Amplification is critical for the Israeli war resisters
Newsletter of the Refuser Solidarity Network (RSN)
(16.06.2024) Hey,
Atalya here. I am a refuser who spent 110 days in prison and am RSN’s social media coordinator. Last week, Mattan shared how we assist activists in executing impactful actions to shift Israeli public opinion. This is only part of our support. This week I’d like to talk to you about the work I’m doing to amplify their voices. I’d like to ask you to help us continue this crucial work by donating to our crowdfunding campaign. If you’ve already donated, you can help by forwarding this email to friends and family.
Since October 7th, Israeli resistance has faced persecution and activists have been labeled as traitors and terror supporters. Many felt voiceless, and unable to make an impact. This is why we established our social media platform, “Voices Against War” (VAW).
Running VAW has been incredibly meaningful for me. It has transformed how I interact with fellow activists and deepened my connection with my community. As our platform grows and our posts gain more attention, activists know we provide a platform that does not edit or manipulate their words, unlike traditional news outlets that have their own interests. They know I will be there to film, upload and accurately convey their messages. It is incredibly fulfilling to be someone they can rely on. Amplification is critical in activism; the more people hear about the actions, the greater their impact. It allows people to take a stand, support the activists, and join the resistance from around the world.
My main goal is to ensure people know Israelis against the war and apartheid exist. It’s frustrating that many find it easier to view all Israelis as genocidal maniacs. Stories about Israelis being inherently bad tend to go viral more easily, overshadowing the complex reality that there are people here who oppose the genocide in Gaza. It’s crucial to highlight this complexity, also because of those who believe that opposing Israel’s actions is antisemitic or illegitimate.
When I started working with RSN last October we only had a few hundred followers on social media. Now, we have nearly 50,000 followers across Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and our newsletter’s reach has almost doubled. Just this past month our posts reached over 2.4 million people, making VAW the largest social media platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of Israeli resistance. Our wide reach has brought global attention to many actions and has been vital in supporting our community and linking us with activists abroad.
Two weeks ago, we launched our crowdfunding campaign and felt your support—thank you. This week, I’m asking for your help to sustain our work for the next six months. We aim to raise $30,000 to continue growing our efforts, amplify Israeli resistance voices and inspire global solidarity against the genocide. You can donate here. If you’ve already donated, you can help by forwarding this email to friends and family.
Our presence is essential, especially now when things feel stagnant and never-ending. It’s important to show that resistance from within Israel is possible.
We’ve reached this point because of you, and our community, and we can only continue with your support.
In solidarity,
Atalya Ben-Abba
Social Media Coordinator
Refuser Solidarity Network
Atalya Ben-Abba, Amplification is critical for the Israeli war resisters. Newsletter of the Refuser Solidarity Network (RSN). Sent via email on June 16, 2024. https://mailchi.mp/refuser/the-problem-is-not-a-specific-soldier-it-is-the-entire-army-refuser-solidarity-network-17979097
Keywords: ⇒ Antimilitarism ⇒ Conscientious Objection ⇒ Conscription ⇒ English Material ⇒ Israel ⇒ Militarization ⇒ Military ⇒ Objectors Report ⇒ Peace Movement ⇒ USA