Breaking the Silence. Israeli soldiers telling the truth.

from http://www.shovrimshtika.org
Breaking the Silence is an organization of veteran combatants who served in the Israeli military during the Second Intifada and have taken it upon themselves to expose the Israeli public to the routine situations of everyday life in the Occupied Territories. The organization endeavors to stimulate public debate about the price paid for a reality in which young soldiers face a civilian population on a daily basis, and are engaged in the control of that population's everyday life.

Soldiers who serve in the Territories witness and participate in military actions which change them immensely. Cases of abuse towards Palestinians, looting, and destruction of property have been the norm for years, but are still excused as military necessities, or explained as extreme and unique cases. Our testimonies portray a different, and much grimmer picture. While this reality is known to Israeli soldiers and commanders, Israeli society continues to turn a blind eye, and to deny that which happens in its name. Discharged soldiers who return to civilian life discover the gap between the reality which they encountered in the Territories, and the silence which they encounter at home. In order to become civilians again, soldiers are forced to ignore what they have seen and done. Breaking the Silence voices the experiences of these soldiers, forcing Israeli society to address the reality which it has helped to create.

The organization collects and publishes testimonies from soldiers who have served in the West Bank and Gaza since September 2000, and also holds lectures, house meetings, and other public events which bring to light the reality in the Territories through the voice of former combatants. Breaking the Silence also conducts tours in Hebron and the South Hebron Hills region, all with the aim of allowing the Israeli public access to the reality which takes place in its own back yard, yet is rarely portrayed in the media.

Founded in March 2004 by a group of soldiers who served in Hebron, Breaking the Silence has since acquired a special standing in the eyes of the public and in the media, as it is unique in giving voice to the experience of soldiers. To date, the organization has collected more than 700 testimonies from soldiers who represent all strata of Israeli society and cover nearly all units that operate in the Territories. All the testimonies we publish are meticulously researched, and all facts are cross-checked with additional eye-witnesses and/or the archives of other human rights organizations also active in the field. Most soldiers choose to remain anonymous, due to various pressures from official military persons and society at large.

We work because we wish to raise awareness and bring about change. We demand accountability regarding Israel's military actions in the Occupied Territories perpetrated by us and in our name.