Antimilitarist and feminist voices from Israel: New Profile’s annual report is out

New Profile, an Israeli antimilitarist and feminist organisation, and a member of the War Resisters’ International network, has just published its Annual Report. The report outlines the group’s work over the past year, including their efforts to end the genocide in Gaza, support conscientious objectors, and promote a demilitarised society in Israel. You can read the full introduction below, and download the full report here.

The genocide in Gaza, carried out by the Israeli military, is still an ongoing reality. The lives of Palestinians in Gaza are under immediate threat, as the military continues daily bombings and blocks the entry of food, medical supplies, and other essential commodities into the Strip.

Six months ago, in January 2025, we published our public statement on the genocide in Gaza. We invite you to read it and, if you find it meaningful, share it within your communities. You can find the full English version here, and a summary in Arabic here.

In 2024 and throughout the first half of 2025, we have continued to firmly resist this deadly reality from within the heart of the society that enables it. We are confident that our work at New Profile is more relevant and vital than ever, and we remain committed to resisting for as long as necessary. In a country that proclaims, again and again, that there is “no other choice” and that “the sword must devour forever,” we remind our society, and the world, that there is always another path. War and bloodshed are not a god-given reality. A different future, a just and prosperous one for all, is possible.

The violence carried out by the Israeli military extends well beyond Gaza. In the West Bank, both soldiers and settlers continue to intimidate, attack, and forcibly displace Palestinians, while also targeting and destroying civilian infrastructure. Meanwhile, Israel has entered the second week of its military campaign in Iran, a campaign that has already resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties and includes direct strikes on civilian institutions. Though the expansion of hostilities into Iranian territory may not be surprising, it underscores, once again, the urgent need for diplomatic, just, and sustainable solutions in Israel, Palestine, the Middle East, and beyond. We are teetering on the edge of a regional war that could rapidly escalate into a global conflict, at a time when the threat of nuclear catastrophe looms larger than it has in decades.

We once again call for an immediate end to the genocide and urge the international community to intervene to stop the atrocities being committed by Israel in Gaza and across the region.

Over the past 20 months, we have witnessed the accelerated and extreme militarization of nearly every aspect of life in Israel, amid a broader context of genocidal fervor, relentlessly fueled by media and political elites.

This is evident in almost every public space, physical and digital. Train and bus stations, public benches, and walls are covered with stickers featuring images of soldiers killed in service, often accompanied by quotes calling for continued violence against Palestinians, some using explicit genocidal rhetoric. These messages appear on signs, advertisements, in healthcare clinics, government offices, schools, universities, commercials, and even bus announcements displaying the official war slogan: “Together we will win.”. Public officials routinely make speeches and social media posts that both glorify the military and explicitly call for genocide.

Television, radio, and print media continue to broadcast reports glorifying the military’s actions and highlighting stories of battlefield heroism, while Palestinian casualties receive minimal or no coverage at all. On social media, both mainstream and alternative news outlets celebrate military operations, while comment sections overflow with genocidal calls. As we shared in our last annual report, the government’s continued mass armament of Israeli civilians, driven by the easing of firearm regulations and the widespread mobilization of reservist soldiers, has led to a significant increase in visible weaponry in public spaces.

This proliferation of weapons in the civil space has been noted by the Gun Free Kitchen Tables Coalition, of which New Profile is a member. Between 2021 and 2023, gun homicides in Israel doubled, with Palestinian citizens, who make up only 20 percent of the population, accounting for 91 percent of the victims. In 2024, women's homicides reached a record high, with nearly one-third killed by guns, all of them Palestinian. This rise in violence coincided with a 40 percent increase in privately licensed firearms and a sharp growth in the number of individuals armed by civilian organizations.

In 2024, we have also witnessed the intensification of repression against internal dissent in Israel. Protests calling for a ceasefire or an end to the genocide, as well as more mainstream demonstrations advocating for a captives exchange deal, are often met with heavy police and military violence and arrests. Palestinians in Israel have been arrested en masse for social media posts critical of the state, military, or genocide.

Educators and academics who publicly challenge the genocidal status quo have been detained or institutionally punished. Dissenting voices in media and political discourse have been publicly vilified, especially those who condemn Israel’s actions or support conscientious objection. Meanwhile, new policies in parliament seek to restrict left-leaning organizations from accessing funding, filing legal appeals, and participating in democratic opposition.

We have not been immune to this repression. New Profile activists have had their devices hacked, our website has faced repeated cyberattacks, and right-wing protesters have attempted to disrupt our events, though these efforts were thwarted by our careful planning. Our activists also continue to receive regular threats on our social media and other platforms.

New Profile is an explicitly anti-militarist, feminist political movement. We work to counter the militaristic and patriarchal impact of the military on the lives of women, Palestinians, marginalized Jewish Israelis, and Israeli society at large. Our work includes our Counseling Network, Education and Outreach programming, the Database of Israeli Military and Security Exports, and our ongoing research initiatives.

From the team at New Profile, we sincerely wish our partners, supporters, and friends a year of good health, peace of mind, and a reduced presence of militarism, weapons, and war in our everyday lives.

Nissi and the team at New Profile