FALCON POWERS – The continued U.S. support for the Israeli occupation’s war on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023 has sparked widespread criticism within the U.S. administration, beginning to spill over to U.S. soldiers. Two American soldiers spoke to NBC News about their refusal to continue military service for “reasons of conscience” due to U.S. support for Israel, a decision driven by the ongoing war on Gaza.
U.S. pilot Larry Hubert Jr. recalls the killing of the child Hind Rajab in February, after her family was surrounded by Israeli army fire in Gaza, stating that this incident accelerated his decision to seek “conscientious objector” status from the U.S. military. The soldier, who directly worked on a U.S. operation to provide arms sales to Israel, says that the child Hind resembles his own daughter, and what happened was very difficult to understand, and that all these children have aspirations and dreams, and “it is not justified to support what is happening.”
For his part, pilot Juan Betancourt confirms that after seeing the footage of death and destruction in Gaza, he could no longer ignore the role of the U.S. government in the war, including its weapons supplies, diplomatic cover, and intelligence. He says: “I see the slaughter of thousands of innocent civilians, while the world watches through their smartphones.” He explains that witnessing the destruction up close has become a “triggering factor” in his decision to become a “conscientious objector,” affirming that he is not alone in feeling this way.
He continues: “I certainly hope that our leaders will see that the war crimes taking place, and the thousands of videos of mutilated children that reach our phones, are changing the conscience of the American people, inside and outside the military.” He says that the turning point for him was the suicide of soldier Aaron Bouchelle, who self-immolated in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington in protest of the war. He explains that his request to apply for “conscientious objector” status is in process, but he asserted that he can no longer continue in good conscience to serve an administration he believes is violating U.S. and international law.
Conscientious Objection in the U.S. Military
The U.S. Department of Defense (the Pentagon) defines “conscientious objection” as a firm, fixed, and sincere objection to participation in war in any form or the bearing of arms, based on religious, moral, or ethical principles.
According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, “the right to conscientious objection to military service is derived from the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion enshrined in Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. While the Covenant does not explicitly refer to the right to conscientious objection, the Human Rights Committee in its General Comment No. 22 (1993) stated that this right can be derived from Article 18, as the obligation to use lethal force may seriously conflict with the freedom of conscience and the right of everyone to manifest their religion or belief.”
The Office adds on its website: “The Human Rights Council, and previously the Human Rights Commission, have recognized the right of everyone to conscientious objection to military service as a legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.”
