16/02/2008 / ISRAEL
In a throwback to the ideology of
1948 Zionism, the video is part of an aggressive public relations campaign launched
by the government. You see the slogan everywhere; on billboards, buses, bumper
stickers, and most recently in this TV commercial.
I came of draft age in 1985, when I
turned 18, but decided to not do my service for two reasons: Firstly, because I
was angry about the conflict in Lebanon, and did not feel that the occupation
was legitimate; and secondly, because I thought that getting a good education at a
university in the US was something as patriotic as serving in the army.
Regarding the videos, it's fascinating that the scene takes place in India, and includes conversation with non-Israeli women. This is symbolic of the dialectal relationship between Israeli society (especially its youth) and globalization as a cultural and all
embracing reality. When the young Israelis convey to these girls the gist of the Israeli condition in a military context, they essentially convey the complexities and gravity of the society in which they live.
Does the army make "real Israelis"?
It’s estimated that around 25% of Israelis don’t complete their mandatory military service. This group is largely made up of Arab-Israelis, Ultra-Orthodox Jews, married and religious women and individuals with physical and psychological disorders, but it also includes many who simply refuse to partake. These "conscientious objectors" are the target of a critical campaign from conservative Israeli groups.
Video campaign against abstention, launched by the Israeli government
The video features a group of Israelis sitting in a café in India proudly regaling stories to foreign women about what they did in the army. Yet among the group there is one Israeli who did not serve, and when asked (in Hebrew) "Brother, where did you serve?" he freezes in embarrassment. The commercial ends with the words: "A real Israeli does not evade the Army. The campaign was set up by two well known Israeli advertisers, Rami Yeoshuah and Zvi Vilder.
“A real Israeli does not evade the truth”
In response to the campaign, independent filmmakers put together an advert in which Israeli youths sit around a table and explain why they rejected the army. Turning the first commercial on its head, the one Israeli in the group that actually completed his military service is asked: "Did you go to the army?" Feeling out of place, he is unable to answer. The commercial ends with the counter slogan "A real Israeli does not evade the truth."
“You see the slogan everywhere”
Commentary from one of our Observers for Israel, Roi Ben-Yehuda:
In a throwback to the ideology of
1948 Zionism, the video is part of an aggressive public relations campaign launched
by the government. You see the slogan everywhere; on billboards, buses, bumper
stickers, and most recently in this TV commercial.
This is the result of a fraught society where military service and citizenship are interlinked. Abstention has created a serious problem - those who sacrifice their time and talents to serve end up resenting and socially marginalizing those who are exempt.
“I refused to serve”
Commentary from our Observer Joel Schalit, an Israeli-American writer who specialises in Middle-East politics and currently lives in San Francisco:
I came of draft age in 1985, when I
turned 18, but decided to not do my service for two reasons: Firstly, because I
was angry about the conflict in Lebanon, and did not feel that the occupation
was legitimate; and secondly, because I thought that getting a good education at a
university in the US was something as patriotic as serving in the army.
Needless to say, this was, especially at that time, a particularly difficult decision to make, for social reasons, obviously, and also for personal reasons. My family arrived in Palestine in 1882, and everyone, on one level or another, had done their so-called time in one form or another. To be the first to break ranks, so to speak, after a century, was exceedingly difficult and traumatic.
Nevertheless, I've never regretted my decision one bit, though it forced me to stay out of the country for a number of years. Now, I feel almost conservative, in the sense that so many other Israelis staked out even more radical positions (take some of my anarchist colleagues, for example) than I did. Thus, if there had been an alternative service option at the time, I would've taken it.
Seeing the first commercial made me cringe, but the message wasn’t particularly surprising either. What's most interesting is the fact that this messaging is being employed at all at this point in time. Very few Israelis, even conservatives, buy this kind of American-style patriotic polemics anymore, even if they believe in the importance of obligatory military service. So, to use it in this light seems cheap, out of touch, and totally disingenuous.Another aspect that I found interesting is that the directors of the video think that foreign girls are impressed by counter-cultural Israeli guys who've also experienced the reality principle of military service, rather than a good liberal arts program in the US or the UK. Unfortunately, the fact is that European girls hanging out in India would actually be less impressed by such Israelis, because of a clear, knee-jerk discomfort felt amongst young Europeans today towards Israelis in general.”
"There has been a witch hunt against artists who didn't serve"
Commentary from our Observer Yael, an Israeli writer who wishes to remain anonymous :
Regarding the videos, it's fascinating that the scene takes place in India, and includes conversation with non-Israeli women. This is symbolic of the dialectal relationship between Israeli society (especially its youth) and globalization as a cultural and all
embracing reality. When the young Israelis convey to these girls the gist of the Israeli condition in a military context, they essentially convey the complexities and gravity of the society in which they live.
Youngsters in Israel are expected to do things that no other democratic country asks of its youth. To give years of their lives, sometimes to kill or risk being killed, and deal with acute moral dilemmas, as the second piece vividly exemplifies. The first piece is simplistic; it distorts reality by avoiding all the moral and existential political dilemmas which the second piece so acutely articulates. Both pieces portray a society which is perplexed, confused, troubled. The second one appreciates the moral complexity of the situation, while the first one is sheer propaganda, and is one dimensional.
The slogan of the first piece is nationalistic, with quasi fascistic overtones. The second one stresses the multi faceted nature of this societal question. It dares to look reality in the face. Namely, that Israel asks its young men and women for incredible sacrifices, in a way that no other country does. That Israel is a society which fails and betrays some of its citizens on socio-economic grounds. That Israel is an occupying force. That the army is often a traumatic and totalitarian experience (the sociologist Emil Durkheim calls the army a total institution, and renders it analogous to prisons, a place in which one is often utterly devoid of autonomy). That on average every four weeks an Israeli teenager (18-19 years old) commits suicide in the army, sometimes due to societal pressures. This is a somewhat repressed and sensitive point in Israel. Some psychologists and psychiatrists would argue that such individuals were prone to suicide on account of the makeup of their personality, and would have ended their lives in other circumstances too. While it may well be true in some cases, it definitely does not account for all of them. So as one girl intimates in the second piece, sometimes Israeli teenagers kill themselves in the army because they fear precisely the type of violent and ultra-nationalistic judgment which the first piece seeks to promote.
Recently there has been a witch hunt against artists who didn't serve in the army - singers, actors etc. Rather than realize that such creative, sensitive souls are veritably ill equipped to deal with the oppressive and de-individuating nature of military conditions, and that they contribute to Israeli society in countless other ways artistically and culturally, some elements in Israeli society simply seek to achieve 'character assassination' of such talented and sensitive souls. This is yet another aspect of the sordid, violent and tragic state of contemporary Israeli society."France 24 report
After this article was made the story was picked up by France 24's The week in the Middle East. See Joel Shalit's interview.
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military service in Israel
Soumis par Pinny Halpern (non vérifié) le sam, 01/03/2008 - 14:53.First, the facts recited on the show today, that 25% (or even 40%) of Israelis refuse to serve in the army are untrue. Yes, some 25% of the total israeli population do not serve, but 22% of the population is arab, 12% are ultraorthodox jews etc., so the actual percentage of conscious jewish refuseniks for ideological reasons having to do with the political situation is minuscule. Not that facts bother some observers, but they need to be stated...
Secondly, the only relevant issue is the right of Israel to exist. Those of you (jews and gentiles) who deny that presumption will not be swayed by reality anyway, so I will not address them. Those who accept such a right, must see that a country which was attacked with a view to anilihilate it on the first day of its independence, must maintain a "somewhat different" attitude regarding the need of its citizens to paticipate in its defense. Of course, germany had conscription until not long ago, heavily threatened switzerland had the highest percentage of military servicemen int the west for years, but - hey - they are our good european friends. And the poor little impoverished arab oil countries gunning for israel's destruction are all just good guys protecting the peace loving hamas-voting palestinians, so what do I (having fought in 3 wars) know?
Utilisateur non inscrit
I'm pretty impressed...
Soumis par Bertoni Filippo (non vérifié) le mar, 04/03/2008 - 10:19.Well, facts are different from statistics, above all... But, let's say what you wrote is true. This only shows how blinded the Israeli nationalism is, how patriotism has excluded a critique and self critique view.
I don't know if Israel has a RIGHT to exist. I don't think that these kind of things are decided by right. But anyhow I think everyone should have the right to express himself freely and to life freely. And by anyone I mean you poor european friends, your rich american friends, the poor arabs dying in Gaza or blocked in West Bank, the poor Israelis dying in Israel or fighting here and there and the poor humans in general that have not freedom because of some stupid nationalistic rethoric.
The point, here, is not the military service. It is what a military service means. To me it speaks of a nation still young, endangered, deep into problems because of the interests and the politics of a small élite, able to control the information and the free thought of his citizens with a fake and totalitarian discourse.
If you really believe that you were under attack ever since the first day of Israel's independence, well, this discourse, this rethoric, won. It is through fear and hate that the interests of a few controls the actions of many.
And how could I listen to you talking about Israel's RIGHT to exist while I'm seeing so many violations and illegal actions. If you want that your rights are sustained and could appear true, well, start respecting international laws. Start from not killing 100 palestinian for 1 israeli. When this NAZIST technique will end, then the word right will sound less fake.
If you think that such a military campaign was correct, then, please, go ahead, I don't want to restrict your freedom. But let me say that, in that case, I won't be able to be sad as you get hurt or worse. You won't be an hero, you won't be a freedom fighter. You'll just be a slave to a bigger ideal, which is not by any means connected with Israel, with being a Jew nor with freedom and law.
Utilisateur non inscrit
I know you won't like it,
Soumis par Jo.R (non vérifié) le dim, 17/02/2008 - 12:40.I know you won't like it, but YES, I believe that Israeli people should do their military service. It's not up to you to decide. Israel is not a normal country. It is under constant attack. I you don't go to combat, I will have to do it for you. Do you think that's fair. What if Israel is attacked, again, by Arab countries. You'd leave them invade Israel because you believe our foreign policy is not good? Or you'll wait for me to save your ass comfortably seated in front of your computer?
Utilisateur non inscrit
I'm pretty impressed...
Soumis par F. Bertoni (non vérifié) le mar, 04/03/2008 - 10:21.Well, facts are different from statistics, above all... But, let's say what you wrote is true. This only shows how blinded the Israeli nationalism is, how patriotism has excluded a critique and self critique view.
I don't know if Israel has a RIGHT to exist. I don't think that these kind of things are decided by right. But anyhow I think everyone should have the right to express himself freely and to life freely. And by anyone I mean you poor european friends, your rich american friends, the poor arabs dying in Gaza or blocked in West Bank, the poor Israelis dying in Israel or fighting here and there and the poor humans in general that have not freedom because of some stupid nationalistic rethoric.
The point, here, is not the military service. It is what a military service means. To me it speaks of a nation still young, endangered, deep into problems because of the interests and the politics of a small élite, able to control the information and the free thought of his citizens with a fake and totalitarian discourse.
If you really believe that you were under attack ever since the first day of Israel's independence, well, this discourse, this rethoric, won. It is through fear and hate that the interests of a few controls the actions of many.
And how could I listen to you talking about Israel's RIGHT to exist while I'm seeing so many violations and illegal actions. If you want that your rights are sustained and could appear true, well, start respecting international laws. Start from not killing 100 palestinian for 1 israeli. When this NAZIST technique will end, then the word right will sound less fake.
If you think that such a military campaign was correct, then, please, go ahead, I don't want to restrict your freedom. But let me say that, in that case, I won't be able to be sad as you get hurt or worse. You won't be an hero, you won't be a freedom fighter. You'll just be a slave to a bigger ideal, which is not by any means connected with Israel, with being a Jew nor with freedom and law.
Utilisateur non inscrit
I'm with you!
Soumis par Shahar (non vérifié) le lun, 03/03/2008 - 22:56.The country expects from their civilians to serve in the army up to 3 years.
Jo.R made a good point about how unfair and unjustified it is to expect that other people will fight your battles.
If you don't approve of some of the military actions, you still have to serve the minimum time and then, when you finish and release from your serves you can make a diffrent as a civilian by protest or even running to be the next prime minister.
Utilisateur non inscrit
Historia magistra vitae
Soumis par Filippo Bert... le lun, 18/02/2008 - 12:39.Well, I'm not living in Israel, but I'm deeply studying Middle East history and anthropology. I should say I am amazed by this situation.
Firstly the two commercials. I feel sick when I see a Country that pretends to bear the legacy of the Holocaust, that base its whole existence on such a horrible experience, caused by totalitarianism, by nationalism and by empty propaganda, appeal to the same violent and unsound means. Experience does not help. The only good seed that could come from World War II is completely rotten.
Besides the geopolitical aspects, besides the colonial violence of Zionism, besides the religious base of this nation, what really tears me apart is understanding that the very people who could learn other means, who could learn what's sacred in life, who could learn what brotherhood is, this very people just learned to use the same means.
From the terrible nationalism of Nazi Germany another terrible nationalism grew up. And it shows that fear is stronger than love, than courage, than truth.
As Jo.R seems to show, there is nothing stronger than the hate and the fear that a sick ruling class poured into the population through such an empty propaganda (I'll be not surprised when I'll see the very same "Jew" images used by the Nazis reused by Israel with "Arab" underneath).
Thanks to god I saw that this rhetoric is not almighty and that someone is fighting against it, against the discourse of the constant menace of the "Arab countries", against the Nationalistic speeches that try to brainwash freedom and justice away, replacing them with obedience and patriotism.
I would like to ask to Jo.R how often he saved his Country, and how often he used violence against innocents obeying a misleading law. Are you sure you are saving your country by suppressing all of its creativity, its freedom, its peacefulness, by using violence to control it and to control other lands, by ruining Palestinians lives, by serving at checkpoints where the only ones that are stopped and abused are civilians?
I don't think that the whole Israel illusion, the whole dream of a "national home" is wrong. But on the other hand I'm completely sure that the means used to gain it are absolutely illegal, criminal, violent and wrong. I know in the deepest recesses of my heart that the spreading violence that is affecting Middle East ever since the WWII is streaming from the rhetorics of the ruling classes, built up to defend their own interests. And as long as people won't be able to open their eyes on this truth, to accept their responsibility and to counteract in order to stop such a misleading gospel, I'm sure there will be no Nation, no Freedom, no Brotherhood and the whole world will be nothing more than a concentration camp.
Filippo Bert...
in response to your question
Soumis par ofer (non vérifié) le lun, 18/02/2008 - 23:30.dear filippo,
i understand your look, and am very sorry to say it, so please don't think of me as condescending, but it's very difficult to understand the israeli situation (or any other really) when you don't live in the country. as as israeli currently living abroad, i' very happy as to the opurtunity i have to see things from a different perspective. nevertheless, the fact remains that there is a certain reality to the israeli situation that does not exist in other democracies.
reading your email, i didn't find a real response to the former israeli comment, which is why your words sounded a little too "theoretical" (and please don't take this personally). israel was and unfortunately is under constant threat of annihilation ever since its independance, as has also been manifested in several wars- 1948, 1956, and especially the 1973 kippur war. while the country is certainly not innocent- and i agree with you about israel's part in the violence, occupation, etc.- the fact remains that with no army there is no israel, period. this is why i still believe in the importance of every eligible citizen in serving in the army, not to enforce the occupation but to defend israel. this should in no way underine any striving for peace (i do think this option as the only real one to end the conflict), but "just saying no" seems a little irresponsible, like deciding not to pay taxes because the government is corrupted.
a last thing i'd like to mention is your referring to zionism and nazism. please be careful about this comparison- national socialis was an ideology bent on genocide, while zionism is not. it is important to remember this.
i respect your interest in the happenings of my country and would be happy to discuss more of it with you. i'll probably not be much on this site so try contacting me at ofercohn@gmail.com.
cheers,
ofer
Utilisateur non inscrit