Israeli peace activist speaks in Friends House
Resisting militarism in Israel, particularly during the current violence in Gaza, was discussed at Quaker offices in Euston earlier this month.
Or, an Israeli conscientious objector and activist with feminist anti-militarist organisation New Profile, visited Friends House on 7 March.
Israel is a highly militarised society, with even young children exposed to the military in schools, she said, but it has also been home to peace activism since 1948, including in collaboration with Palestinians.
In recent years this has included joint Jewish-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli demonstrations, youth dialogue groups, and restorative justice between former combatants.
But Or said that the increased suppression of dissent since October 7, and the difficulties of dialogue through grief, pain and burnout mean that work is even more difficult.
People face losing their jobs or being threatened and harassed by right-wing groups for saying that they don't support the war, or even for saying that children are dying in Gaza, she reported.
New Profile supports people who refuse to join, or want to leave, the Israeli military and regard all reasons people have for refusing military service as 'political'.
These include opposition to the occupation of Palestine, needing to work to support the family, or concerns about experiencing racism, homophobia, or sexism in the military.
Israel's military is presented as uniquely 'inclusive' because every person of every gender is encouraged to join, Or said. New Profile resist this as they believe feminism isn't inclusion in the right to kill and oppress others.