Below is an English translation of an open letter by the 94 year old peace
activist, Dov Yirmiya, an ex-colonel in the Israeli army, which was
published on June 11 in Zo Haderekh, the Communist weekly. Yirmiya’s book
“My War Diary” (1983) played an important role in mobilizing Israeli public
opinion against the First Lebanese War. In 1983 he was awarded the Emil
Grunzweig Human Rights Award for his “activities promoting the welfare of
civilians in Lebanon”.
I am returning your invitation
An open letter to the Minister of Defence
I have received your elegant invitation to veterans of the 1948 war, on the
60th anniversary of the State of Israel, under the slogan: “The State of
Israel expresses its thanks to you.”
As a veteran of the 1948 war, who was already wounded in face to face combat
two weeks before the Declaration of the State, I feel obliged herewith to
return the invitation to you, as Minister of Defence. I do so regretfully
but see this as my duty.
I consider you, Ehud Barak, as one of the top military commanders and
prominent political leaders who were responsible for converting the army
from “the Israeli Defence Force” to an army of occupation and oppression of
the Palestinian people and defender of the criminal settlements in their
country.
40 years of occupation have utterly corrupted the Israeli army and all
strata of Israeli society.They are both characterized by the nationalist
‘east wind’ [the east wind brings the chamsin and locusts - C.A.] which
blows and kindles conflagrations of endless wars, which threaten our people
and land with the third and final destruction. Your share in the
responsibility for all this is enormous, and therefore I return your
invitation to you, without thanks…
Dov Yirmiya, Naharia
P.S. I sent this letter to Haaretz, but it was not printed…[D.Y.]Lett
Matthew Brett is the Canadian Dimension Weblog manager. The views expressed on this blog do not necessarily represent his own. Read other posts by Matthew Brett.
