I am often attacked by shocked and dismayed Zionist Jews inside and outside Israel. They think my views are treacherous to my Jewish background and say they cannot understand how a Jewish person can criticise her own people and the state of Israel. One woman wrote to me recently:

“I do not believe your biography. I do not believe that you were a Jewish Israeli citizen, nor do I believe you were raised in a Jewish home and have Holocaust survivor relatives. Your goal is to mislead and to provide support to terrorist savages”.

For many, the idea that Jewish people can oppose Zionism and Israel's brutal occupation of the Palestinians is incomprehensible. To all those out there who feel that way, here are a few examples of outspoken criticism from within Israel itself.

Human rights in Gaza and Israel during the hostilities

Reports from Israeli human rights groups

http://gazaeng.blogspot.com/

“During the fighting in Gaza and in southern Israel, Israeli human rights groups worked together to inform the Israeli public of the impact on civilians, particularly regarding events that were not reported by the media. Each group posted the information at its disposal, which has been verified to its best ability under the circumstances. The data is necessarily limited and should not be taken as a comprehensive picture of the human rights violations currently taking place. Upon the declaration of the cease-fire, we have stopped the daily updates. The organizations will continue to use the Blog to provide information on the war and its consequences.”

Breaking the Silence

http://www.shovrimshtika.org/ or http://www.breakingthesilence.org.il/

This organisation is made up of soldiers who have served in the Occupied Territories and who witnessed immoral and criminal behaviour by soldiers. They expose it on their website, no doubt at great personal risk.

I am now worried that after next month's elections, Israel will clamp down on all these organisations, arrest their members and shut them down, and no doubt continue to call itself a democracy. That's why I am reproducing some of their testimonies here.

Coalition of women for peace

http://coalitionofwomen.org/home/english

“The Coalition of Women for Peace brings together independent women and 10 feminist peace organizations who work relentlessly for peace and justice. Founded in November 2000, after the outbreak of the Second Intifada, the Coalition today is a leading voice in the peace movement.

“The Coalition is committed to the struggle to end the occupation; to the full involvement of women in peace negotiations; to an end to the excessive militarization of Israeli society; to equality, inclusion, and justice for Palestinian citizens of Israel; to equality and social justice for all inhabitants of Israel.

“In addition to supporting the work of its member organizations, the Coalition carries out its own activities — mass rallies, campaigns and educational activity. It runs outreach and advocacy programs within Israeli society, and activities which involve solidarity and cooperation with Palestinian women in the occupied territories.

“The Coalition has a broad international reach. It is networked with peace organizations in over 200 cities around the world, and members of the Coalition frequently represent the Israeli peace movement in international forums. On several occasions, demonstrations held in Israel have been supported by (or inspired) solidarity actions in over 150 locations worldwide, many of which were covered extensively in the media.”

Who profits?

http://www.whoprofits.org/

This is one of the projects carried out by the Coalition of Women for Peace (above). It is a database of companies directly involved in the Israeli occupation. The database is divided into three sections:

  • “The Settlement Industry — Israeli and international companies in the settlements, those constructing settlements and infrastructure or those sustaining the settlements.

  • “Economic Exploitation — Israeli companies that gain advantages from the special conditions of the occupation in exploiting Palestinian resources, markets and labour.

  • “Control of Population — Companies involved in the Wall and checkpoints regime, in supplying equipment, knowhow and services in the repression of the occupied population.”

A Call from Within

Signed by Israeli citizens
Thursday, 08 January 2009 19:15
Written by 540 Israeli citizens
http://www.freegaza.org/en/home/658-a-call-from-within-signed-by-israeli-citizens

Enough is enough

“We all deserve to live in freedom, without fear, without war. It is time to end this war and to begin talking.”

Thursday, January 08, 2009

Julia Chaitin, Ph.D.
Department of Social Work
Sapir Academic College and The Negev Institute for Strategies of Peace and Development
Home address: Kibbutz Urim, The Negev, ISRAEL

[Julia Chaitin lives in the area that is on the receiving end of Hamas missiles, yet realizes full well (as do some others in that area) that killing and the use of force will not bring security or peace, but rather deliberation is the way to security for all.]

Lucky my parents aren't alive to see this

by Amira Hass

Ha'aretz, Thursday, January 08, 2009

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1053428.html

Israel's PR war

by Gideon Lichfield

Ha'aretz, Thursday, January 08, 2009

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1053605.html

Occupation Magazine

“The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.”

http://www.kibush.co.il/

Refusing to Destroy Gaza

7th January 2009

http://www.seruv.org.il/english/

“Following the IDF bombing of a UN school in Gaza (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/06/gaza-israel-death-un), Courage to Refuse published an ad in this morning's HAARETZ edition calling soldiers to refuse to participate in the Gaza campaign.

“This war has already taken over 500 lives and is nowhere near to an end. The brutal, unprecedented violence in Gaza is shocking. The false hope that this kind of violence will bring security to Israelis is all the more dangerous. We cannot stand aside while hundreds of civilians are being butchered by the IDF.

“Courage to Refuse members will protest tomorrow (Thursday) in front of the Ministry of Defense calling to end the violence and resume negotiations.”

Shministim letter 2008 — refusing the occupation

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=46805270728

“We are a group of Jewish-Israeli teens who are refusing to join the IDF for it has been occupying the Palestinian territories since 1967.

“In Israel, the law ruled that every 18 year old healthy, Jewish, Israeli, teenager is to join the military (this varies between 2-3 years and sometimes more). Our group is refusing for political reasons, standing up against the occupation and declaring: we will not support it!

“The Six Day War broke out on June 5th, 1967 and Israel has not left the West Bank since. Gaza strip was conquered too, and military forces still rule the place.

“We are saying END THE OCCUPATION IN THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES.

“Join our struggle and support our cause. Here we will be available to provide you with more information about the subject. We want and need your support. Sign the petition, join and support us and spread the love we are trying to promote!

“We want to end occupation, we want to change the face of the militaristic Israeli society to make it a better place, WE WANT PEACE.”


Page content last modified: 3 February 2009