As the Israeli war in Gaza is entering a new, violent phase, an increasing number of votes in the country speak against it – and how it fights.
Jair Golan, Lev Politician and former Deputy Commander of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has caused outrage on Monday when he said: “Israel is about to become a country in Paria, as it was South Africa, if we do not return to act as a healthy country.
“A healthy state does not wage war against civilians, does not kill babies as a hobby, and does not set a goal to depopulate the population,” he told the popular morning news program on Israeli public radio.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded back, describing the comments as “blood slander”.
But on Wednesday, former Israeli Minister of Defense and IDF headquarters – Moshe “God” Yalon – went further.
“This is not a” hobby, “he wrote in a post of X,” but a government policy whose ultimate goal is to hold on to power. And this leads us to destruction. “
Only 19 months ago, when Hamas artillerymen crossed the Israel fence and killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, taking 251 others back to Gaza as hostages – statements like these seemed almost unthinkable.
But now Gaza is in ruins, Israel is launching a new military offensive, and although he agreed to lift his 11-week blockade on the territory, just A trickle of help has come in so farS
The recent vote on Channel 12 of Israel has found that 61% of Israelis want to end the war and see the hostages to be returned. Only 25% support for expanding battles and taking gas.
The Israeli government insists that it will destroy Hamas and save the other hostages. Netanyahu says he can achieve a “total victory” – and maintains a strong nucleus for supporters.
But the mood among others in Israeli society “is despair, trauma and lack of a sense of ability to change anything,” says the former Israeli negotiator for hostage Gershon Baskin.
“The bigger part of all hostage families believe the war should be completed and there should be an agreement,” he adds.
“A small minority believe that the main goal of completing Hamas is what needs to be done, and then the hostages will be released.”
On Sunday, about 500 protesters, many t -shirts with the inscription “Stop the Gaza Horns” and carried pictures of babies killed by Israeli air strikes, tried to leave the city of Gaza to protest against Israel's new offensive.
They were led by standing together – a small but growing anti -war group of Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel. After trying to block the path, the leader of the Alon-Lee Green group was arrested, along with eight others.
From home arrest, G -n Green told the BBC: “I think it is obvious that you can see waking up to the Israeli public. You can see that more and more people are taking a position.”
Another activist, who takes place together, Ury Weltman said he believes that there is a growing belief that the continuation of the war is “not only harmful to the Palestinian civilian population, but also risks the life of the hostages, risks the life of the soldiers, risks the lives of all of us.”
In April, thousands of Israeli reservists – from all branches of the military – signed letters demanding the Netanyahu government to stop the fight and concentrate instead to reach a deal to return the other hostages.
Still, many in Israel have different views.
At the passage of Kerem Shalom to Gaza on Wednesday, the BBC talk to Gideon Hashav, who was part of a group protested against the authorized aid.
“They are not innocent people,” he told those in Gaza, “they make their choice, they chose a terrorist organization.”
This is against some of the most ending parts of society in Israel – settlers – that The United Kingdom on Tuesday has announced new sanctionsS
In its strongest move so far, the United Kingdom also stopped talks on a trade deal with Israel and called on the country's ambassador – with the United Kingdom Foreign Minister David Lamie, who calls Military escalation at the Gaza “morally unjustified”S
The EU said it was reviewing its association agreement with Israel, which regulates its political and economic relations-with foreign policy chief Kaja Kalas, who said that a “strong majority” of members preferred to look at the agreement again at 25.
On Monday night, the United Kingdom joined France and Canada, signing a highly formulated joint statement, condemning Israel's military action and a warning of “additional specific actions” if the Gaza humanitarian situation did not improve.
“The mood is changing,” says Weltman, “The wind begins to blow in the other direction.”