Refusenik Or Ben-David speaking in London

One of this year’s Shministim (courageous high school leavers who refuse to be drafted into the Israeli Army) will be speaking in London this weekend. Or Ben David has been jailed for her refusal to serve three times, not including a pre sentence detention of 7 days. She will talk about the reasons for their refusal to serve as soldiers in an army of occupation, and the impact of the decision on themselves and their families, before other engagements in Leicester, Edinburgh (at the Scottish Parliament), Bristol and Hampshire.

7.00pm, 9th May 2010

(please note earlier start time)

St Martins Community Centre, 43 Carol Street, London NW1 0HT

Nearest tube: Camden Town (Northern Line). Buses: 24, 27, 31, 134, 168, 214, C2

From Or’s testimony: “I refuse because I want to make a difference. I want all those Palestinian youths who have lost hope to see that there are Israelis who care and who make a different choice. I want all those of my friends who became soldiers or who are about to become soldiers to see that things don’t have to be the way they are…”