By Retired U.S. Army Colonel Ann Wright, World BEYOND War, March 27, 2024
Israeli military young men and women are not the first to have recurring nightmares of what they have seen and done. They are not the first to dissolve into the abyss of war.
American military from World War I, World War II, the war on Viet Nam, the wars on Iraq and Afghanistan have suffered from the ghosts of those wars. 20 U.S. military commit suicide each day from the effects of those wars.
The Israeli military and the Israeli society is already suffering the effects of their genocide of Gaza, with 32,000 Palestinians dead, 70,000 injured, thousands under the rubble and a million starving to death…. at their hands and on their conscience.
Israeli military suicides are increasing.
As Israeli military members return home, domestic violence in military families Is increasing.
AWOL rates in the Israeli military are increasing.
The number of high school graduates refusing to enlist in the Israeli military is increasing.
Israeli citizen outrage on the actions of their military is increasing.
Disquiet among the 100.000 Israelis displaced from their homes on the border with Lebanon is increasing.
As a warning of Israeli citizen outrage, flights of motorized Hamas-style gliders above the Prime Minister’s house are increasing.
Members of the Netanyahu cabinet are resigning.
The “rock solid” alliance with Israel’s forever ally the United States is crumbling.
The Ghosts of the children of Gaza are coming each night to the people of Israel.
The Ghosts of Gaza are whispering each night into the ears of the Israeli military…
and to the citizens of Israel…
and to the people of the world….
Stop the Bombing, Stop the Killing, Stop the Genocide….
About the Author: Ann Wright is a retired US Army Colonel and a former US diplomat. She has been to Gaza eight times. She is the co-author of “Dissent: Voices of Conscience.”
2 Responses
As the author points out, this rise in violence by active and ex-military toward their families and themselve is typical. However, no sources for this information about this kind of violence by the IDF is presented, which is a glaring omission. I wonder if the author could provide and indication of sources?
Thanks for the comment. I have used references below as well as my intuition and knowledge of the results of conflicts after 29 years associated with the US military of what happens to military personnel and their families in war situations.
Here are several articles that I used in writing the article.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/domestic-violence-exacerbated-by-wartime-raising-concerns-over-looser-gun-policies/
https://en.irna.ir/news/85332074/Suicide-tendencies-rise-among-Israeli-soldiers-amid-Gaza-war
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/dangerous-stasis-israels-northern-border-leaves-evacuees-limbo-2024-01-11/
AWOLS and Desertions
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hyjnrksvp
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israeli-army-to-imprison-soldiers-deserting-from-regular-military-service-reserves/3063948
Early study on US AWOLS
https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA407801.pdf