MachsomWatch meets pre-military youth groups
Nachshon Pre-millitary academy at Mikveh Israel, 12.1.2025,
Karin Lindner, Nina Sebba and Roni Perlman
- Roni opened by thanking the group of 80 participants, who were willing and able to hear another voice, at a time of such sharp polarization in the nation. It is very difficult to talk these days, during a time of war, about what is happening in the West Bank, both because we are all preoccupied with what is happening in Gaza, with those kidnapped still held in Hamas tunnels and the many deaths, and also because there are now even more Israelis who see every Palestinian as an enemy, even as deserving death.
A decade ago, in our presentations, using Israel’s Independence declaration with a relevant quote from the UN Human rights declaration, we could not have imagined that these very things would become the greatest source of contention among the nation.
- Karin spoke about the volunteer organization Machsom Watch, founded 24 years ago, before most of the participants were born, and about how many things have changed since then. After a brief description of the structure, the activities of the field groups and the various teams, she emphasized that since the beginning of the war the situation in the West Bank has deteriorated.
Although there was no organized hostile activity by the residents of the West Bank during the war, harsh sanctions were imposed collectively that led to the breakdown of all life activities, and to an economic and psychological collapse that brings the weakest to the brink of starvation.
- She stressed that this is not just about extreme cases, such as the killing of two children aged 6 and 8 in their yard by a drone a few days ago, nor about the army entering Palestinian cities and refugee camps in Area A (Palestinian Authority territory) every day, destroying, arresting and killing, women and innocent civilians included – it is about the daily lives of over two million residents, that for at least half of them the main source of income has been cut off.
For decades, Israel has prevented the development of an independent economy in the West Bank, and until the war, 120,000-150,000 workers entered Israel legally every day, providing for nearly a million Palestinians. All of them have not worked for almost a year and a half, because their work permits were revoked and all crossing checkpoints into Israel were closed.
- Also suffering are the villagers, whose living comes mainly from agriculture. Not only those, whose lands are confined in the Seam Zone, beyond the separation fence, which have not been allowed to enter and cultivate their lands for over a year, but also those in the central West Bank villages we visit, such as Sinjil, where the IDF fenced off an area of about 1,000 hectars that supports 250 families, and does not allow access to cultivate it. In addition, the main entrances to the villages and towns have been blocked, and the road to the large cities is becoming longer and sometimes impossible, and many are losing their source of livelihood.
These remarks were accompanied by explanations about acute areas like the Seam Zone, the Jordan Valley, the Southern Hebron Mountains, and an emphasis on the harassment of settlers backed by the army, which has escalated to an extreme and uncontrollable level since October 7. - Roni and Nina answered the pertinent and relevant questions, and a lively and respectful discussion ensued.
The counselor of the group said that he did not enjoy checking drivers at the checkpoint where he’d served as a soldier, but that he once discovered a weapon in the car of a Palestinian driver he knew to be non-dangerous. Our response was that at the checkpoint, as a soldier, he sees a Palestinian as a potential terrorist, and we, as human rights activists, see him as a tired man who does everything to support his family. - We were also asked about our views of things. and it was important for us to emphasize that we are anxious for the future of the country we love, that we see great importance in ending the occupation that is corrupting it from within, and how essential it is to respect different voices in a democratic society.
Appreciation certificate for Machsom Watch from Hinnaton Educational Center
Meitarim Lachish Army prep Academy, 5.1.25, Hana Barag
This is a mixed preparatory school for secular and religious girls and boys. The meeting was attended by 54 participants, most of them from Jerusalem, Ra’anana, and Tel Aviv.
- I began by stating that I was not here to convince, and that a diversity of opinions is a positive thing. We bring a different perspective that may not be easy to hear, and all we ask is that they listen with a willing heart. I agreed that we would conduct the meeting more as a conversation and less as a lecture.
I explained who we are, detailed our activities and the changes over the years. I emphasized that freedom of movement is the thread that connects all our activities; I shared what we have seen and are seeing at the various checkpoints and activity areas throughout the West Bank. I talked about narratives, and mentioned the various solutions being discussed to end the conflict and the occupation. Also raised was the subject of the October 7 War and what has been happening since then in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. - When the settlers’ exploits came up in conversation, an “outburst” began. ’The Land of Israel is ours – it is written in the Bible’ (secular preparatory school, to remind you). Then we got to the heart of the matte’: ‘You love Palestinians and only see one side’; ‘October 7 proved who they reakkt are’. ‘Everyne?’– I asked – ‘Yes, everyone.’ I tried to explain that the murderers of October 7 have lost their humanity, but not everyone who lives in Gaza is a Nukhba murderer. Certainly not the babies freezing in the cold.
- I said that this is a profound dehumanization in the attitude of many Israelis towards the Gazans and the Palestinians in general. I gave several examples that were published in the press and across social networks and noted that I had heard an officer tell soldiers that in Gaza everyone deserves to die, and it is permissible to starve them. I reminded them of how we Jews felt when we were subhuman in the eyes of others. One of the guys, brilliant, and articulate, brought up the huge protests in Europe and the US and noted that we are being accused of genocide. We tried to define what genocide means – that may have helped a little.
- Another interesting and important issue was the reliability of our information. This came up in the context of the numbers of new settlements, land grabbing, and the problems with the olive harvest. ‘Where do the numbers come from?’ I replied that they are recorded by OCHA, human rights organizations, information that we collected – and there was a big ‘uproar’ about that. Someone said that the Palestinians claimed something and then it turned out to be false – I’m not sure I was convincing, but I referred to sources, including sources from the Israeli Civil Administration.
- It turned out that Elisha Yered, one of the best-known organizers of the notoriously-known ‘Hilltop Youngsters’ of the illegal outposts, would speak after us. I pointed out to them that as for the Hilltop Youngster, theirs was not a legitimate worldview but a crime against humanity. This was not easily digested.
As usual, several girls and boys accompanied me to the car and were joined by curious passersby. It was a somewhat tense moment. The effort was worthwhile, in my view.
