Free the Shministim

Seven Israeli teenagers are refusing to serve in Israel's army because they object to Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories. Known as the Shministim, they are all 18 or 19 years old, have been called up for military service but have refused to go, and are now in prison.

They deserve our full support for the brave stand they are taking against the occupation and in support of Palestinian rights.

The Shministim have asked campaigners around the world to let the Israeli government know we are watching, and that we support their courage. They are hoping to receive hundreds of thousands of postcards to be delivered to the Israeli Minister of Defense on December 18th, when they will hold a massive rally and press conference. They have asked every person who strives for justice to support them.

To read more about them and to put your name to a letter to the Israeli government, click here.

If you put your name to the letter, you get this very nice letter from the campaign organisers, which also tells you what else you can do to help.

Dear Janine,

Thank you for taking the time to send a letter to Israel's Minister of Defense, Ehud Barak, about the Shministim. The Shministim are confident that tens of thousands of letters demanding their release will make a real difference.

We've generated 11,000 letters so far. We have about 1 week to go.

It has been a wonderful experience for us at Jewish Voice for Peace to work with the Shministim. They are real-life heroes, strengthened in their resolve to stand up against overwhelming pressure and all too aware that their counterparts in the Occupied Territories must endure far worse on a daily basis.

Please continue to tell your friends and family about http://www.December18th.org. You can put the web address in your email signature, post a web badge on your blog, tell your Facebook friends, put a poster on your door and more. Go to http://december18th.org/do-more/ for ideas.

Let the world know that for the sake of both Israelis and Palestinians, Israel's occupation must end, and that a new generation of young people is willing to go to jail to stand up and say NO.

On behalf of the countless people and groups working to free the Shministim,

Cecilie Surasky
Jewish Voice for Peace

PS Join JVP's Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#/group.php?gid=25987424652&ref=ts