Israelis against the genocide
JVL Introduction
You may not know it but nearly 40% of Israelis are (at least) against the resumption of the “war” on Gaza. See this poll taken just before the bombardments recommenced. Tens of thousands have been demonstrating in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, including outside Netanyahu’s home. In addition the Movement to Support Gaza War Refusers. is finding that more and more people are potentially refusing to fight. They say: “We need to seize the moment now, and fast, in order to put a stop to the killing of hundreds of Palestinians daily. More soldiers are questioning, resisting, and refusing to take part in war crimes….and …The Israeli government has made its choice. Now we must make ours. Stand with those resisting from within. Stand against genocide. Stand for a real future, not more war.”
As The Times of Israel reported on March 21st , it seems that in some units, up to 60% of reservists are refusing to go, or go back and this article also noted that “Recent opinion polls suggest that most people in Israel want to continue negotiations for a deal that would end the war, release all remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian terrorists and other prisoners and see a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces.”
On March 12th, some days before Israel had resumed its pulverisation of Gaza, The Guardian posted this video about Israelis Refusing to fight , which also highlights that rates of refusing are rising.
The following statement was published in Haaretz’s Hebrew print edition on Friday, March 21st.
“Say no to the Israeli government’s policy of death
Tens of thousands of deaths, entire cities razed, millions of human beings emaciated from hunger, hostages abandoned to suffer and die – none of this satisfies the bloodlust of the Netanyahu-Ben Gvir government.
For the sake of its political survival, and in the name of the war of attrition it declared against the Palestinian people, the Israeli government is prepared to continue committing the gravest crimes.
This is what dictatorship looks like – when a leader is prepared to trade in human blood for his own selfish interests.
It’s time to say loud and clear: We will not continue to follow him on this path of doom.
We all have a duty to resist the Netanyahu-Ben Gvir government’s policy of death.”
The New York Times surely deserves an award for twisting truth in its lead paragraph:
“Nearly three in five Israelis back the resumption of fighting in the Gaza Strip in the wake of Hamas’s rejection of a US proposal to extend the ceasefire in exchange for the release of more hostages.”
Would it not be slightly more accurate if written as:
“The US agreed to provide stronger and more indiscriminate killer weapons to Israel as Israel, with US support, abrogated an agreement it had made under US pressure to move to the second stage of the ceasefire agreement and withdraw troops from the Netzarim Corridor”?
Heartening news – wonder if BBC will report on it?
Someone send a copy to Ephraim Murvis ….
This is so encouraging, let us support these voices in any way that we can
Most Israelis opposing the resumption of the attacks on the defenseless Gazan population are only opposing the timing. They want negotiations to recover the remaining hostages and “then the government can do what they want” or “then the l government should finish the job” depending whose opinion you take. My understanding is that those Jewish Israelis genuinely seeking a just peace with Palestine are the tiniest of minorities.
Another point that is important to note is whether the poll was of all Israelis or of Jewish Israelis only stop with 20% of a population non-Jewish come up primarily Palestinian Arab, that makes a significant difference.