Breaking the Silence is a nonprofit organization made up of Israeli military veteran who have expose the public to the reality of everyday life in the occupied territories. The organization stimulates public debate about young soldiers facing a civilian population on a daily basis and controlling that population’s everyday life. The organization aims to bring an end to the occupation.
Breaking the Silence reports that cases of abuse of Palestinians, as well as looting and destruction of property, have been the norm for years. It collects and publish testimonies from soldiers who have served in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. The organization conducts tours in Hebron and the South Hebron Hills in the West Bank, with the aim of giving the Israeli public access to the reality that exists only minutes away from their own homes, yet is rarely portrayed in the media. To date, the organization has collected testimonies from more than 1,000 soldiers who represent all strata of Israeli society and cover nearly all units that operate in the territories.
American veterans of the Israeli Defense Force are touring and sharing their experiences. In an open letter, these American IDF veterans are calling for an end to the occupation that they consider immoral and “a stain on the ethics and values of the Jewish Diaspora.” The Israeli newspaper Haaretz describes the tour here: https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-back-home-in-u-s-israel-s-lone-soldiers-break-their-silence-about-the-occupation-1.8111473?utm_source=smartfocus&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SpecialCoverage&utm_content=https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-back-home-in-u-s-israel-s-lone-soldiers-break-their-silence-about-the-occupation-1.8111473
Read some of the testimonies published here.
