tal haran of New Profile translated this piece and encourages all to read, pass along, and to look up Ofra and her published book at www.eretzbrith.com.
It is NOT Good to Die for Our Country
by Ofra Yeshua-Lyth
(published in Israeli daily “Yediot Aharonot” Sunday 7.10.07)
The righteous indignation which top-model Bar Rafaeli provoked in her interview with Yediot Aharonot has swept an entire nation for three whole days at the end of Sukkoth. But deep in their hearts most of the screamers know that Refaeli’s words reflect a reality which Israeli society goes to tremendous lengths to ignore. Like the child who dared call out “The King has no clothes!” this beautiful young woman merely expressed a simple truth: it really is not good to die for our country. Not even to get wounded. Not even to miss school, a career, love and the beautiful years of youth. Not good for the dead nor for the wounded nor for their loving ones. And not good for our country which has not been improving with the years and with the many sacrifices that are made in its name.
At twenty-two, the young celebrity exposes insights that most Jewish citizens of Israel can barely digest: she does not see Jerusalem as the center of the universe; she has no feelings for religion which is, in her words, “the primary reason for wars in the world”; She does not understand why 18-year old children must bear bars and die in a religious territorial conflict; and she is learned enough to remind the Jewish people that Zionism’s visionary – Theodore Herzl – was willing to fulfill his vision of a national home even in Uganda, regardless of any Messianic vision.
Since her interview was published, Rafaeli has been the target of condemnation and even cries for “revenge”, revoking her citizenship and “boycott” – all proving again that most citizens and public-opinion leaders are not capable of critical thought when it comes to the army and security forces.
There are plenty of blatant examples for the fact that the flag of Israel’s national security is often raised for the sake of political and territorial goals that have nothing to do with the personal security of its citizens. Most citizens find themselves standing at attention as frequently as when the military apparatus dictates its demands for resources. Supporters of peace negotiations find themselves forever on the defensive, as if their mere willingness to talk to the other side is an expression of treacherous defeatism.
Against this background, doubting the actual need for mandatory conscription is nearly inconceivable, and has so far remained the lot of small leftist organizations. Bar Refaeli, shielded by rare beauty and an international career, has thrust this doubt into the news headlines when she openly expressed a scale of preferences by which life and happiness of young people takes precedence over the need to preserve ancient traditions. While such positions are almost never openly voiced in Israel, many of its citizens do not regard the army as the beginning and the end of everything. More and more youngsters are avoiding enlistment or combat service. It is an open secret that many choose exemption for not identifying with the mere idea of military service. The reserves have shown a similar phenomenon.
The well-orchestrated campaign of “war against draft-dodgers” which has been interwoven with the present offensive against the super-model shows that the establishment and its disciples are concerned about the actual public feelings about the army, its methods and the exaggerated power vested in it in every aspect of our life. This concern is justified. The day most Israelis begin to think critically – as does Bar Refaeli – about the demand that their children, spouses and selves be recruited by a military apparatus that does not always prove the need and usefulness of its services, the way will be paved for a new vision of life in Israel and the region as a whole.
Perhaps someone will then remember to thank Bar.