Amir Haskel

Haskel was born in Jerusalem, the eldest of parents who immigrated from Poland. The families of both his parents emigrated to Israel before World War II. When he was younger, his family moved to Tel Aviv where Haskel attended Elharizi Elementary School and later attended Geula Highschool. Haskel was a member of the Aviation Club and later on, followed in his pilot cousin's footsteps and volunteered for pilots' training.[1] Haskel began his service in the Air Force's helicopter training course and later transferred to reconnaissance and training as a transport pilot. During his training course, the Yom Kippur War broke out, during which Haskel assisted with marking, inquiring, and battle prepping.[2] Haskel served as a Hercules pilot in the 131 squadron and took part in Operation Solomon to airlift the Ethiopian Jews of Beta Israel from Sudan to Israel.[3] During his service Haskel commanded a Hawkeye squadron, the 103 Squadron between 1992-1994, Sde Dov Air Base between 1995-1997 and Air Base 27, the Air Force's heavy transport base, between 1997-1999. Between 1999-2002, Haskel commanded the Human Resources division.

As commander of the Human Resources division, Haskel, along with the IDF's Head Education commander, Elazar Stern, initiated the "Edim B'Madim" (Witnesses in Uniform) program - The IDF's Delegations to Poland, and headed the first delegation of IDF officers in 2001.[4] His first trip to Poland lasted five days and was a meaningful event in his life. He returned with the resolve to deepen his knowledge about the Holocaust, with the question as to how it came to pass that in civilized Germany, amidst the 20th century, such an event as the Holocaust occurred. Following his retirement from the IDF, Haskel underwent a training course for guides to Poland at Yad VaShem and dedicated his time to studying the Holocaust. The first two delegations he instructed were youth delegations, during which he felt, in his words, that teenagers are not ready for a journey such as this, some "do not connect" and others experience it too harshly. In December 2004, Haskel was invited to guide IDF delegations by the headmaster of the school for the instruction of the Holocaust at Yad Vashem, Moti Shalem. Haskel visited Poland about seventy times, mainly with IDF delegations. Haskel published three books about the Holocaust, among which was a book about the German Righteous Among the Nations and also a book about Jews who rebelled against the Nazis.[5] According to Haskel, his deep understanding from his studies about the Holocaust is the tendency of most human beings to stand idly by and about the danger in standing idly by.[6]

In October 2016, Haskel began to protest against prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, claiming that he is leading towards a bi-national state, is not furthering peace and security,[7] is "tearing Israeli society apart", and derailing Israeli democracy using "anti-democratic legislation and attacking the press and gatekeepers". As one of the first in the "Individual Protests", Haskel protested for four years on his own and with a handful of others at various junctions, mainly at the entrance to his hometown of Yavne.

On June 11th, 2020, Haskel joined Ori Nachman, who had been protesting for days near the Prime Minister's residence in Jerusalem, and, with inspiration from the George Floyd Protests, initiated the "Sabbath Protests at Balfour". Haskel was joined by members of the "Individual Protest". On June 26th, 2020, police came to break up a protest at Balfour Street with a few dozen protesters and arrested Haskel, who was giving a speech, claiming that protesters were blocking off the road.[8] Haskel was arrested along with two others. They were offered to be released in exchange for a commitment to never return to Balfour Street, but they refused. The day after Haskel's arrest, hundreds marched towards the Russian Compound, where Haskel and the others had been detained. On Balfour Street, the number of protesters had reached a thousand.[9] On the following Sunday morning, Haskel was released by the detainee judge without preconditions.[10] In the days which followed, the number of protesters continued to rise and on July 14th, a protest of thousands of people was held and was attended for the first time by youth protest movements. This event is what sparked the current wave of protests against Benjamin Netanyahu.

Haskel resides in Yavne, is married to Alisa, a teacher, and the two have four children.[1] Haskel has a Masters Degree in political science from the University of Haifa and also studied at the United States Air Force Academy.[11]

• Haskel, Amir (20 January 2014). The Warden of Block 11 (Paperback). Contento Now. p. 274. ISBN 978-9655502602. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
• Giborim Regilim (Regular Heroes): About the German Righteous Among the Nations - (2014)
• Al Zicharon V'Shichacha: HaMikre Shel Zorin, Bielski V'Anilevish (About Memory and Forgetfulness: The Zorin, Bielski and Anilevich Affair) - (2016)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Amir Haskel.

• Amir Haskel on Twitter
• HELLER, ARON (29 June 2020). "A quiet Israeli ex-general emerges as new hero for anti-Netanyahu camp". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
• Goldman, Paul; Smith, Saphora (2 August 2020). "Israeli writer Amir Haskel emerges as a symbol of anti-Netanyahu protests". NBC News. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
• Morag, Gilad (27 June 2020). "The Pilot and the Holocaust Researcher Who Became the Symbol of the Protests Against Netanyahu" (in Hebrew). Ynet. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
• Lazar, Dan (15 December 2018). "Making Sure the World Doesn't Change Him - Amir Haskel Protests at the Intersections" (in Hebrew). Davar. Retrieved 5 December 2020.