Voicing the silence: the naturalisation of violence under the rule occupation

ABSTRACT This article addresses the relevance of Israeli soldier narrations in which they bear witness to human agency under conflict and adversity to call for the end of the occupation of the Palestinian territories. The soldiers, members of the NGO Breaking the Silence, speak up about the occupation, showing the conflicting experiences of military and civilian life in a society that normalises the denial of military human rights violations. By asking Israeli society to listen to their stories, the soldiers’ accounts show how the historic military power in the Occupied Palestine Territories (OPT) has evolved into a naturalisation of violence that generates a radical configuration of intractability, which has transformed the perception and meaning of violence. By framing the soldiers’ accounts in the space fragmentation and securitisation practices, the article argues how the asymmetrical use of force is exerted to manage and control the lives of the Palestinian population. The speech act addresses the ethics of doing something to make a difference in the conflict and the wish to renew social bonds, redefine pride and shame and return a sense of honour, loyalty and self-respect.