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| Protests in Tel Aviv, army reservists refusing to serve: in Israel, more of us are saying no to this endless war | Protests in Tel Aviv, army reservists refusing to serve: in Israel, more of us are saying no to this endless war |
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| Opposition to the starvation campaign and the new assault on Gaza City is growing – and so is support for military ‘refusers’ | Opposition to the starvation campaign and the new assault on Gaza City is growing – and so is support for military ‘refusers’ |
| Dr Ofer Cassif is a member of the Knesset | Dr Ofer Cassif is a member of the Knesset |
| As Israel pushes ahead with its expanded military offensive in Gaza to devastating effect, closer to home, dissent is growing. On Saturday, thousands of people gathered in Habima Square in central Tel Aviv to demand an end to the war – one of the largest rallies since the fighting broke out. Israeli police revoked a prior permit for a march through the city, in a clear attempt to silence our voices of opposition – but we refused to let them succeed. It had been 24 hours since the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) declared a famine in Gaza and revealed the horrors of Israel’s full-scale starvation campaign. Many Israelis felt it was our duty to rally in the streets. | As Israel pushes ahead with its expanded military offensive in Gaza to devastating effect, closer to home, dissent is growing. On Saturday, thousands of people gathered in Habima Square in central Tel Aviv to demand an end to the war – one of the largest rallies since the fighting broke out. Israeli police revoked a prior permit for a march through the city, in a clear attempt to silence our voices of opposition – but we refused to let them succeed. It had been 24 hours since the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) declared a famine in Gaza and revealed the horrors of Israel’s full-scale starvation campaign. Many Israelis felt it was our duty to rally in the streets. |
| Since the cabinet resolution to reoccupy Gaza City, the Israeli military has issued 60,000 new recruitment warrants for reserve service. When the warrants come into effect in early September, the reserve forces will be at their highest level since the outbreak of the war – 130,000. But the military is not the only thing increasing in size. So, too, is the refusal movement. | Since the cabinet resolution to reoccupy Gaza City, the Israeli military has issued 60,000 new recruitment warrants for reserve service. When the warrants come into effect in early September, the reserve forces will be at their highest level since the outbreak of the war – 130,000. But the military is not the only thing increasing in size. So, too, is the refusal movement. |
| In recent weeks, a surge of refusers emerged in response to the political cynicism of Benjamin Netanyahu. In private talks between family members or in public declarations of objection, more and more Israelis are realising that participating in military service is to be complicit with the government’s crimes. The movement is not homogenous – either in age and social grouping, or in motive or ideology. Some conscientious objectors, like the teenagers of Mesarvot, go public with their refusal to be part of the war machine. They are treated with extreme severity and often subjected to cycles of imprisonment in military jail. I have personally conducted regulatory visits at such facilities, meeting these brave people who have come to be known as “soldiers of peace”. | |
| Others are less willing to publicise their stance, but privately refuse to serve. The data on the exact number of “grey refusers” is treated as a top intelligence secret and is not shared by the military, but Yesh Gvul, an organisation that assists those called up to obtain draft exemptions, says their number is constantly increasing. A recent poll published in Haaretz showed a striking increase in public support for those refusing to be drafted – about 33% of Jewish Israelis believe it is not only justified, but necessary, to save the hostages from the dangers of the military campaign in Gaza City. Motives for refusal range from resisting the genocide, moral objections to participating in war crimes, political opposition to the occupation at large and concern that military action endangers the hostages to disapproval of the ultra-Orthodox community’s exemption from service. | Others are less willing to publicise their stance, but privately refuse to serve. The data on the exact number of “grey refusers” is treated as a top intelligence secret and is not shared by the military, but Yesh Gvul, an organisation that assists those called up to obtain draft exemptions, says their number is constantly increasing. A recent poll published in Haaretz showed a striking increase in public support for those refusing to be drafted – about 33% of Jewish Israelis believe it is not only justified, but necessary, to save the hostages from the dangers of the military campaign in Gaza City. Motives for refusal range from resisting the genocide, moral objections to participating in war crimes, political opposition to the occupation at large and concern that military action endangers the hostages to disapproval of the ultra-Orthodox community’s exemption from service. |
| Ella Keidar Greenberg, a conscientious objector who spoke at Saturday’s rally after being held in solitary confinement throughout April, said that by refusing she was able to obstruct the continuing destruction. While they are still speaking from a marginal position, it is clear that more and more Israelis wish to frustrate the government. In recent months, more demonstrations, vigils and direct action against Netanyahu’s war have been taking place. | Ella Keidar Greenberg, a conscientious objector who spoke at Saturday’s rally after being held in solitary confinement throughout April, said that by refusing she was able to obstruct the continuing destruction. While they are still speaking from a marginal position, it is clear that more and more Israelis wish to frustrate the government. In recent months, more demonstrations, vigils and direct action against Netanyahu’s war have been taking place. |
| United by the basic notion of humanity, thousands of Arabs and Jews joined one another on Saturday to protest against the starvation, slaughter and carnage. Protesters held up pictures of the starved and bombed children of Gaza, knowing that the culprit responsible for their torment is still in power. We urged the release of all hostages and unlawful captives – Israelis and Palestinians alike – in a political agreement that would see the Israeli government pulling all military forces out of Gaza. | United by the basic notion of humanity, thousands of Arabs and Jews joined one another on Saturday to protest against the starvation, slaughter and carnage. Protesters held up pictures of the starved and bombed children of Gaza, knowing that the culprit responsible for their torment is still in power. We urged the release of all hostages and unlawful captives – Israelis and Palestinians alike – in a political agreement that would see the Israeli government pulling all military forces out of Gaza. |
| But in the wake of news of another round of bombardments in Gaza, our message from the rally is best understood from the banner: “Never again”. Never again will we allow silence to prevail in the face of slaughtered children and starved families. Never again will we look on quietly as Netanyahu orders the destruction of neighbourhoods and the invasion of hospitals. Never again will we let his government refuse an agreement that will release the hostages. Never again will the Gaza genocide unfold quietly. | |
| As the descendant of a Jewish family from Poland, the words “never again” have significant meaning for me. In the aftermath of the second world war, humankind vowed to never again allow such atrocities to occur. The Holocaust, the mass extermination of the Jewish people, plumbed the very depths of tyrannical evil. Precisely because of this heritage, I view “never again” as a universal imperative. | As the descendant of a Jewish family from Poland, the words “never again” have significant meaning for me. In the aftermath of the second world war, humankind vowed to never again allow such atrocities to occur. The Holocaust, the mass extermination of the Jewish people, plumbed the very depths of tyrannical evil. Precisely because of this heritage, I view “never again” as a universal imperative. |
| In 1948, the international community adopted the universal declaration of human rights and the convention on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide. In the decades since, we have failed globally many times to safeguard this invaluable truth: that people must not perish in flames, and such heinous crimes must not be perpetrated while outsiders stand idly by. But never in recent times have people around the world stared into the abyss of annihilation as we are doing today in Gaza. As such, “never again” is not merely a moral reminder but an ethical decree to act. | In 1948, the international community adopted the universal declaration of human rights and the convention on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide. In the decades since, we have failed globally many times to safeguard this invaluable truth: that people must not perish in flames, and such heinous crimes must not be perpetrated while outsiders stand idly by. But never in recent times have people around the world stared into the abyss of annihilation as we are doing today in Gaza. As such, “never again” is not merely a moral reminder but an ethical decree to act. |
| Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, as the saying goes. It seems that Netanyahu manages to fool western leaders time and time again. On Friday, in response to the IPC declaration of famine, the UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, said it was an “utterly horrifying and wholly preventable man-made catastrophe”. May I ask Lammy and the rest of the British cabinet – are you among the people responsible for this catastrophe? In July, the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, announced a conditional plan to recognise a Palestinian state if Israel did not change course. | Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, as the saying goes. It seems that Netanyahu manages to fool western leaders time and time again. On Friday, in response to the IPC declaration of famine, the UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, said it was an “utterly horrifying and wholly preventable man-made catastrophe”. May I ask Lammy and the rest of the British cabinet – are you among the people responsible for this catastrophe? In July, the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, announced a conditional plan to recognise a Palestinian state if Israel did not change course. |
| Starving people who are under constant threat of bombardment do not enjoy the same patience as suited officials in marble offices. They plead for food, water and air while politicians debate conditions and timing. | Starving people who are under constant threat of bombardment do not enjoy the same patience as suited officials in marble offices. They plead for food, water and air while politicians debate conditions and timing. |
| Starmer must immediately recognise Palestine unconditionally, but he must recognise much more than that. He must acknowledge Netanyahu as the international war criminal that he is. He must support new sanctions to tackle the settler movement, including ministers such as Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. He must recognise that Netanyahu and his government are the main obstacle to releasing the hostages. He must recognise the people of Gaza as victims of a continuing genocide, and act accordingly. Or he will remain complicit in this devastating, human-made catastrophe. | Starmer must immediately recognise Palestine unconditionally, but he must recognise much more than that. He must acknowledge Netanyahu as the international war criminal that he is. He must support new sanctions to tackle the settler movement, including ministers such as Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. He must recognise that Netanyahu and his government are the main obstacle to releasing the hostages. He must recognise the people of Gaza as victims of a continuing genocide, and act accordingly. Or he will remain complicit in this devastating, human-made catastrophe. |
| Dr Ofer Cassif is a member of the Knesset, representing the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) since 2019 | Dr Ofer Cassif is a member of the Knesset, representing the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) since 2019 |
| Dr Ofer Cassif is a member of the Knesset, representing the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) since 2019 | Dr Ofer Cassif is a member of the Knesset, representing the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) since 2019 |
| Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. | Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. |
| Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. | Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. |