I want to thank 60 Israeli teenagers. I want to express my

appreciation for their courage and for their honesty. All

Palestinians, and all those interested in the Middle East, also owe

these students gratitude.

According to a little-publicized news report entitled “Israeli

students say no to army” Sept. 6 on the BBC News Web site, about

60 Israeli teenagers sent an open and remarkably critical letter to

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. In the letter the students said

they would refuse service in the Palestinian territories.

It’s true that the rejection is a relatively uncommon occurrence for

Israeli youth to decline military service, something that is

compulsory for both men and women in Israel at the age of 18. But

that wasn’t all that caught my attention.

Their reason for refusing conscription, according to the BBC report

is that “to do so would be to carry our racist policies.”

The letter could not have come at a better time. Before last week’s

attacks, we were still thinking about the United Nations Racism

Conference and the United States’ embarrassing decision to pull

out. In the very week following the racism conference, the French

news agency reported these Israeli students had written the letter.

The BBC also carried the account in this small story on the web.

The report continues that the students criticized the “aggressive

policies pursued by the government and the army.”

Not only that, but the Israelis cite specific offenses in their letter to

the prime minister. According to the BBC, “the letter listed land

expropriation, demolition of houses, torture and executions without

trial, as crimes against Palestinians.”

The injustices listed by the students are nearly identical to those

grievances maintained by Palestinian activists and Israeli human

rights organizations for years.

To bring the matter in to broader perspective, in the nearly one year

since the Al-Aqsa Intifada started, only 22 Israelis have refused

military service in the Palestinian territories, a pacifist organization

stated in the BBC story. Two weeks ago, about 60 students had

united in their cause of nonviolence and collectively criticized the

Israeli government, something that has apparently been deemed

not newsworthy by the American media.

Astonishing as it may seem, these 60 Israeli youth accused their

government of the same harsh and oppressive practices they

denied, the primary reason the United States and Israel boycotted

the United Nations Conference on Racism.

One question comes immediately to mind: Why did that story not

appear in the U.S. media? The only place I could find this story

was a very brief report on the Web site of the British Broadcasting

Company.

It is a suspicious coincidence that at the very time Israel’s policies

and U.S. involvement were being questioned, the potentially

damning story of these students is “forgotten” by the mainstream

American media. Were there other forces of influence involved in

that decision?

Perhaps these 60 teenagers are able to contribute a side of the

story that is certainly worth listening to.

They have put themselves on the line and publicly opposed their

government’s policies at a time when it is very unpopular, even

dangerous to do so. They deserve to be welcomed and supported

by the people who believe in a nonviolent justice for all people of

the Holy Land.

Thank you, Israeli students. I appreciate your empathy for people

demanding equality and your courageous pursuit of justice.

Omar Tesdell is a sophomore in journalism and mass

communication from Slater. He is online editor of the Daily.