Solidarity party for imprisoned war resisters

Dear friends,

Please join Dialogues Against Militarism and friends this Saturday,
January 9th, at the Ferry Building Farmers' Market (Embarcadero BART
Station in SF) at 11 a.m. for a solidarity party for imprisoned war
resisters.

The Israeli shministim (meaning "12th graders" in Hebrew, who publicly refuse
to enter the Israeli military) have called for an international day of
solidarity on January 9th as Or Ben-David, 19 years old, begins serving a third

person term. Their letter of refusal and more news is at
http://www.shministim.com. The shministim refuse to serve in the Israeli
Occupation Forces in solidarity with Palestinians resisting
occupation, who are also imprisoned (at a much higher rate and with
many fewer civil rights). We'll also be drawing attention to the
December 15th arrest of Jamal Juma, coordinator of the Grassroots Stop
the Wall Campaign, and other Palestinian prisoners.

We'll have a letter-writing stand for people to fill out notes of
solidarity and will be distributing information as well as having
conversations with shoppers. The tone of the action will be
nonconfrontational, firm, and celebrating the strength of
international resistance to militarism and occupation.

Bring: banners or signs, pens/crayons/art supplies if you feel inspired.

For more information or to RSVP please contact clare [at] collectiveliberation.og


Dialogues Against Militarism:
http://againstmilitarism.org/

The 2009-2010 Shministim
http://www.shministim.com/

Jamal Juma
http://stopthewall.org/latestnews/2139.shtml


From the public letter of refusal by the 2009 Shministim:

Out of sense of responsibility and concern for the two nations that live in this country, we cannot stand idle. We were born into a reality of occupation, and many of our generation see this as a “natural” state. In Israeli society it is a matter of fact that at 18, every young man and woman partakes in military service. However, we cannot ignore the truth – the occupation is an extreme situation, violent, racist, inhuman, illegal, non democratic, and immoral, that is life threatening for both nations. We that have been brought up on values of liberty, justice, righteousness and peace cannot accept it.
Our objection to becoming soldiers of the occupation stems from our loyalty to our values and to the society surrounding us, and it is part of our ongoing struggle for peace and equality, a struggle whose Jewish-Arab nature proves that peace and co-existence is possible. This is our way, and we are willing to pay the price.