Israelis criticising Gaza bombings pay a price in Netanyahu’s witch hunt

While often hailed as "the sole democracy in the Middle East," Israel appears to lack the temperament to tolerate free speech when it comes to criticism of its deadly war on Gaza.

Seasoned Israeli journalists, intellectuals, and rights activists contend that there is little public space for dissent regarding the ongoing Gaza bombings, even after three months of an offensive that has resulted in the deaths of 23,000 Palestinians. .

Meir Baruchin, an Israeli history teacher who was fired and imprisoned for criticising Israel’s continuous military assault on Gaza, recently spoke to The Guardian, saying “It is a time of witch hunts in Israel”.

This interview put spotlight on the stories of other Israelis who have faced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wrath but haven’t received the same attention .

Baruchin’s ordeal

The evidence that led to Baruchin’s arrest was a series of Facebook posts in which he mourned the Palestinian civilians killed in Gaza, criticised the Israeli military, and cautioned against engaging in retaliatory wars.

On October 8, he posted, “Horrific images are pouring in from Gaza. Entire families were wiped out. I don’t usually upload pictures like this, but look what we do in revenge.” He shared a picture of the Abu Daqqa family, victims of one of the initial airstrikes on Gaza, along with his post. In another post, he urged Israelis to oppose the ongoing madness and questioned the justification for such actions.

Within ten days, Baruchin was terminated from his teaching position in the Petach Tikvah municipality. Less than a month later, he found himself in a high-security jail on suspicion of committing an act of treason and intending to disrupt public order.

“This story is much bigger than my personal story. It is a time of political persecution,” he remarked.

“Make no mistake: Baruchin was used as a political tool to send a political message. The motive for his arrest was deterrence – silencing any criticism or any hint of protest against Israeli policy,” said the Israeli daily Haaretz in an editorial.

According to the Haifa-based Palestinian human rights organisation and legal center Adalah, hundreds of Israelis have faced arrest, imprisonment, job loss, or restricted access to education due to their critical views on Israel’s ongoing bombing of Gaza.

Trouble for sharing an article

One such case involves Yael Ayalon, the head of a Tel Aviv high school, who was summoned after sharing a Haaretz article on Facebook warning that Israeli media was hiding the suffering of Gaza’s Palestinian civilians. “Israeli citizens need to be aware of this reality,” the article said.

In response to the post spreading, Yael Ayalon’s students rioted in the school. She took her employers to a tribunal, resulting in her eventual reinstatement. However, upon her return to school, she faced verbal attacks from another set of students chanting “go home.”

Another case has to do with the suspension of a Jewish Israeli faculty member at an academic college in Israel.

The letter sent to this member read:

“Hello Dr. X. A complaint was submitted to us regarding the fact that on October 7 you uploaded a profile picture on your Facebook page with the caption ‘The Gaza Ghetto will be liberated.’ As a senior faculty member at the college, the message spread by you on such a day stings the eye, upsets the heart, and tarnishes the name of the college.

“A reaction to a day like this, in which acts defined by international law as crimes against humanity were carried out by murderers, targeted at civilians, including adults and helpless babies, reminiscent of the Nazis’ actions against the Jews, can be interpreted with full plausibility as support for them.

“In addition, in the evening we were exposed to your assertion that the State of Israel is committing ‘genocide’ against the Palestinians. This type of moral inversion constitutes, seemingly at the very least, behavior that is not appropriate for a faculty member, as required by the regulations.

“In view of the seriousness of your posts, you are suspended pending a disciplinary inquiry that will be held for you in the coming days, and on a date to be determined as soon as possible.”

Arbitrary arrests

Yet another instance highlighting the oppressive and arbitrary nature of these arrests is the police raid on the home and subsequent arrest of Yoav Bar, a 68-year-old resident of Haifa and a dedicated activist advocating for Palestinians’ rights.

This incident took place on October 29.

In a press release, the police spokesperson claimed they had apprehended a "key activist in protests supporting and expressing solidarity with Hamas."

Despite these allegations, the judge opted to release Bar without any condition, asserting that the accusations did not constitute a criminal offense and implying potential illegality in the arrest process.

Israel Frey, a prominent left-wing Israeli journalist and vocal critic of Israeli policies, faced an intimidation campaign at his Bnei Brak home on October 15 because of a video where he recited a Jewish prayer, commemorating the victims of the war, including hundreds of women and children in Gaza whom he said were "slaughtered." Subsequently, Frey has been subjected to hate messages and an influx of numerous phone calls.

Far-right protesters shot flares at his apartment and pursued him as he fled. During his police escort away from his home, Frey reported being spat at and physically assaulted by officers, who accused him of "supporting Hamas."

Politicians under scrutiny

Amidst heightened tensions over Netanyahu-led far-right government’s war on Gaza, the spotlight has also fallen on politicians who are facing scrutiny for daring to criticise the Israeli military actions.

On October 18, the Knesset’s Ethics Committee decided to suspend Ofer Cassif, a member of the Hadash political party and a Knesset lawmaker, for a duration of 45 days. Cassif had allegedly made a connection between the Holocaust and the current government policy during times of war.

Aida Touma-Sliman, another lawmaker from the party, was suspended for two months for a social media post. The post read: “Testimonies from Al Shifa hospital: bombed operating rooms, the smell of phosphorus in the air, of 48 surgeons only 7 remained, live shooting of the displaced ‘in the humanitarian corridors.’ And they still insist here: 'the world's most moral’ army does not harm innocents and does not attack hospitals!”

For Israelis now openly critiquing their government's policies, the surprising intensity of the backlash they encounter may be disconcerting.

Yet, it shouldn't come as a surprise, given Israel's historical suppression of Palestinian voices opposing the occupation and advocating for freedom.

The restrictions on Palestinian freedom of expression dates back to at least the Arab-Israeli war in 1967, when Israel occupied the West Bank, Golan Heights and Gaza and imposed a military occupation that continues to deprive Palestinians of basic civil rights.

Human Rights Watch explains that since the 1967 occupation, Israel has governed through military orders, using them to strip Palestinians of essential civil rights protections.

This has led to the arrest of Palestinian journalists, activists, and others engaged in politics, anti-occupation speech and activism.