One of the reasons that I occasionally write about Israel and the Occupied Territories is because the letters we get from there are about ordinary people’s lives. If we had similar ones from say Georgia or the Congo then we would have the chance to examine the human story behind their misfortunes and the lost opportunities for peace.
This is the text of a letter from Sahar Vardi a conscientious objector who feels that the Israeli military occupation of the Occupied Territories is something she cannot support. She has made a real effort to write in what is to her a foreign language.

"On Monday August 25, 9 am I entered the recruiting office in Tel Hashomer while on my shirt shout out the words "The seniors' letter – refusing to the occupation".
A year ago I wrote to the secretary of defence (she wrote defiance!) that I cannot enlist, that any person who saw what I have seen in the territories, who has spoken to Palestinians and is willing to listen and open his eyes, cannot enlist in the Israeli army without depositing his conscience while he receives his rifle. In my letter to him I wrote: "I have been to the occupied Palestinian territory many times, and even though I realize that the soldier at the checkpoint is not responsible for the wretched policy of the oppressor towards civilians, I am unable to relieve that soldier of responsibility for his conduct - I mean the human responsibility of not causing another human being to suffer.
The bloody times in which I live (consisting of assassinations, aggression, bombings, shootings) results in increasing numbers of victims on both sides. It is a vicious circle that emanates from the fact that both sides elect to engage in violence. This choice I refuse to take part in."
Together with 6 more friends we have declared that if the Israeli state continues in its oppressive and violent ways as she acts in our days, and if the military governing of civilians continues, even if it will cost us our freedom, we will refuse to take part in all of this.
And so now an army officer sits in front of me and cannot understand why he must sentence me to prison, as I do not understand why I must be imprisoned for my believes and morals.
But the law does not change, and the officer signs the sentence of seven days in prison. Seven days then, and seven more days confined to an army base a week later after I am trialed again for the same thing, all because I, like many others in my generation, understand that we can not shout against the occupation and then take part in it, you can not raise your children on values such as human rights and then force them to violate human rights on command. " 

Objectors like Sahar are usually re-arrested over and over again so it takes a lot of courage to stand up to the system. I just hope that increasing numbers of objectors will lead to an Israeli government that takes the long view so that negotiation will lead to protected borders as well as enabling a homeland for the Palestinians.

I have written to Sahar myself telling her how glad I am that there is another generation that is willing to fight for peace.