Israeli peace activist speaks at Friends House

'An Israeli conscientious objector and feminist activist, Or said peace activism in Israel has become much harder since 7 October.'

An Israeli peace activist, who goes by the name Or, spoke at Friends House last week. An Israeli conscientious objector and feminist activist, Or said peace activism in Israel has become much harder since 7 October.

Although describing Israel as a highly militarised society, with even young children exposed to the military in schools, she said the country has also been home to peace activism since 1948, including in collaboration with Palestinians. But, according to the Quakers in Britain website, Or said that the increased suppression of dissent since 7 October, and the difficulties of dialogue through grief, mean that this 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.’

Or is also an activist with feminist anti-militarist organisation New Profile, which supports people who refuse to join, or want to leave, the Israeli military.

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