Ofek Sinvani took part in the anti-war demonstration that took place in Tel Aviv a few days ago. We asked him a few questions about the situation and the actions of the pacifist and nonviolent civil society.
Hi Ofek, you were at the anti-war demonstration. How did it go?
Hi, the first demonstration didn’t go very well. We arrived with about 10-15 activists with signs at Habima, where dozens of police officers and Magav (Army border control) waited for us. Before we even started, the police told us that the protest was illegal and a “threat to public safety” and that we had 2 minutes to leave the place. Within 30 seconds, we were violently dispersed, and one of the activists was arrested.
The second demonstration was a full protest with chants and about 40 activists. The protest lasted 10 minutes before dozens of police and Magav arrived and started to violently disperse us, choking, pushing, and hitting people. Two activists left the demonstration injured, and one was arrested.
Are you part of any nonviolent, anti-war movements? What do you do in your live?
I am the field coordinator for Combatants for Peace, a Palestinian and Israeli nonviolent resistance movement. I work hand in hand with the Palestinians and Jewish activists, mostly in the West Bank. We organize actions in the West Bank, such as agricultural work, joint demonstrations, and more. In my personal life, I spend my time doing solidarity presence in Palestinian communities in the West Bank and participating in political activity within 48 borders.
What were the slogans of the demonstration?
These demonstrations were led by a radical leftist network called “The Radical Block”, an anti-war, anti zionist, feminist network. They invited many other organizations and activists to take part, including Combatants for Peace. The main slogan of these demonstrations was against Israeli American imperialism attack, specifically regarding the recent deadly attacks in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Palestine.
The demonstration also included Anti Zionist, anti-war, anti-colonialism, and other anti-violent slogans that can be found in every radical left protest in Occupied Palestine. “Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, the same old tired excuse” and “No attack on Iran will bring human rights”.
How do people feel at this moment?
t is hard to live in a state of constant wars that do not provide safety but rather go on for political reasons – persistent dread, countless sirens, running to shelters, news each day about homes destroyed and people being injured or even dying.
And personally, as a peace activist, I feel very helpless at the moment, that no matter what we do, nothing we can do will stop more people from dying, and that there is nothing we can do to dismantle Israeli and American imperialism. Furthermore, it’s heartbreaking to see my Palestinian friends who suffer from wars that do not even claim to protect them, and don’t have any basic protection, such as bomb shelters, in addition to the violence of living under occupation.
