Special: Witnessing and Resistance — Yuli Novak on Justice and Human Rights

In this episode, I speak with Yuli Novak,
Executive Director of B’Tselem, Israel’s leading
human rights organization documenting and opposing state violence
and apartheid in the Palestinian territories. Yuli is among the
few public voices in Israel who continue to insist on
accountability and equality as civil society faces unprecedented
pressure.


Before joining B’Tselem in 2023, she served as Executive Director
of Breaking the Silence, leading the publication
of soldiers’ testimonies from the occupied territories — work
that made her a frequent target of political attacks. Her memoir
Who Do You Think You Are traces her journey from Israeli Air
Force officer to outspoken critic of militarism and Jewish
supremacy.


In our conversation, Yuli explains why B’Tselem has now named
Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide, and
describes how decades of occupation and apartheid have created a
society increasingly desensitized to violence. She also reflects
on becoming a parent during this political moment and how
personal responsibility fuels her activism.


We discuss international solidarity, the shrinking space for
dissent, and the role queer and feminist activism can play in
resisting systems of domination.


Guest: Yuli NovakHost: Shai
Hoffmann


Links:


https://www.btselem.org/node/215035


https://www.medico.de/blog/wenn-nie-wieder-jetzt-ist-20208


https://www.spiegel.de/ausland/israel-menschenrechtsorganisation-begruesst-deutschen-lieferstopp-a-90bd7e19-07e0-4396-8851-664f5dc202e6


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9eASwQIq40


https://www.theguardian.com/profile/yuli-novak


Special thanks to OFEK: The Israeli Center for
Public Affairs, Jordi Kuragari (video snippets), Lea Volz and 365
Sherpas (editorial), Simon Eichinger (post-production).


This podcast is a project by Gesellschaft im Wandel
gGmbH and funded by the Robert Bosch
Stiftung.


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