Palestine

Michal Deutsch and her partner Matanel Ciechanowski are among the most determined and well-known activists in the protest movement demanding an end to the war and the release of hostages.

The couple, who live in Jerusalem, were founding members of the organization "Changing Direction" and dedicate their lives to various causes, paying a heavy price along the way: Both have been arrested dozens of times for their protest activities. "We refuse to accept the paralysis that gripped us after October 7 again," Ciechanowski says. "We must not fall asleep again."

They originally established "Changing Direction" to fight for climate justice and animal rights. When the judicial coup began in early 2023, the organization joined the student protests and other movements opposing the government's judicial reforms. When the war broke out on October 7, Deutsch and Ciechanowski were among the first to demonstrate for the return of the hostages, and among the first to link an overthrow of the governing coalition with their release.

"From a very early stage, we have said everyone must be returned and the government must be replaced. Families feared joining this message because they worried it might delay the deal," Ciechanowski explains. He adds, "The fight to bring back the hostages is part of the fight for life. It's a critical, urgent component and part of the same cause. To achieve this, we shouldn't narrow the messages but speak broadly: fight to return the hostages, change the government, and stop the war."

As part of their broader activism, the couple has recently protested against the killing of innocent civilians in Gaza.

"We wronged the hostages by not speaking out sooner about the horrors in Gaza," Deutsch says.

"Even those who care only about the hostages needed to speak up because every tool must be used to end the war." Ciechanowski agrees, adding, "We have to talk about what's happening in Gaza — both for the hostages, for the children who shouldn't be dying yet are dying by the thousands, and for the soldiers risking their lives to keep the coalition intact."

After the war with Iran erupted, the two were among the first to resume protests. In the past week, they demonstrated outside the homes of Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, who heads Israel's hostage negotiating team, and Industry and Economy Minister Nir Barkat, who both live in Jerusalem.

“People understand we cannot fall back into the post-October 7 discourse of ‘now is not the time,’” Deutsch says. “Regarding Iran, I try to come from a humble place, admitting I don’t know everything, but I have complete distrust in this government,” she adds. “It’s clear [that] this government doesn’t know how to end wars, and it’s not going to war to build a better future, but to serve its narrow interests.”

Deutsch called on the Israeli public to find a protected space near a minister or Knesset member's home and join protests. "The chance for the future is now — there's no reason to delay going out into the streets," she said.