Letter from Sderot Reserve Combat Soldiers to PM

Dr. Aaron Lerner Date: 1 June, 2007

The following is IMRA's translation of the abbreviated text as published in
today's edition of Yediot Ahronot with the correction broadcast on Israel
Radio at 10:00 AM this morning.

Israel Radio correspondent Nissim Keinan reported that the leaders of the
reserve soldiers told him that the final version of the letter they gave
Yediot Ahronot did not say that they would not serve - but instead "find it
difficult" but the paper opted to publish an earlier draft of the letter.

Mr. Ehud Olmert
Prime Minister
Prime Minister's Office - Jerusalem

Greetings,

Re: Letter of Sderot Reserve Soldiers

We are residents of Sderot who are reserve soldiers and officers. We were
inculcated with the values of Zionism, Judaism and sacrifice for the State
and its citizens. We believed that service in the IDF is a right and an
obligation on behalf of the State of Israel and all its residents and that
only this way is it possible to insure the existence of a safe home for the
Jewish People of Israel and the Diaspora.

Last summer we were called for the war in the North and we went out of a
feeling of reciprocal pact, national obligation and common fate with the
residents of the North. We feel that this pact was violated by the
Government of Israel in Sderot and the communities adjacent to Gaza!

With a heavy heart and feelings of harsh disappointment we are writing this
letter. We have already lost the ability to live normal civilian lives in
our homes. Already for several years we cannot play with our children in
the playgrounds or send them without fear to the parks and schools.

We have stopped believing that someone is doing everything he can in order
to protect us. We cannot accept that our children and the rest of the
residents of the region will continue to be the canon fodder of the State of
Israel.

We have decided in light of the existing situation in which we are abandoned
and our dear ones are unprotected without hope on the front - we find it
difficult to do reserve duty and protect the rest of the residents of
Israel!

We demand that the State of Israel draft all of its resources in order to
grant us security again. If the State cannot provide us this basic need we
ask to be evacuated to other places.

In a state where every man is for himself we have no alternative.
===

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il