Sofia Orr, 19, is an Israeli teenager who chose jail over enlisting in the Israeli Death Forces (IDF).

Before turning 19, Sofia was jailed three times for refusing to enlist in mandatory military service, spending her time in Neve Tzedek, a military prison in Tel Aviv, in protest of the ongoing Israeli war and genocide in Gaza.

She believes the two sides "have to exist" and that "revenge is not the answer."

This brave Israeli teenager made it loud and clear that she would continue resisting even if the government extended her jail time because it was the right thing to do. Finally, after spending 85 days in prison, Orr was recognized as a conscientious objector.

Long before the Israeli war on Gaza, when Sofia was 15, she made up her mind not to serve in the military because, to her, the occupation and the war on Gaza and the West Bank was and is still enough reason to refuse. She would rather work advocating for peace.

A Growing Movement of Refuseniks

Sofia is not alone. One month before Palestinians broke the fence around Gaza in October 2023, she was among 230 Israeli teens who signed an open letter published in Yedioth Aharonot announcing their intention to refuse their draft orders.

When history books are written about the Israeli genocide in Gaza, no one will be asking the question, "Where were the good Israelis?" Those Israeli conscientious objectors (better known as refuseniks) should have their voices lifted and supported by all.

The Law and Religious Opposition to Conscription

According to the 1949 Israeli Security Service Law, conscription to military service is compulsory for all Israelis who turn 18. Only two groups are exempt from mandatory military service: the ultra-Orthodox and "Palestinians with Israeli citizenships."

Together, these groups constitute over 30% of the Israeli population, and as their birth rate is significantly higher than that of other groups within Israel, they are set to constitute a whopping 60% of the Israeli population by 2050, per a report by The Jerusalem Post (October 18, 2018).

The ultra-Orthodox, or Haredi, have been clashing with police outside the army recruitment office in Jerusalem throughout the war on Gaza.

“We prefer dying to serve in the Israeli army,” said Yona Kruskal, 42, to The Times of Israel. Kruskal, a father of 11 and a full-time seminary student, blocked traffic in Jerusalem with about 200 others last week in one of the frequent protests against the conscription law.

“There’s no way you can force us to go to the army because we are hell-bent that the army and religion contradict one another,” Kruskal added.

The Reality of IDF Operations

Videos on IDF Telegram channels proudly display war crimes, mistreatment of POWs, and more. Recently, the IDF court-martialed four soldiers for refusing a direct order to enter a house in Gaza. These soldiers insisted on having police dogs with them, fearing Hamas fighters might ambush them inside.

Palestinian fighters are targeting IOF soldiers and military machines, while the IDF targets doctors, nurses, paramedics, journalists, engineers, women, and children.

On October 15, 2024, Shaban al-Dalu was sheltering in a tent in the compound of al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah with his parents and five siblings when an Israeli strike hit their tent. Shaban and his mother were burned alive, with no one around able to save them. His sibling and father were at the hospital.

Video of Shaban's death was widely circulated on social media platforms and sent shockwaves around the world. He was 20 and had memorized the Quran. This young man was a cousin to two of my wife's nieces and nephews.

Sofia’s Struggles Behind Bars

Orr's time in jail was not easy. She had limited time for calls and was allowed to receive only one visitor every 14 days. She was called a traitor and "Hamas lover" in prison. Her most painful time was her inability to stay in contact with her family, who were fully supportive of her decision, although some distant relatives were unhappy with her stance.

She spent her time in jail reading books, drawing, and playing crossword puzzles.

Miss Orr told ITV News she wanted to be public about her decision because:
"I wanted to try to reach as many people as I can and try to raise that message of peace and coexistence as loudly as possible."

Despite this, she regularly receives death threats online, is cursed at, and is called stupid, naive, and ungrateful.

Courage and Moral Clarity

I don’t think Sofia is naive. I think she is a bright young lady and very courageous. She believes there is an alternative to violence, and vengeance is not the answer. For that, she and her comrades should be praised and recognized. She did what she did for the sake of the people around her—Palestinians and Israelis—and for a better place to live.

More Voices of Conscience

Tal Mitnick, 18, is the first Israeli conscientious objector to be imprisoned since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza. He was sentenced to 30 days in military jail for refusing to enlist in the IDF during its ongoing war in Gaza, according to Israeli media.

Tal entered the Tel Hashomer enlistment center to announce his refusal to enlist in the Israeli Death Forces. He posted a message on X stating:
"I refuse to believe that more violence will bring security."

He said:
"We must recognize the fact that after weeks of the ground operation in Gaza, at the end of the day—negotiations and an agreement brought back the hostages. It was actually military action that caused them (the hostages) to be killed."

"Because of the criminal lie that ‘there are no innocent civilians in Gaza,’ even hostages waving a white flag shouting in Hebrew were shot to death. I don’t want to imagine how many similar cases there were that were not investigated because the victims were born on the wrong side of the fence."

A System in Question

It takes a lot of moral courage to do what Sofia Orr, 19, a young Israeli woman, has done. I really admire her. The far right will smear her as a traitor and blame her for their own failed policies.

Finally, last June, Haaretz columnist Linda Dayan put it succinctly when she said:
"They put these amazing, intelligent kids in jail for their beliefs but pass legislation exempting hundreds of thousands of Haredim for their beliefs. What a f-d up system."

Mahmoud El-Yousseph is a Palestinian freelancer for Islamicity.com and ColumbusFreePress.com. He can be reached at [email protected].