Israel/Occupied Palestine: Interview with Hila Slutsky from the youth group TIGRE

Israel/Occupied Palestine: Interview with Hila Slutsky from the youth group TIGRE

Internationalist Socialist League (RCIT-Section in Israel/Occupied Palestine), April 2014, www.thecommunists.net and www.the-isleague.com

Please tell us something about you (name, age, profession, etc.) and your motivation to do revolutionary work?

I am Hila Slutzky, 16 years old, high school student from Israel. There are things about our society in Israel that are unjust and irritating. I can't stand the fact that people are not treated as equals in this country and all around the world. Especially, I am bothered by racism against Arabs, Christians, Muslims and Jews who are "different" from what is considered the elite. I personally went through extreme oppression as a woman. It makes me feel very sad and aggravated whenever I am exposed to ethnic or chauvinist discrimination. I simply know how it feels and don't want anybody else to feel this way.

After my discussions with Boris from the ISL I realized that our society is ruled by the extremely rich bourgeoisie. The democratic "game" is rigged in their favor. That is why all attempts at changing this reality of oppression end up in failure or in the best cases - very poor and dissatisfying results. Capitalist society has done a lot to eliminate or minimize old forms of oppression, but it is stuck and it is failing us human beings, especially the oppressed, who wish to move forward and abolish all forms of oppression.

I am also vegan and cannot stand the oppression of animals. I know that only in a socialist democratic society it will be possible to end all relationships of oppression between human beings and other conscientious beings as well as the planet which we all inhabit.

What would you say are the most urgent political issues in your country today?

The two most urgent political issues in Israel today are the economic austerity measures enforced by the right-wing government as well as the criminal oppression and occupation of the Palestinian people.

What are your experiences until now with oppression (as woman, as adolescent, etc.)?

I have been raped for the first time at the age of 12 (by an Israeli), and then again at 15 (by a Palestinian). The friends of the first rapist responded to my complaint to the police by harassing me and called me a whore. The police started the investigation of the first rape only 6 months after and the rapist got 6 months community service. However, I refused to press charges against the Palestinian rapist because the police detective harassed me and tried to put a lot of pressure on me to do that. I realized that his motivations were racist and I didn't want to give him the satisfaction. Most of all, I am greatly disappointed of the criminal and legal system and its negligence in defending women.

As an adolescent I am being daily oppressed by my parents who hate my political views and lifestyle choices. They don't let me speak of my views and opinions on anything, not just politics, at home and around my extended family. They tell me that I am an embarrassment to our family. I am forced, then, to be politically active in secret. My mom regularly goes through my stuff and my facebook account. Also, my refusal to endorse what I consider barbaric and discriminatory religious practices cause regular mental abuse from my extended family.

What would you like to achieve? What would you like the youth organization “TIGER” to achieve?

I would like to establish a strong youth as well as adult revolutionary socialist organization in my home town. This organization must work to join both Israelis and Palestinians in struggle for the liberation of workers and oppressed groups in this city. I realize that local activism is not enough and that all of humanity and its fate is connected. Nobody is free until all are free. Therefore I seek guidance and the experience of revolutionaries all around the world.

Do you have any final comments?

I am especially in need of theoretic guidance, mainly to clear up phrases and concepts. It seems that socialists use the same language but mean different things and that is very confusing. I wish to thank the RCIT comrades who wrote '100 Questions and Answers about Socialism'. I read it together with Boris a little bit every time we meet.