Despite what is an
increasingly violent and militaristic culture in Israel, there are so many individuals and groups who are standing up and saying
no more.
There are the extremely courageous Israeli
conscientious objectors, who
face imprisonment for refusing to fight and kill.
There's Yehuda Shaul, who wants Israelis and the world to know what is being perpetrated upon the Palestinian people. As he puts it, he is trying to
break the silence, because "what's going on in the Occupied Territories is like the biggest secret in Israeli society. It's like
the taboo. You never talk about it." (
Listen/Read/Watch the Interview)
There is also so much non-violent resistance among Palestinians that is overshadowed by violent acts and underreported by the media.
I am particularly hopeful, however, about the
solidarity movements and women's groups that are coalitions of both Israeli and Palestinian Women (like
Coalition of Women for Peace and
Bereaved Families Circle).
Here is an interesting podcast describing some of the Israelis and Palestinians who are using non-violent resistance to oppose the occupation. (
listen/download mp3 - about 20 minutes long, and definitely worth a listen).
UPDATE DEC 18, 2006 - Yesterday there was a related article in The Star:
Ex-soldiers break 'silence' on Israeli excesses: Yehuda Shaul tells Haroon Siddiqui 'something rotten' is going on in Gaza and the West Bank.
