Aviv Geffen, who did not sign the artists' petition calling to "stop the atrocities in Gaza," has surprisingly spoken out against the letter’s content. When asked by Ynet why he withheld his signature, the singer explained that he refuses to criticize even a single soldier fighting for the country’s security.
“I’m all in favor of ending the war—for the sake of returning all the hostages,” Geffen said in an interview with Ynet. “But I oppose that letter, which has already been signed by over a thousand cultural figures. The way it’s worded, it reads as if Israel is the criminal party in Gaza—and that’s simply not true. I’m not willing to sign something like that.”
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Geffen’s exemption from military service made headlines in the past, but in recent years he received approval to volunteer on army bases and has since taken a firm public stance in defense of the military. “The IDF is a moral army, and beyond that, it’s made up of amazing human material—our sons and daughters. I’ve stood at too many graves with families who lost their entire world in a moment.”
The singer, who has frequently voiced opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government, did not hold back this time either. “The war has indeed become political and pointless—just a way to preserve Netanyahu’s rule,” Geffen declared. “And still, I won’t back down or speak against even one soldier who is fighting for Israel’s security.”
The artists’ letter, revealed on Sunday in Yedioth Ahronoth, reads: “We, cultural and artistic figures in Israel, find ourselves—against our will and against our values—complicit as citizens in the horrific events in the Gaza Strip: the killing of children and civilians, starvation, forced displacement, and the senseless destruction of Gaza’s cities. We call on all those responsible for shaping and executing this policy—stop! Do not give illegal orders, and do not follow them! Do not commit war crimes! Do not abandon human morality and the ethical foundations of Judaism!”
Among the signatories are Geffen’s sister, the cultural figure Shira Geffen, and her partner, author Etgar Keret. Other signers include singer Chava Alberstein, Gidi Gov, Oshik Levi, Sasson Gabai, Alon Oleartchik, and hundreds more from across Israel’s cultural sector. Among the artists who have rejected the letter, is "Fauda" star and singer, Idan Amedi, who was seriously injured while serving as a reservist in Gaza.