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Nomika Zion is an Israeli social and political activist best known for co-founding kibbutz Migvan and peace organization Other Voice.^[1]^[2]

Life

Zion was raised on a kibbutz, the third generation of her family to do so.^[1]

Zion co-founded Migvan, an urban kibbutz in Sderot, in 1987.^[1]^[3]^[4]

In December 2006, Zion spoke at a demonstration in Tel Aviv in support of ending Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.^[5]

In January 2008, in response to the Gaza War, Zion founded Other Voice, a group comprising Israelis living near the Gaza Strip who oppose violence in the region.^[2]^[6]

In 2009, Zion published several pieces criticizing the Gaza War, which gained her national attention.^[2]^[7]^[8] Zion and Gazan obstetrician Izzeldin Abuelaish were co-recipients of the Survivor Corps' Niarchos Prize for Survivorship in April 2009.^[2]

Zion continued to criticize Israeli military violence against Palestinians, including the 2012 Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip^[9] and the 2014 Gaza War.^[10]

As of 2014, Zion was the head of the Yaakov Hazan Center for Social Justice at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute.^[11]

Zion was in Sderot when it was attacked by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023.^[12] She hid for over 24 hours, leaving the city on October 9.^[12] In an interview with La Vie on October 10, she said that she was still in survival mode and unable to fully analyze the situation, but expressed fear that the Israeli government would invade the Gaza Strip, saying "it's a trap...only discussion and nonviolent solutions can change things".^[12] She reiterated this position the following day.^[13]

Personal life

Zion is Jewish,^[10] and the granddaughter of Israeli politician Yaakov Hazan.^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Constantinoiu, Marina (2018-09-20). "Urban kibbutzim plant seeds for improving city life". ISRAEL21c. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Harris, Ben (May 8, 2009). "Tragedy, pain, and empathy across the Israeli-Palestinian divide". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on November 17, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
^ "Are "Urban Kibbutzim" the Key to Maintaining Post-COVID-19 Family Life?". Architectural Digest. 2020-07-30. Archived from the original on 2023-11-17. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
^ ^a ^b Sheleg, Yair (August 28, 2008). "Urban Legend". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 2024-09-03. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
^ "A Different Voice from Sderot By Nomika Zion". PIJ.ORG. Archived from the original on 2023-11-17. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
^ Whitten, Michaela (2014-11-26). "Life in occupied Palestine". Lacuna Magazine. Archived from the original on 2023-11-17. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
^ Zion, Nomika (2009-02-13). "War Diary from Sderot". HuffPost. Archived from the original on 2023-11-17. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
^ Zion, Nomika (2009-01-13). "Huit ans de violence, qui n'ont mené à rien, ne nous ont-ils pas appris la vanité de la force ?". Le Monde.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 2023-11-17. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
^ Margalit, Avishai; Zion, Nomika (January 10, 2013). "It's Not Just About Fear, Bibi, It's About Hopelessness". ISSN 0028-7504. Archived from the original on 2023-11-17. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
^ ^a ^b Aubry, Arnaud (2014-07-15). ""Pourquoi nous n'avons plus d'empathie pour Gaza"". La Vie.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 2024-09-03. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
^ Prince-Gibson, Eetta (2014-07-30). "Against the grain: Israeli group calls for dialogue with Gaza". Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 2023-11-17. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
^ ^a ^b ^c Aubry, Arnaud; Gambert, Charlotte (2023-10-10). "Attaque du Hamas : La colère des militants pour la paix entre Israël et Palestine". La Vie.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 2024-09-03. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
^ Boileau, Josée (2023-10-11). "Les héros de la paix". L’actualité (in Canadian French). Archived from the original on 2024-09-03. Retrieved 2023-11-17.