A group of veterans from an elite Israeli intelligence unit have announced their refusal to spy on Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. In a letter made public last week, 43 current and former members of the Unit 8200 say that Israel has made “no distinction between Palestinians who are and are not involved in violence” and uses intelligence for “political persecution,” and “harms innocent people.” Two members of the unit spoke about their objections on Israeli television.

Soldier 1: “We have come to an understanding that the right title for the unit’s action over there is not self-defense. The right title would be to control the Palestinian population.”

Soldier 2: “Israel is obliged to protect itself with all resources available, but when it comes to what’s happening in the territories, this is no longer self-defense. We are talking about an attempt to maintain and tighten our grip of the Palestinian population, to erode the Palestinians’ ability to sustain proper way of life. This is also not something we think contributes to Israel’s security.”

The protest marks the first collective act of refusal by a group of Israeli intelligence officers. Israeli politicians across the political spectrum have denounced the dissenters, and government officials have threatened legal action.