Israelis for and against their country’s military action explain their views
Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas and recent warnings of a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, have led to a ratcheting up of pressure on Israel , not just from its critics, but from its international allies.
Emotions run deep amongst Israelis themselves, and opinions differ about their country’s military response. Simon King, a survivor of the 7 October attack on Kibbutz Be’eri re the horror of the day clearly and says the event has completely changed his perspective. “I’ve never had a feeling of fear like that in my whole life … You know, we always had a thought that there will be peace one day. But this didn’t happen, and now after 7th October there’s no forgiving and I am never ever going to forget what they did, it was atrocious. It was barbaric.”
Sharone Lifschitz’s family was also involved. Her elderly parents were seized by militants from their home on Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her mother was released alive 17 days later, but her father died in captivity. In contrast to Simon, her view is that there are innocent children caught up in this conflict, and for their sake, and that of the remaining hostages, the offensive needs to end. She says, “It’s a disaster. It’s a disaster for Israel, it’s a disaster for the hostages, and it’s heartbreaking to see what is happening in Gaza.”
We also hear from Hen Mazzig, an author and academic, and Oshy Ellman, an international relations consultant and commentator. They too disagree strongly on whether Israel should end the war now. But they have a common goal that unites them. “Ultimately we are united in that no-one wants war. We’ve always striven for peace and it’s just a question of how we get there,” says Oshy. Hen agrees. “When you live in a country that has an existential threat over its head... it makes you see things differently. And our perspective is that we have to stay united even though we have our differences.”
Presenter: Mark Lowen
BBC producers: Isabella Bull and Angela Sheeran
Boffin Media producer: Anne McNaught
An EcoAudio certified Boffin Media production in partnership with the BBC OS team
(Photo: Simon King at Kibbutz Be'eri outside a house which was attacked by militants. Credit: Simon King)
