forced to live with trauma from actions they never wanted to take? What if they spend their lives haunted by the memory of what they did in uniform?
But refusing to serve comes at a serious cost. Those who refuse are often called “refuseniks.” They’re usually sent to military jail for a few weeks at a time, often 10 to 30 days. The idea is that these short sentences will wear them down until they give in. But if they keep refusing, the military will keep sending them back until they’re seen as “persistent refusers” and finally released from duty. This whole process can take months, sometimes up to 200 days behind bars.
The punishment doesn’t stop with jail time. Refuseniks are often labelled as traitors or accused of supporting terrorism. It’s harder for them to find jobs since many Israeli employers expect applicants to have served in the army. Some even lose friends or face judgment from their own families, who are shamed by the idea that their child wouldn’t fight for their country. For a lot of these young people, life becomes so difficult that they eventually leave Israel altogether.
But that doesn’t make their actions any less brave. These teens are putting their values ahead of their comfort, their freedom, and sometimes even their safety. Refusing to follow orders during a time of war, especially in a country where military service is seen as a duty, takes a huge amount of courage. Many people would like to think they’d do the same, but standing up against a system that nearly everyone around you supports isn’t easy.
Still, this small but growing group of young Israelis is showing the world that not everyone in the country agrees with what’s happening in Palestine. They are choosing humanity over violence, and we can only hope more follow their lead.