Anti-war protests in Israel against Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories: U.N. human rights officer and activist pictured in Rafah
The head of the U.N. Human Rights Office for the Palestinian territories, Ajith Sunghay, described seeing children this week in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians have fled, digging for bricks to hold in place tents made with plastic bags.
Israel’s government vehemently rejects the charge of genocide, arguing the war is against Hamas and not all of Gaza. Israel accuses Hamas of hiding and carrying out attacks on Israel because it uses civilian infrastructure.
ACRI’s Executive Director Noa Sattath said there is an “unprecedented” crackdown on free speech in Israel. She said police are arresting activists on their way to protests because they are being tracked at protests.
Many of the Israeli Jews at the anti-war protest are members of groups that have long advocated an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
The march was organized by a group called Standing Together, which brings together Palestinian citizens of Israel and Jews in the country. Other peace groups were with them.
As protesters chanted for a cease-fire to the beat of drums through Tel Aviv’s busy streets, a young reservist with a rifle slung over his shoulder and his girlfriend shook their heads at the protesters. There was a woman who shouted against the marchers.
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“We will continue to fight at full strength until we achieve all our goals,” he said, adding that includes “the return of all our hostages — and I say again, only military pressure will lead to their release.”
“I believe that Netanyahu is only self-interested. He wants to continue the war so he can continue in power,” she said. There’s a reason to continue the war as long as the hostages are being held.
Cindy Cohen, an antiwar activist at the march in Tel Aviv, said talking about Palestinians and Jews living in peace threatens the Israeli government that “only wants separation and fighting.” She said if the war ends new elections would be held, threatening Netanyahu’s power.
But how to free the hostages — through continued fighting or diplomacy — is a point of fierce debate and disagreement, including among Israel’s War Cabinet.
The streets of Tel Aviv are plastered in signs that read “Bring Them Home,” a reference to the hostages taken in the attacks. It’s a rallying cry everyone in Israel supports, particularly as a growing number of captives have died in the war there.
Israel called in a third of a million military men after the Hamas attack. More than 190 soldiers have been killed and more than 1,170 have been wounded since troops invaded Gaza in late October. Still, Israelis overwhelmingly support the military campaign in Gaza.
Goren says Israel’s bombing of Gaza for more than 100 days serves the interests of Hamas and the Netanyahu government.
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Protesters want to live in peace and have a good relationship with their neighbours, said a woman in her 60s.
Since the beginning of the war, more than 10k children have been killed in Gaza. Aid groups say thousands of children have been orphans and lost limbs as a result of Israeli airstrikes.
“My people did it. My government did it,” Arnheim said, referring to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. “This is why I stand here. I want to change this kind of thinking.”
The protesters represent a small minority in Israel, where most people support the war. Two-thirds of Israelis don’t think the military should reduce their bombardment of Gaza, according to a poll taken by the Israel Democracy Institute.
Shay Daniely said that he understands the fear that came with the attacks in Israel. He’s with the group Breaking the Silence that collects accounts of veteran Israeli soldiers speaking out about their time in service. But Daniely said most Israelis either do not understand what’s happening in Gaza or prefer not to look.
“You can look at the mainstream news. The 7th of October looks to be the day that the war happened, he said. “There’s no understanding or footage of the Palestinian people, the Gazans, so it’s really one-dimensional.”
He is a part of an anti- war movement in Israel that is calling for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, where more than 2.3 million people have been trapped by Israeli bombardment.
They call it a group. The mothers are crying. Many parents do not have the strength to tell their sons they are trying to bring them home.
Israel’s anti-war movement includes mothers of soldiers serving in Gaza: “Let us win the war,” said Rina Shamir, a mother of soldiers
Anyone who wants to identify with Gaza is welcome to do so. In a video in October, Israel’s chief of police said that he would put them on buses that were heading there right now and that he would help them get there.
“Let us win the war,” said Rina Shamir in front of a Tel Aviv hotel during a recent visit by the US Secretary of State. Shamir’s husband and son are both fighting in Gaza.
Mothers of the Fighters, an association of mothers of soldiers, wants to intensify the fight in Gaza and resist US calls to scale down military operations.
“The message we mothers are conveying to our sons and daughters who are in the military is this: You must fulfill your role and I support you 100% as my child. “I must fulfill my role as a mother and advocate for peace,” she says.
“He knows, partially, about the group,” Sahar says. He doesn’t want the troops to go out of Gaza, but he does think that there needs to be a cease fire to get hostages out.
“We want to encourage other solutions, but it feels that the majority is in such a shock after the events of Oct. 7, so they are not able,” said Effi, another mother to a soldier, who also asked to be identified only by her nickname.
He said that it’s similar to the Atomic bombing of Hiroshima. He’s been shocked by the destruction,” says one mother, who only gives her nickname, Tali. It’s useless. It’s leading to kill our sons. This is the only thing that I can see.
The group’s first meeting, in a Tel Aviv park, drew seven women. Some mothers shared what their sons told them about their experiences serving in Gaza as soldiers.
Source: Israel’s anti-war movement includes mothers of soldiers serving in Gaza
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“He asked me how much I wanted to hear,” I said. So I said, ‘Talk, talk to me.’ She doesn’t want to tell them about his bad stories. He’s going to have a big wound in his soul.
His army outfit of 16 soldiers is now down to seven, she says. One person was killed and eight others were wounded by friendly fire during the ground invasion of Gaza.
“In my worst dreams, I never thought of such a situation that my son will be sent inside Gaza,” she says. I was climbing the walls. I was so nervous.”
A month after she said “negotiations for the release of the hostages”, Israel was able to negotiate with Hamas for the release of about half the hostages.
She says police forcefully threw her and her sign to the ground. Israelis passing by called out death threats to her.
There was a handwritten sign on a sidewalk in downtown Jerusalem, held by a human being, and she was walking to attend a protest. When she arrived, nobody was there. The police broke up the demonstration.