History
In 2004, Avichai Sharon, Yehuda Shaul and Noam Chayut exhibited a series of photographs and written accounts from IDF soldiers who had served in the city of Hebron. The three were motivated by a desire for Israel to "confront the truth about its policies". The exhibition was attended by thousands and the organization has since become a vehicle for serving and ex-service personnel of the IDF to record their testimonies, attracting hundred of members.
Shaul, who served with the IDF Nachal unit’s 50th battalion in Hebron by completing two tours of duty, is the executive director of BtS. Mikhael Manekin is director of BtS. The organisation's main aim is "to break the silence and taboo surrounding the behaviour of Israeli soldiers in the Palestinian territories".
The organization has had a hostile response from the Israeli establishment since 2004. Government pressure particularly increased after the group disclosed confessions from soldiers who took part in the Gaza bombing in 2008-09.
In May 2011, 24 former soldiers of the IDF provided testimonies describing the "neighbor procedure". The neighbor procedure uses Palestinian civilians as human shields to protect soldiers from suspected booby traps or attacks by militants. Some of the testimonies described the daily harassment at military checkpoints and deliberate ransacking of homes.
Read more about this topic: Breaking The Silence (non-governmental Organization)
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