🚀 go-pugleaf

A Letter from a Refusnik 
by David Hacham-Herson 

August 5, 2001, Military Prison No. 4. 

Of the terrible reports appearing daily in the press, I read here
in Military Prison 4.  No pictures, no soundtrack.  I see only 
barbed wire fences, but the pain from outside goes deep.  Revenge
in return for revenge, killing in return for killing.  Why, I ask,
does the Jewish people generate so much suffering, why do we inflict
on others and ourselves so much pain.  What is the source of the 
Israeli sense of pride, why is the act of killing considered so 
great in our eyes. 

I am a soldier in the Israeli army, imprisoned for refusal to take 
part in repression, arising from a sense that it is out of the 
question to be a Jew, the son of a people of refugees, and yet 
repress a people of refugees.  (There's no disagreement in the 
Israeli public regarding repression of the Palestinians, merely over
whether or not it's justified).  I am a God-fearing Jew, and as such 
forbidden to take part in denying freedom and serving in occupied
territory.  I am imprisoned, but yet feel freer than most of the 
Israelis I've met, for one simple reason: I don't bear the burden 
of vindictiveness and the perverse gratification attending it.  I 
don't bear the burden of denial and callousness.  I am concerned 
for humans as such.  For those DENIED the right to live like me, 
with food and clothes and fun and good health and dreams of success
and a car.  I am concerned for people who are HUMILIATED EVERY DAY,
who are denied the right to work, who are imprisoned within their 
towns and villages.  I am concerned for those whose homes have been
demolished and their fruit groves devastated. 

I am concerned because I know that the terrible hatred towards me is
justified.  This hatred has led to horrifying and perverted 
manifestations, like the young suicide bombers, but WE CREATE THE 
CONDITIONS THAT LEAD TO THIS MONSTROSITY.  I am concerned because I 
know that the cries of exultation over the killings drown out the 
sobs of the numerous victims, Jews and Arabs, of the widows and 
orphans, of the cripples who will suffer for the rest of their lives
because of that pride and callousness. 

This is a concern unlike that of most of the Israeli people.  For
this concern demands correction [tikkun] whereas the other concern
merely calls for more destruction.  I am a prisoner yet free, but
the pain runs deep.  I hope my imprisonment, and that of others, 
will lead many in our society to contemplation - contemplation of
the Palestinians, and by way of them, contemplation of ourselves.
I regard my imprisonment as the true way to participate in present
day Israeli society.  I don't think my imprisonment releases me from
responsibility.  Even if I weren't serving in the army, I'd continue
to share responsibility for these actions.  I'm not the victim.  On
the contrary: precisely because I regard myself as sharing 
responsibility, I refuse to take part in the repression. 

I am a soldier and wish to serve my country.  I am a part of Israeli
society:  that is where I find people I love, including some who 
act contrary to my convictions.  They include right and left.  I 
just want us Israelis�strong, triumphant�to look into the eyes of
those we repress, and try to understand them.  For the victory of
might is no victory.  Our fears will leave us only when we consent 
to equality between peoples and between individuals.  We too shall
continue to live in fear as long as we implement oppression and
deny elementary rights. 

Instead of justifying suffering that WHICH WE INFLICT, and our own 
we should try to solve it by self correction [tikkun atzmi].  Faith
in tikkun is a weapon more powerful than tanks.  I regard my 
imprisonment as a foundation for tikkun, and hope that by way of 
thinking about it, others will look at the reality about us, and 
contribute to change. 

� David Hacham-Herson 

if you wish to view the original post of this letter, you can find it:

on the oznik.com website, which is here:
http://oznik.com/010811.html

on the NOT IN MY NAME website.  Its can be found under "From a Jewish
Perspective - Essays/Statements"  which is here:  http://www.nimn.org/

or on the Tikkun.org website here:
http://www.tikkun.org/index.cfm/action/current/article/40.html