In the middle of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, 18-year-old Israeli citizen Tal Mitnick was sentenced to 30 days in a military prison for refusing to enlist in the Israeli army.
According to the Times of Israel, Mitnick—who justifies his denial with political reasons—is the first individual to be arrested on these grounds since October 7.
In a video posted on Mesarvot’s X account, a group that opposes military duty, Mitnick expressed his position, saying, “Bloodshed cannot stop bloodshed. The heinous massacre that Hamas carried out will not be resolved by the criminal assault on Gaza. There is no solution to violence. And for that reason, I decline.”
This resulted in his Tuesday sentencing.
Mitnick was greeted by a small group of fans as he began his prison sentence at the Tel Hashomer IDF base in central Israel.
According to The Times of Israel, rejecting the draft carries a jail sentence in Israel, yet some people manage to evade conscription by providing documentation of physical or psychological problems.
Mitnick emphasized in his remarks how traumatizing the October 7 Hamas attack was and called it unprecedented.
He did, however, criticize the Israeli response, noting indiscriminate bombardment and political persecution and calling it a “revenge campaign” against all Palestinians, not only Hamas.
Reiterating his denial that greater bloodshed would lead to security, Mitnick pushed for political initiatives, legislative reforms, Emphasizing his affection for the nation and its people, he expressed his aspiration for a country that maintains dignity and respects others.
