IDF Unit 8200 Officers Refuse to Fight Palestinians | Tikun Olam |
Activists who’ve paid attention to Israeli military affairs over the past decade or more know that hundreds of soldiers and inductees have similarly refused military service in the West Bank. But this group is different. Unit 8200 is the equivalent of the NSA. It is one of the most critical weapons in the IDF arsenal to defend the nation’s security. It participates in myriad ways supporting, and even initiating IDF operations. It is the biggest intelligence unit in the Israeli army. This is the first time any such officers have publicly protested.
These refusers are not Edward Snowden. They are not spilling secrets or naming names. But their motivation for protesting against Israeli intelligence operations is almost the same as Snowden’s. They claim that there is virtually no oversight or restraint against spying on Palestinians. That there is no distinction made between innocent and guilty Palestinians. That their goal as intelligence operatives was to subvert Palestinian society from within. Here is a translation of the letter, which was addressed to the prime minister, IDF chief of staff, and Aman (intelligence) chief … read on.
…
The signatories also pointed to another controversial Shin Bet “recruitment” technique, by which they exploit character flaws or vulnerabilities among Palestinians in order to blackmail them to become agents. Intercepting private phone conversations, text messages, and e mails is a prime tool in this process, making Unit 8200 officers complicit.
Instead of a career in high-tech, these 43 reservists will be shunned and severely punished for refusing IDF service.
“I can’t exaggerate how brave these officers have been. As those who read this blog regularly know, service in Unit 8200 is a steppingstone into Israeli high tech. It offers a wide array of professional opportunities that are not available to those who don’t serve there. Veterans network amongst each other and it’s like a Good Old Boys’ club, only more so. The signers will be blackballed. They will lose privileges, friendships, promotions. This is a big step for them.”
- ○ IDF Unit 8200 Cyberwar Veterans Developed NSA Snooping Technology
○ False flag incident Ghouta gas attack based on Unit 8200 “intelligence”
○ Stuxnet US-Israel Cooperation Cyber Warfare on Iran
The Israeli Empire Strikes Back
Continued below the fold …
IDF spokesperson: Discipline of Unit 8200 refuseniks will be sharp and clear
By Haaretz | Sep. 14, 2014 | 11:58 AM |IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Motti Almoz wrote on his Facebook page that the reservists’ refusal to serve was viewed by the army with utmost severity and that “the disciplinary treatment would be sharp and clear.”
The soldiers and commanders signatory to the letter have used the army to express a political stance, Almoz said, adding: “There is no place for refusal in the IDF. There are arguments and there are political stances. Celebration of democracy…. What happened here, in my eyes? Exploitation of military service to express a political stance.”
…
The signatories claimed that while surveillance of Israeli citizens was strictly limited, “the Palestinians are not afforded this protection.”They said the information that is collected in the military’s computers “harms innocent people. It is used for political persecution and to create divisions within Palestinian society by recruiting collaborators and driving parts of Palestinian society against itself.”
According to the reservists, “In many cases, intelligence prevents defendants from receiving a fair trial in military courts, as the evidence against them is not revealed. Intelligence allows for the continued control over millions of people through thorough and intrusive supervision and invasion of most areas of life. This does not allow for people to lead normal lives, and fuels more violence further distancing us from the end of the conflict.
The soldiers noted that millions of Palestinians have been living under Israeli military rule for more than 47 years.
- ○ Wall-to-Wall Anger in Israel at IDF Intel Unit Refusal Letter, Dozens Volunteer to Replace Them The Algemeiner
○ Journalist Yaron Avraham: Refusers Should Remove 8200 From their Resume Times of Israel
