Canada.’ World Yesh Gvul urges support for Israeli ‘refuseniks’ When Israeli reserve army captain Meir Amor refused to serve in the occupied terri- tories, it cost him 21 days in jail. But the young officer is unrepentant, and with fellow “refusenik” Peretz Kidron is travelling North America to raise support for soldiers who refuse to become part of the military brutality in the West Bank and Gaza. Amor and Kidron, the latter now a jour- nalist who reports for U.S. National Public Radio, told a Vancouver meeting spon- sored by Jews for a Just Peace on Monday that some 650 reservists have signed a pledge not to police the six-month “intifada” — uprising — by Palestinians in the occupied territories. Forty-one reserve army members, “from captain to corporal,” have refused to partic- ipate, although they are generally commit- ted to Israel’s defence and are not pacifists, Kidron said. “What has brought all these people to say ‘yesh gvul’ is an understanding that this is not what the army was intended for,” he declared. “Yesh Gvul” is the name of the organiza- tion that provides financial and legal sup- port for jailed refuseniks and their families, who receive no veterans benefits. The Hebrew term means “there is a limit,” and the organization calls for Israeli withdrawal from the territories and negotiations with its people leading to a Palestinian state. Amor said his seven-month term of duty during the 1982-85 incursion into Lebanon — he spent the winter of 1984 in the Bekaa Valley — convinced him that what he was not doing was serving Israel’s interests. He said he lost 32 friends and acquain- tances in the invasion which cost the lives of 650 Israeli soldiers. When Amor, a graduate sociology stu- dent at Tel Aviv University, was called up active duty in the territories early this year, he refused, and was sent to prison for a 21-day term. The older Kidron describes himself as an “early refusenik.” He witnessed the bulldoz- ing of a decades-old grove of almond trees belonging to Bedouin — nomadic Arabs — in the Rafah area while serving as a reserve private in 1972. “T was politically aware before that, but if there were any remnants of belief in the myth that Israel was ‘making the desert bloom,’ this incident utterly destroyed those illusions.” Israelis will soon vote in a national elec- tion in which polls show strong support for the right-wing Likud bloc of Prime Minister Yitzak Shamir. But the two former reser- “When one accepts duty in the territories, he’s going there to terrorize the Palesti- nian people into accepting a rule they find intolerable.” KIDRON — vists stressed that the same polls reveal that between 50 and 60 per cent of Israelis sup- port negotiations with the Palestinians. They stressed that voters face little choice among top-rated parties on the territories issue. While Likud insists that Palestinians as a people don’t exist, Labour-Party leader Shimon Perez speaks of talking to the Jor- danians instead of the Palestinians over the fate of the West Bank and Gaza. (A wrench has been thrown into Labour’s electoral strategy with the recent repudiation by Jordan’s King Hussein of all claims to the West Bank.) As an example of intransigence on the issue, Kidron cited Perez’ comments that if he wished to, he could “speak to the Palesti- nians tomorrow morning.” It,points to the fact that “this is not a military problem, it is a political problem,” he said in an interview. The Chilean Community Association of B.C. this week called on Canadians to reject the sham plebiscite organized by Chilean dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet and urged the federal government to sever diplomatic ties with the fascist regime unless it upholds human nights. The association’s appeal was launched on the eve of the Oct. 5 referendum, announced by Pinochet earlier this year and intended to give the appearance of legitimacy to the regime. candidate Aug. 30, however, the plebiscite has unleashed a massive waye of opposi- tion to the regime. A powerful “Com- mand for a No” has been backed by a 16-party alliance to campaign against the perpetuation of Pinochet’s 15-year rule. On Oct. 1, more than one million peo- ple converged on the capital city of Santi- ago, as marchers came from’ Arica in the north and Punta Arenas in the south to ling for a ““No” vote. It was the largest demonstration in Chile since the military coup in 1973. But despite public opinion polls adding to the appearance of democracy — and showing the “No” vote slightly ahead — it is a virtual certainty that Pinochet will use fraud to ensure the outcome he wants, Community Association spokesperson Sergio Montivero told the Tribune Oct. 3. “The only way he can win is by fraud,” said Montivero, adding that the rigging had already begun. An estimated 20,000 Chileans have already had their identity cards — neces- sary to cast a ballot — seized in random raids by the police. “The police and mil- itary have been raiding poor neighbour- hoods,” he said. “‘And every time they detain someone, they take their cards.” Others have had their cards stolen under mysterious circumstances. Various ultra-right organizations have also been active in the campaign, directing their attack against the “‘No” campaign. ACHA, the Chilean Anti-Communist Alliance, has been responsible for destroy- ing several neighbourhood headquarters for the “No” campaign. Since Pinochet was declared as the sole © take part in the huge demonstration cal-— ‘No democracy with Pinochet fascist regime of Augusto Pinochet Tester Similarly, the military and police, which number some 180,000 by official count, have been told by the regime to vote, an order that is widely expected to result in double-voting as soldiers cast ballots in both their home towns and the areas in which they are stationed. And even if Pinochet is repudiated by a successful “no” vote, Montivero noted, he is still empowered to stay on for another year during which time he will hand-pick the commission which will conduct elec- tions. “There is no way that Pinochet will give up power willingly,” Montivero emphas- e the: giveaway of a the country and its Tesouces to = _ as ized. “But the demonstration on Oct. 1 and the strength of the “No” campaign have shown clearly that majority of Chileans oppose Pinochet,” he said. “The issue now is dictatorship or democracy. “That’s why we want Canadians to keep up the pressure on the Pinochet regime.” Four Canadians are currently in Chile, observing the referendum. They are Manitoba NDP MLA Jim Maloway, Lib- eral Senator Gildas Molgat, Alberta NDP MLA Gerry Gibeault and Winnipeg school trustee Irene Haig. fe “Group parties of 15-25 welcome”! In previous interviews Amor has pointed out that Israel wants to keep the territori® because they supply the state with cheaP labour and are a market for Israeli man” factured products. On occasion the government makes # show of putting on trial soldiers engaging! acts of brutality in the territories. But the clubbings, theft of goods, destruction of property and killings ‘are in fact army P® icy, the speakers charged. “That is the army’s job. It is the duty dl an army of occupation,” Kidron stressed. “When one accepts duty in the territori he’s going there to terrorize the Palestinia! people into accepting a rule they find intoF erable.” The actions of Yesh Gvul are take! seriously enough that the Israeli attorney” general’s department is investigating support group for possible charges of | incitement to mutiny, which carries seve™ penalties, Kidron reported. | But he noted “our members report oy their actions are treated with high respet! and understanding by their employers and their peers.” He said some 20 Jewish group outside Israel have “adopt a refuseni programs. Kidron said later that Israeli citizens consciousness of Palestinian rights has grown, particularly as they’ve seen Palest nians willingly lowering their living stam a ards to fight the military occupation. jiiciio (RESTAURANT) 3637 W. 4th Ave. Vancouver B.C. (734-7574) Parking at rear A fine Mediterranean family restaurant. Delicious dishes and warm atmosphere at earthy prices. OLD ORCHARD * ~ Florists © Flowers for all occasions #15-4429 Kingsway Bumaby B.C. V5H 2A1 Telephone 434-3533 (Toll free 1-800-663-1014) Gy —git weddings. (| S~ > : Os Se cama 10 e Pacific Tribune, October 10, 1988