Interview conducted by Greek libertarian journal Aftoleksi with Jewish anarchist Ilan Shalif. Born in 1937, Shalif can be described as the living history of anarchism in Israel. He was a member of the Israeli socialist organization Matzepn. After the breakup of Matzpen, Shalif continued his activities, participating in other initiatives in Israel, such as Anarchists Against the Wall and the now defunct anarchist federation Ahdut [Unity]. Despite his old age, he remains firm in his political ideas and continues his activism. He has authored numerous articles on direct democracy and antiauthoritarianism, as well as a fictional novel entitled 'Glimpses Into the Year 2100 (50 years after the revolution)' - a story about life in a future direct-democratic society.
The collusion between police and right-wing groups to indict veteran activist Jonathan Pollak is an alarming escalation that threatens all Jewish dissidents.
The arrest of anti-Zionist activist Jonathan Pollak could indicate a significant escalation in the Netanyahu government’s crackdown on those who resist Israeli colonization.
This article originally appeared in “The Landline,” +972’s weekly newsletter. Subscribe here. A few days after it became clear that Israelis had elected a far-right, Jewish supremacist government, I spoke to some Palestinian activists at an olive harvest in the occupied West Bank. Despite the grim mood among the left in Tel Aviv, where I live,…