87 Israeli reservists refuse to serve

full article: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20020130/wl/israel_military_objectors_1.html

JERUSALEM (AP) - More than 80 Israeli reserve soldiers are refusing to serve in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (news - web sites), signing a petition they say is meant to force Israel to withdraw from Palestinian areas and remove Jewish settlers.

The petition - which had 52 signatures when it was published in Israeli newspapers Friday and 87 by Wednesday on a Web site run by the reservists - has prompted a sharp backlash and heated debate in Israel amid a wave of Palestinian militant attacks.

The aim is to attract the support of at least 500 reserve combat soldiers, said Amit Moshiach, a spokesman for the group that organized the petition.

``The moment the resistance achieves critical mass there will be no choice but ... to end the occupation and evacuate the settlements,'' Moshiach said. ``We feel the occupation is corrupting the country we love.''

...