We Refuse

• Words: Based on the text of an open letter written by 63 draft-age Israeli teenagers on 3rd January 2018 publicly refusing to be conscripted into the Israeli army.
• Music: Jane Lewis

Cho­rus
We refuse to serve the occupation,
We refuse to take part in oppression,
We are not pre­pared to take up guns any more
We refuse con­scrip­tion ‘til the occu­pa­tion ends
We refuse con­scrip­tion ‘til the occu­pa­tion ends

Part A
For we are bound by the val­ues of jus­tice, peace, equality,
And will not lend a hand to a racist gov’ment policy.
We will not be draft­ed to serve in the army,
We refuse con­scrip­tion ‘til the occu­pa­tion ends,
We refuse con­scrip­tion ‘til the occu­pa­tion ends

Part B
We know there is anoth­er reality
We can cre­ate together
We will not be denied this possibility
We refuse con­scrip­tion ‘til the occu­pa­tion ends,
We refuse con­scrip­tion ‘til the occu­pa­tion ends

Sug­gest­ed order:
Cho­rus; part A only; cho­rus; part B only; cho­rus; parts A and B togeth­er; end with chorus

Music score: we refuse
All parts:

Tune (alto):

Bass:

Sop:

Tenor: