Tal here, Refuser Solidarity Network’s international solidarity coordinator. This past month, we’re witnessing tremendous breakthroughs in the resistance to Israel’s genocide in Gaza. On the eve of Israel’s occupation of Gaza City, new reports confirm we are seeing the highest rate of refusal seen in the country’s history. This comes as Israel sent out over 60,000 new draft orders to man its occupation of Gaza. But people are growing tired of this war. Not only is refusal at an unprecedented high, people are marching in the streets at levels unseen before. In Tel Aviv alone, over 400,000 people filled the streets two weeks ago to demand an end to the war. The government’s plans are a desperate attempt to keep the war going as they send out endless draft notices, all while more and more people are publicly and silently refusing and hitting the streets. As Israel desperately attempts to draft more soldiers into the military in its planned occupation of Gaza, we expect to see more and more refusers coming forward. That is why we need your help to support this growing refuser wave, by providing them with capacity-building, training and legal defense.
Netanyahu’s announcement of his plan to occupy Gaza City has unleashed a wave of civil resistance. Our organizers on the streets have made it clear: more people are willing to refuse service than ever. The national war effort is losing popular support. In cities across the land, demonstrations are ongoing, not just in Tel Aviv. And many are realizing that they cannot just chant against the war. They are realizing they must refuse to participate in it. Our numbers are growing as refusal becomes more mainstream than ever. Over 350 people have refused publicly and our partners report that thousands have refused silently.
People who have never demonstrated before are now filling the streets. Palestinian and Jewish communities are standing together, despite police repression and political intimidation. We know from history that protests can open space, but only organized refusal movements can end wars and dismantle systems of oppression. As refusal continues to skyrocket, we need to be prepared to support all new refusers. They need to become organizers, not just individuals, capable of ending the genocide.
That is where we come in. Help us strengthen this movement by donating today, so we can provide refusers with the necessary tools to become independent organizers, harnessing their strength to end the unforgivable genocide of the Palestinian people that has carried on for far too long.