The imprisoned Israelis refusing military service in Gaza | On the Ground
Video Overview & Insights
For many Israelis, military service is a rite of passage that lasts two to three years. Being such a formative part of the social contract in Israel, it is unusual for eligible young people to refuse their draft orders.
The kid who talked about entering service for revenge is reminiscent of stories told by American veterans of the Vietnam war admitting their immaturity during interviews fifty years later. Nations such as Israel, the United States and many others use these young people to commit unspeakable acts of horror and they spend the rest of their lives regretting their participation.
Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► http://bit.ly/subscribegdn
Every year some ask for exemptions, but only a handful openly declare themselves as conscientious objectors, commonly known as refuseniks. However, since 7 October and the war in Gaza, refusenik organisations say the number of people refusing the draft has risen, even though during wartime punishments are harsher. The Guardian’s Middle East correspondent, Bethan McKernan, spent time with Itamar Greenberg, an 18-year-old who has been in and out of military prison for almost a year as a result of his refusal to serve
What a beautiful family. There is mutual respect from both sides even though they disagree with each other fundamentally. And how many families all around have stopped talking to each other because of petty reasons...
The Guardian publishes independent journalism, made possible by supporters. Contribute to The Guardian today ► https://bit.ly/3biVfwh
Sign up to the Guardian's free new daily newsletter, First Edition ► http://theguardian.com/first-edition
The moonshots that humanity needs aren't technological, they are in the realms of compassion and governance - an end to war, to plutocracy, to corruption, to K-shaped economies and poverty, to the influence of money in elections...
Website ► https://www.theguardian.com
Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/theguardian
This guy has Morals and a Human Heart well done sir
Twitter ► https://twitter.com/guardian
Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/guardian
why BBC/Fox news don't air this sad reality?
The Guardian on YouTube:
Guardian News ► https://bit.ly/guardiannewssubs
The military is mandatory.. I think it’s safe to assume that is where they are all being programmed.
Guardian Australia ► https://bit.ly/guardianaussubs
Guardian Football ► https://bit.ly/gdnfootballsubs
Bro is telling him to enlist whilst just walking around coz he made up some excuse why he can't, what a hypocrite😝
Guardian Sport ► https://bit.ly/gdnsportsubs
It's Complicated ► https://bit.ly/ItsComplicatedSubs
This guy is a 100000% an honest, genuine person. Go to prison for what you believe rather than letting the government deep throat you! Every person like him gets massive respect for NOT supporting their government!
Guardian Live ► https://bit.ly/guardianlivesubs
#israel #refuseniks #antiwar #gaza #palestine #gazawar #idf #middleeast
Itamar is so smart.
More User Perspectives
Those children who refuse to serve a killer state are HEROES.
@ctsperformance1755Greatest Of All Time kid
@TestrandomN64What a courageous man!
@K1989LVery proud of the first young man.
@007mia7they say they are the most humane military but literally in almost every military you wouldnt even get drafted if you said "im looking forward to shooting up people"
@matjp99אינפנטיליות אין סופית, וזה מה שתופס כותרות בחוץ 🤷♂️
@LevkO79This guy is one of those people thats closed off in his room not talking to anybody and being on twitter all day, this makes your political views very flexible and thats what made him choose the enemy's side in this conflict, this soy based products dude doesnt even know what war is and I doubt he would survive in a military camp.
@internetguywithbeard5964Humanity´s best.
@ivanandrade8040Brave guy. It is like German refusing draft in WWII
@Alex-s4q6mI never actually knew that there are people like this guy in Israel.. I always thought they are all the same and just want to commit war crimes
@akbirmingham6604Thank u guardian
@martinosimionato1536These kids are the living example of what morals look like. 👏✊
@flyingwithjayThank you for being a real human being and choosing prison over killing innocent people. That's being a hero. I'm sorry you were born into a system that forces you to make this choice. You made the right choice.
@Onora619just move country
@Brightest-AngelLegend
@seanosull2884something that the left will never understand is that for democracy to stand you gotta sacrifice and contribute
@guyfainberg4035Balls of steel
@Accuse1People like this make me think that maybe, perhaps just maybe, there is still hope.
@marcusross8751Watching this in February 2026, all the hostages and their bodies are back in Israel and yet Israel continues to bomb, and slaughter Palestinians. It's nothing to do with the hostages
@commissarlorax3406So his dad is in the IDF?
@chloeschannel1228G-D helps those who preserve and protect life!
@RobertMakoiWhat what itamar think if his dad was murdered on the 7th of October,i wonder?
@michaelgoldberg6924Love, Respect Admiration for these Heroes from New York City!
@carlosacta8726I understand both the situation with Israel, need strong army, because its surrounded by enemies, however I also think people should not be forced to fight. War ruins people, they return shadows of their former self.
@runkeral901❤️🌞🕊️🌎
@SandraMilenaIden"we aren't a state w/o our military"
"more ppl want to enlist to take revenge"
"you're disgusting for not enlisting"
"the sign says 'the occupation must end', i take it as 'israel shouldn't exist'"
wow, how could this sort of mindset possibly have resulted in armed forces that commit war crimes? it's a complete mystery! /s
cynicism aside, my respect for itamar, iddo, sol and their peers is boundless. they stand up for what's right in an environment that discourages such action with every possible measure and despite knowing the great personal cost they risk.
"Schma Israel" means: Listen Israel! - shows you the thoroughness of these "journalists"
@SimonHaus-x9hgojo stans never disappoint
@katsandcloudsThat is real parenting!
@jcam4071This man is a true hero.
@michaeloconnor3138That family would give you a lot of hope, “we didn’t raise robots” they are proud they raised a free-thinker even if it’s a different opinion to theirs. I’d like to see more people like this family, they are underrepresented and they give hope for a more compassionate future. We need ppl like that Dad in that army wuth some moral integrity.
@SKeane-jb6ujWhat the girl says at 11:21 that "...the sign says that the occupation must end. So I take from that is that Israel must not exist."
Well, the truth reveals itself.
Proof that not all Israelis are bad.
@Cadence_SquirrelSo he does not want to have a home? Does he know the charter of Hamas?
@niceyenuf1It must be very hard to live in Israel, when you’re a decent human.
@vitolast5199Hamas will attack again. I wonder if people still are on their side then.
@LesterCrestLSHis dad's lowkey a loser
@nilionthHow brave and patriotic would they be if they were getting shot at? They are proud of shooting unarmed fish in a barrel. This is not a war, it’s TARGET PRACTICE plain and simple.
@Alexharrelwow very brave young man with so much insight to reject years something ingrained in him all his life. that's always difficult to do. no mater what the ideology is.
@rannoon123The way Israelis casually rationalize their perceived supremacy is mindboggling.
@FloStudios