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Peace movements

Israel's War on Gaza: Growing Dissent Amidst War Crimes

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As Israel's devastating war on Gaza continues to intensify, the divisions within Israeli society are growing deeper. The war, which has now killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, has sparked widespread protests and criticism from military personnel, academics, and antiwar groups. Despite the government's efforts to maintain a facade of unity, the country is increasingly polarized between those who support the war and those who demand its immediate end. The opposition, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has become reliant on the extreme right to maintain its coalition, while the majority of Israelis remain silent or actively support the war.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 82% of Jewish Israeli respondents support the clearing of Gaza of its Palestinian population, and nearly 50% back the "mass killing" of civilians in enemy cities occupied by the Israeli army (Source: Haaretz).
  • Thousands of Israelis, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, stormed occupied East Jerusalem's Old City on Jerusalem Day, chanting "death to Arabs" and attacking anyone perceived to be Palestinian or defending them (Source: Al Jazeera).
  • In April, over 1,000 serving and retired pilots issued an open letter protesting the war, alleging it served "political and personal interests" rather than security ones (Source: Al Jazeera).
  • In May, an organized campaign encouraging young Israelis to refuse military service was launched, and thousands of anti-war protests spread across the country (Source: Al Jazeera).
  • Former Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas stated that the extreme right feels vindicated by a year and a half of war, believing their message that "if you blink you lose" has been borne out (Source: Al Jazeera).
  • Critics of the war, including academics and anti-war lawmakers, have faced physical attacks and threats, with families of hostages also at risk of attack (Source: Al Jazeera, Alon Pinkas).

Statistics:

  • Over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war (Source: Al Jazeera).
  • Almost 4,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel unilaterally broke a ceasefire in March (Source: Al Jazeera).
  • Over 40,000 Palestinians have been displaced from the occupied West Bank as Israel establishes its own military network (Source: Al Jazeera).
  • The Israeli army has occupied and levelled large parts of the occupied territory, displacing thousands of its inhabitants (Source: Al Jazeera).
  • More than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza face famine due to the Israeli siege imposed on March 2 (Source: United Nations).

Sources:

  • Al Jazeera
  • Haaretz
  • Alon Pinkas
  • Al Jazeera - Open Letter from Israeli Pilots
  • Al Jazeera - Anti-war Protests in Israel
  • United Nations
  • Yair Golan - Democrats Party Head
  • Ofer Cassif - Anti-Zionist Lawmaker
  • Ayelet Ben-Yishai - Associate Professor at the University of Haifa
  • Yehouda Shenhav-Shahrabani - Professor at Tel Aviv University
  • B'Tselem - Human Shields Report (2007)
  • Israel Defense Forces - Reprimand of Yair Golan (2007)
  • Israel's Ministry of Finance - Announcement of further Israeli settlements in the West Bank (Source: Al Jazeera)

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