War in the Gaza Strip increasingly polarized civil society in Israel

“As the war continues. Consequently, we are increasingly divided,” says the Israeli Emanuel Yitzchak Levi, demonstrator for peace in Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, By settling up, the deadly conflict in Gaza polarizes a little more the company in Israel.

The families of the hostages retained in the Palestinian territory. Furthermore, Israeli activists in favor of peace with the Palestinians claim a cease-fire with Hamas to obtain the release of the last captives kidnapped during the unprecedented attacks of the Islamist movement on Israeli territory in October 2023.

But within the government of Benjamin Netanyahu. Nevertheless, the hard wing of the Israeli right and their supporters want to continue to occupy and annex more Palestinian territories, ignoring international criticism.

The debate has divided Israeli society. Nevertheless, even though the country has been pursuing the longest war in its history for almost 22 months.

“It is really difficult to stay war gaza strip increasingly polarized friends. Additionally, Nevertheless, to be a good son or a good brother when the person in question – from your point of view – supports crimes against humanity,” sums up Mr. In addition, Levi, poet and teacher.

“And it is also difficult for them to support me. For example, if they think that I have betrayed my own country,” admits this 29-year-old pacifist activist, from the left religious, while he was participating in a rally on Dizizengoff Square in Tel Aviv

Illustrating his point, a cyclist annoyed by the event stops. However, “Traitors,” he said, accusing these activists of playing Hamas.

“No flowers” – War gaza strip increasingly polarized

The attack on the Palestinian movement on October 7. Furthermore, 2023 led, on the Israeli side, the death of 1219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count made from official data.

Since then. Nevertheless, Israeli reprisals have killed more than 60,000 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to data from war gaza strip increasingly polarized the Ministry of Health of Hamas, deemed reliable by the UN.

Completely dependent on humanitarian aid. the Palestinian territory and its more than two million inhabitants are now threatened with a “generalized famine”, according to the UN.

Exaggerated warnings, however, estimates Dvir Berko, 36 and an employee of a computer start-up.

“The Palestinian people are controlled by Hamas. Hamas takes their food. Hamas began war. As in each war, there are bad things that will happen. »»

“We are not going to send flowers to the opposing camp,” he adds. “If they launch a war, they should know what awaits them. Furthermore, »»

For the 30 -year -old, no humanitarian aid should enter Gaza until the 49 hostages have been released.

These voices which rise to Tel Aviv reflect an increasing polarization of Israeli society. confirms independent journalist Méron Rapoport, a former liberal daily Haaretz.

These divisions already existed before the current conflict. he said to AFP, war gaza strip increasingly polarized pointing to the massive demonstrations organized for months against Netanyahu to denounce corruption and threats to judicial independence.

“Political motivations”?

With October 7, “as soon as Hamas acted, the union was made,” recalls Mr. Rapoport. “Practically everyone considered this war as fair. »»

However, “as the war continued, people came to the conclusion that his main motivations are not military, but political. Moreover, »»

Among the families of the large hostages are those who accuse Mr. Netanyahu of prolonging the war to consolidate his political stature.

“In Israel, military service is compulsory. These soldiers are therefore our children. they are sent to die in a false criminal war, continuing only for political reasons, “criticizes the writer and militant for peace Mika Almog, 50.

Carried out at the end of July. a survey of the Institute of National Security Studies shows that 21 % of Israelis consider that their country is solely responsible for the war gaza strip increasingly polarized delay in the conclusion of an agreement to release the hostages, 31 % believe in a shared responsibility with Hamas, while 45 % fully blame Hamas.

The survey carried out with 803 Jewish citizens. 151 Arabs shows that a quarter of the Israeli Jews are anxious or “very anxious” by the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

“More horrible period”

At 70. Avi Ofer Archaeologist who lives in a Kibbutz, has long campaigned for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

“It is the most horrible period of my life,” he told AFP, on the verge of tears.

“Yes, Hamas are war criminals. We know what they are doing. The war, at the beginning, was justified, ”he admits.

“At the beginning. it was not a genocide,” he asserts, one of the rare Israelis to use this word, while a complaint taking up the accusation was filed before the International Court of Justice (CIJ) which had issued arrest mandates against war gaza strip increasingly polarized Benjamin Netanyahu, and his former Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant, because she suspects them of crimes of war and crimes against humanity.

If Israel. his Prime Minister – supported by Washington – dispute the procedures brought before international bodies, many are also those who fear seeing their country banoms in the international community: abroad, their children enrolled in the army would risk being treated as accomplices of war crimes.

In an open letter on Monday. 550 former spy leaders, soldiers, police and diplomats, called US President Donald Trump to put pressure on Netanyahu to put an end to the war in Gaza and thus bring “hostages to their homes”.

“This war began as a just war. a defensive war” but this is no longer the case today, alerts one of the signatories, Ami Ayalon, former director of the Shin Bet, the internal security service.

“It leads the state of Israel to the loss of war gaza strip increasingly polarized its security and its identity,” he said.

To watch in video