Why Did Sofia Orr Refuse to Fight for Israel?

Sofia Orr, 19, is an Israeli teenager who chose jail over enlisting in the Israeli Death Forces (IDF).

Before turning 19, Sofia was jailed three times for refusing to enlist in mandatory military service, spending her time in Neve Tzedek, a military prison in Tel Aviv, in protest of the ongoing Israeli war and genocide in Gaza.

She believes the two sides "have to exist" and that "revenge is not the answer."

This brave Israeli teenager made it loud and clear that she would continue resisting even if the government extended her jail time because it was the right thing to do. Finally, after spending 85 days in prison, Orr was recognized as a conscientious objector.

Long before the Israeli war on Gaza, when Sofia was 15, she made up her mind not to serve in the military because, to her, the occupation and the war on Gaza and the West Bank was and is still enough reason to refuse. She would rather work advocating for peace.

A Growing Movement of Refuseniks

When history books are written about the Israeli genocide in Gaza, no one will be asking the question, "Where were the good Israelis?" Those Israeli conscientious objectors (better known as refuseniks) should have their voices lifted and supported by all.

The Law and Religious Opposition to Conscription

Together, these groups constitute over 30% of the Israeli population, and as their birth rate is significantly higher than that of other groups within Israel, they are set to constitute a whopping 60% of the Israeli population by 2050, per a report by The Jerusalem Post (October 18, 2018).

The ultra-Orthodox, or Haredi, have been clashing with police outside the army recruitment office in Jerusalem throughout the war on Gaza.

"We prefer dying to serve in the Israeli army," said Yona Kruskal, 42, to The Times of Israel. Kruskal, a father of 11 and a full-time seminary student, blocked traffic in Jerusalem with about 200 others last week in one of the frequent protests against the conscription law.

"There's no way you can force us to go to the army because we are hell-bent that the army and religion contradict one another," Kruskal added.

The Reality of IDF Operations

Palestinian fighters are targeting IOF soldiers and military machines, while the IDF targets doctors, nurses, paramedics, journalists, engineers, women, and children.

On October 15, 2024, Shaban al-Dalu was sheltering in a tent in the compound of al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah with his parents and five siblings when an Israeli strike hit their tent. Shaban and his mother were burned alive, with no one around able to save them. His sibling and father were at the hospital.

Video of Shaban's death was widely circulated on social media platforms and sent shockwaves around the world. He was 20 and had memorized the Quran. This young man was a cousin to two of my wife's nieces and nephews.

Sofia's Struggles Behind Bars

She spent her time in jail reading books, drawing, and playing crossword puzzles.

Miss Orr told ITV News she wanted to be public about her decision because: "I wanted to try to reach as many people as I can and try to raise that message of peace and coexistence as loudly as possible."

Despite this, she regularly receives death threats online, is cursed at, and is called stupid, naive, and ungrateful.

Courage and Moral Clarity

More Voices of Conscience

Tal entered the Tel Hashomer enlistment center to announce his refusal to enlist in the Israeli Death Forces. He posted a message on X stating: "I refuse to believe that more violence will bring security."

He said: "We must recognize the fact that after weeks of the ground operation in Gaza, at the end of the day-negotiations and an agreement brought back the hostages. It was actually military action that caused them (the hostages) to be killed."

"Because of the criminal lie that 'there are no innocent civilians in Gaza,' even hostages waving a white flag shouting in Hebrew were shot to death. I don't want to imagine how many similar cases there were that were not investigated because the victims were born on the wrong side of the fence."

A System in Question

Finally, last June, Haaretz columnist Linda Dayan put it succinctly when she said: "They put these amazing, intelligent kids in jail for their beliefs but pass legislation exempting hundreds of thousands of Haredim for their beliefs. What a f-d up system."

Mahmoud El-Yousseph is a Palestinian freelancer for Islamicity.com and ColumbusFreePress.com. He can be reached at [email protected].