In the Media

10 August 2006

JWS Alumnist Gila Svirsky tells the NY Times that the Israeli Peace Movement is "vocal and visible"

Responding to New York Times reports that even the Israeli Left is backing the invasion of Lebanon, Jerusalem Women Speak alumnist Gila Svirsky published this letter in the Times (10 August 2006).


From Israel, a Voice Against the War

To the Editor:

Re “Left or Right, Israelis Are Pro-War’’ (front page, Aug. 9):

There is a continuing, vocal and visible Israeli opposition to the war.

Every day, the Women Against War Movement holds vigils in three cities: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa — yes, Haifa, even under shelling.

Every Saturday, we hold mass marches through Tel Aviv, the most recent one 5,000 strong.

Several men have refused call-ups to serve in Lebanon, and a dozen young men and women were arrested on Aug. 8 for blocking the road to an air force base in an effort to prevent, in their words, the carrying out of more war crimes.

Haaretz is filled with articles criticizing the war not because it is going poorly but because the idea of preventing aggression by bombardment is both ludicrous and immoral.

These acts of criticism represent the views of thousands more, and if the war continues, they will also be out on the streets. Let’s hope that it will end before that is necessary.

Gila Svirsky
Jerusalem, Aug. 9, 2006
The writer is co-founder of the Coalition of Women for Peace and a speaker on the Eighth National Jerusalem Women Speak tour in October, 2004.