The Sound of Silence

Talking with a former Israeli soldier about his time in the territories

by Doron Taussig

shovrimshtika.org

Arnon Degani was drafted into the Israeli Defense Forces at the age of 18. In 2000, during the second Intifada, he was stationed in the city of Jenin, in the West Bank. His assignment there was to enforce a blockade — no one in, no one out.

Degani was disturbed by what transpired. He witnessed, and participated in, the inhumane treatment of large numbers of people, because — and this is a key point — there was no other way to carry out his orders. He invaded innocent people's homes. He hit people. He pulled guns on old women, making them cry, all in the name of keeping control of the occupied city.

Today, Degani belongs to "Breaking the Silence," a group of former IDF soldiers who are making it their mission to spread the word about what happens in the occupied territories (since usually, as he says, "what happens in the territories stays in the territories"). Their goal is not to influence policy, or castigate soldiers, but simply to announce to Israeli society: If you want an occupation, you should know that this is what it looks like.

An exhibition of the soldiers' words and pictures is on display at the University of Pennsylvania's Rotunda, at 4014 Walnut St., until Feb. 24. Here are a few excerpts from City Paper's conversation with Degani.

More images at shovrimshtika.org

On closing off an entire city:

"At the time, you have to remember, there were major suicide bombings. It was thought this is a measure needed to secure [Israel]. But in order to close off a city... how would you close Philadelphia and all the people living in the suburbs? That's impossible. You have to have soldiers every 10 feet. People have to go to work, people have to go to the hospital, market."

On an aggressive man he dealt with at a blockade:

"[He had] urgent needs, I don't know what it was. Could have been a doctor appointment. ... He comes up to me. It's menacing. There's a lot of Palestinians, only four soldiers, and we can't let them go through. Obviously these people aren't suspected of terrorism. It's a crowd wanting to do their daily lives. So finally, I get really pissed off, and annoyed, and a bit frightened, and I grab the guy hard, and I cock my weapon and I aim it to his face, and I say get back. And he got back, he withdrew. So, this is how you uphold this kind of closure."

On what he expected before being stationed at Jenin:

"I didn't really know, but I thought that everything would make sense, I thought that — no, you can cross that out. I didn't know what to expect. But I was going to fight terrorists, I was going to do my share, and [I felt assured] that I'd be part of the good guys, and that IDF was the most moral army in the world. I didn't think I'd have this feeling, that I've done something wrong."

On the relationship between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians:

"One time I had this blockade, whether it's arbitrary or not, I don't know. One time a student was looking at me straight in the eyes, just tearing but not losing it, and I really felt how she is morally stronger than I am. I am weaker and weaker [in] this standoff. And even though at the end she backed down from this stare-off, I really felt how she is getting stronger and stronger and I am getting weaker and weaker."

On what being an occupier does to soldiers:

"For me it's important to emphasize, I don't consider us to be the biggest victims in this situation. Obviously the Palestinians under our boots are. But it's also important to know what we have to go through. Obviously we're not the biggest victims here, but we are the type of victims who can produce some more empathy from Israeli society. Palestinians and Israelis are enemies, there's no arguing to that. But the moral price that the Israeli soldiers are paying should be put on the table."

On the response that his group has received from Israeli society:

"Mixed. Very few say that we are lying. We've had commanders in the upper echelons of IDF agree with us. Some of the antagonism is that we're cleaning the dirty laundry outside. When people say that, this kind of argument, they're admitting that something is dirty. Some people genuinely believe in Israel's right to continue its control. ... Some people are willing to pay that price. They say, 'I understand, and in order to impose a certain status where Jewish citizens live among Palestinian non-citizens, in order to maintain this situation, I'm willing to do all this.' Then he's accepting it, but at least he's aware."

Breaking the Silence, through Feb. 24, Rotunda, 4014 Walnut St., therotunda.org.