After meeting Yaacov Godo, members of the Hadacha Achshav movement informed me that the following Monday they would hold a new demonstration in front of the Knesset, protesting against Bibi Netanyahu.
On Monday, I went, and obviously, I found many more people. About 100 individuals behind a security fence. Men, women, young, old, and even an ultra-Orthodox person. I spoke with Nina Esekov, a woman whom I saw from a distance speaking with great determination.
And so it was with me. And it was logical. As she told me later, in another demonstration, she was also interviewed, but then, in a dialogue with herself, she regretted not saying things she forgot at the moment. Well, with me, she could let it all out.
Nina Esakov, an Israeli activist
Question: Tell me, why are you here?
Answer: I have been protesting against Bibi for many months. He is deeply entangled in a serious conflict of interest between his ability to lead a country and his need to protect himself in court. He is breaking the legal system in Israel, and to achieve this, he is sacrificing the government and placing extreme right-wing or racist people in it who want to occupy all the territories.
They do not represent the majority of Israel, but they have taken control of the government. They are turning us into an apartheid state, which is dangerous for everyone. On October 7, we saw the result of this. Everyone lives in fear, and there is no protection for citizens who are soldiers fighting to protect Israel.
The majority of Israel wants peace. I am here today because there is an ongoing war that benefits Bibi. The longer the war lasts, the longer he will stay in power. Obviously, he is responsible for this terrible atrocity that occurred. And he is in a terrible conflict of interest. How can he stop a war if he wants to prolong it?
I don't believe in that. The majority here wants peace. And we will never achieve it with this government. Never. I feel like a hostage of this government, and the majority of Israelis feel the same. Some came today; they are all in the reserves.
So, what would be your solution for peace?
Oh my God. There are many peace organizations for the Palestinians. There is Women Rage Peace. There are many different organizations, and all they want is to achieve some kind of peace. And how to do it? There are different ways. But where there's a will, there's a way. And there is no will at the moment. Neither in the Israeli government nor in Hamas.
Hamas is outrageous. They have no reason to make peace with us; they want to kill us. But our government is not much better. We cannot have a government that believes in the same logic as Hamas. It makes no sense. And, again, most people, both in Gaza and in Israel, are hostages of their politicians. And we need peace. We need the world to wake up and, instead of saying, "You are not a state!" or "You are killing children!" they have to come and make peace together.
One has to recognize the existence of the other. I believe that one of the biggest steps is to acknowledge the fact that the only solution to violence is to reach some kind of agreement. That's the only way to solve it. How to do it? There are many good politicians out there.
If they replaced Bibi... besides, Bibi just has to resign. He doesn't have to dismantle the entire government. Bibi just has to resign, and then, anyone else instead of Bibi can make better decisions that are not in conflict of interest. And that benefit the country and the Palestinians. But there has to be a change.
Lastly, what would you say to people who believe that all Israelis are settlers?
I think, statistically, less than 15% of Israelis are settlers. And they are increasing more and more, and they are stronger, only because of the loophole they have in the government. Most Israelis are advocates for peace. I myself am a peace activist. Hamas doesn't care; they killed Vivian Silver, who was a peace activist. They don't care if we are peace activists or not. They don't seek peace.
To say that all Israelis are settlers is the same as saying that anyone in Gaza wants to kill Jews. Not everyone wants to kill Jews. Just as we don't want to kill Palestinians and we don't want to colonize the land.
I agree with sharing the land. And the best thing is that one of my Palestinian friends said that there is enough land for everyone, and it is better to share the land on top than to be all underneath it.
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