Ayana Has Been Released from Israeli Military Prison!

My name is Mattan Helman. I am a refuser who spent 110 days in prison in 2017. I am thrilled to share that the Israeli refusnik, Ayana Gertsmann, has been released from Israeli military prison after one month behind bars! I would like to thank all of you who sent her a letter of support to strengthen her resistance against the genocide. Refusers are asking you to support them in one simple way: share their message. Send this newsletter and invite three of your friends to join our community and resist the genocide. 

Upon release, Ayana stated: "I had the privilege of regaining my freedom and control over my life after one month in military prison. Millions of people do not know a reality in which their freedom is in their own hands. Freedom should not be a privilege! People must immediately get back the freedom that belongs to them – the freedom that the State of Israel never had the right to take away from them."

As someone who was in her place, I can imagine how happy she and her loved ones are now that she has been released after having her freedom taken away from her just for refusing to take part in a genocide. We must remember why refusers are going to prison:They go to prison because they want people to hear about what is happening in Gaza, they want people to know they dont have to comply with the genocide, and to show that another way is possible through refusal, resisting. 

The movement does not end with Ayana’s release. We must support those like Ayana, anyone contemplating refusal, in order to put a stop to the genocide in Gaza and to build a lasting movement against war and occupation. Help Ayana and the refuser movement by inviting three people to join our community to resist the genocide.