Honorable men

Another group of Israeli soldiers is refusing to participate in the slaughter of Palestinians.

These are truly brave and honorable soldiers who serve as an example for all military people.

Thirteen reservists serving in the elite Sayeret Matkal unit of the Israel Defense Forces yesterday signed a letter declaring their refusal to serve in the territories. The letter - signed by 10 soldiers and three officers - was delivered to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office late last night. Among the 13 signatories are nine who still do reserve service in Sayeret Matkal while the most senior is an officer with the rank of major.

We say to you today, we will no longer give our hands to the oppressive reign in the territories and the denial of human rights to millions of Palestinians," reads the letter to Sharon, "and we will no longer serve as a defensive shield for the settlement enterprise."

Although Sayeret Matkal - the ultra-elite unit under the direct command of the IDF General Staff - is rarely involved in operations in the territories, the announcement carries weight because of the group's standing in Israeli society.
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Three months earlier, a group of pilots who were active in operations, also refused to continue.

Reserve Brigadier General Yiftah Spector was sacked from his post at the air force training academy by air force commander General Dan Halutz after refusing to retract his views, the reports said.

Spector was the most senior of the 27 pilots who signed the petition last month in which they said they no longer wanted "to obey illegal and immoral orders" and they refused "to take part in aerial raids against populated civilian centers" in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Kudos to all these men of conscience.