Ziv here. Over the past two years, alongside hundreds of activists, I’ve taken part in dozens of direct actions from blocking roads to occupying government offices. The peak came last March, when we blocked an Israeli parliament vote during a budget vote in order to send a clear message: no more funding for the endless expansion of settlements! Ministers and Members of Parliament had to leave their cars and walk through a crowd of determined activists. We acted against the extreme right-wing Israeli government that dragged us through two years of bloody war. Again and again, our actions succeeded in drawing public attention and reigniting debate about the legitimacy of the war and the government itself. Many of these actions were led by Changing Direction, the movement I co-founded. In just two years, it has become one of Israel’s most influential protest movements: not only leading nonviolent resistance, but also expanding it. We recruit new activists, and we train them in the practice and spirit of nonviolent struggle. The ceasefire deal and returning of the hostages have ushered in a new phase. Now we need to utilize the momentum to grow our numbers, organize and strategize around bolder direct actions aimed at justice from the river to the sea. Please support us: your donation will help subsidize nonviolent direct action trainings. Even a small donation will help fund training for a potential activist.
Ziv getting arrestd at the action in March outside the Israeli parliament building.
During the action in March, my friends and I were repeatedly and violently dragged by police officers. Many were arrested, and some were injured. And yet, we all remained calm, prepared, and committed to nonviolence. The action drew wide political attention. Parliament Speaker Amir Ohana publicly called to “prosecute the offenders to the fullest extent of the law, and not to settle for arrests and vehicle towing, but to bring them to trial.” But despite this political backlash, all the arrested activists were released the same day, and all charges were dropped, simply because we had remained radically nonviolent.
That experience taught me two things: first, that widespread nonviolent direct action is one of the most powerful ways to influence public discourse. We changed public discourse and ignited debate in forums across the country. And second, that preparation is everything. Without the discipline to stay calm, determined, and nonviolent under pressure, it would have been easy for the authorities to portray us as violent and illegitimate. That’s why I’ve made it my mission to prepare others for nonviolent direct action. Over the past two years, I’ve personally led dozens of trainings for hundreds of people, many of whom never imagined themselves as “activists.” After these trainings, they joined acts of civil disobedience and faced arrests with courage and dignity while standing up to Israel’s far-right government.
Yet we know this is just the beginning. To truly shift the balance in this land, we must grow the movement of people willing to take part in nonviolent civil resistance, from bystanders to independent anti-war organizers who dream of a more just future. That’s why we’re launching a new partnership with Refuser Solidarity Network, to create an institute that will spread the tools, knowledge, and spirit of nonviolent resistance to new circles of activists, who will fight to maintain the current ceasefire and oppose endless wars at all costs. Through trainings, skills building and partnerships, we can bring everyday people into our movement. Your support makes this possible. Donate now to help us provide mass training and carry out more direct actions. With your help, we can seize this momentum for a more effective movement for peace and justice.
