The Young Communist League of Israel (Hebrew: ברית הנוער הקומוניסטי הישראלי, romanized: Brit HaNoar HaKomunisti HaYisra'eli; Arabic: اتحاد الشبيبة الشيوعية الاسرائيلي or for short: YCLI[1], Hebrew: בנק"י, Arabic: ا.ش.ش.ا) is an Israeli communist and anti-zionist youth movement. YCLI are a part of the Young Communist League (YCL). they serve as the youth wing of the Israeli Communist Party (Maki). YCLI are also a part of the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY) and even participated in its establishment between 1942 and 1945.[2]
| Young Communist League of Israel | |
|---|---|
 YCLI members in Nazereth, International Workers' Day 2023 | |
| Secretary General | Mina Ala Al-Din |
| Founded | 1924 |
| Headquarters | Nazereth, Israel |
| Ideology | Socialism, Communism, Anti-Zionism, Environmentalism, Feminism, Internationalism |
| Mother party | Maki |
Members of the group operate in Nazereth, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other cities across the country. They're also a part of the Anti-Occupation Bloc.[3]
Traditions
editYCLI's symbol features the hammer and sickle, a well-known communist emblem representing the solidarity of the proletariat. It also incorporates the red star associated with the communist ideology.[1]
The movement shirt is a white button-up shirt adorned with a red triangular tie. It was traditionally worn by movement members during special events such as the May Day,[4][5] Victory in Europe Day marking the defeat of the Nazis, as well as at YCLI and Maki conferences, among others. Similar movement shirts are a common feature in most communist youth organizations.[6]
History
editThe movement was established as a resistance movement in April 1924 by young activists aligned with the Palestine Communist Party (PKP).[7][8] Its primary goal was to establish an organization dedicated to educating and mobilizing communist youth. The movement included both Jewish and Arab members, emphasizing on coexistence and solidarity across ethnic lines.[1]
Unlike other socialist youth movements in Israel at the time, the Young Communist League of Israel never identified as Zionist. The movement viewed Zionism as a nationalistic and colonialist ideology that led to the displacement of the majority of the Palestinian population during what is now known as the Nakba. Their anti-Zionist stance often resulted in divisions and conflict, especially between them and the British that suppressed communist activities at Mandatory Palestine at the time.[9][10][11][12]
Even after Israel's establishment, YCLI remained a communist Jewish-Arab movement advocating for Palestinian right of return[1], opposing military operations targeting Palestinian, and calling for an end to discrimination between Jews and Arabs.[13] However, internal divisions weakened the movement over time and caused splits.[14]
In 1967, YCLI members opposed the Six-Day War and the Israeli occupation, and they maintain this opposition to this day.[15][16][17]
Omar Sa'ad, a member of YCLI, was imprisoned in December 2013 for refusing to enlist to the Israel Defense Forces.[18][19]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Statement of the Young Communist League of Israel (August 2011) | Communist Party of Israel". Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ "ראיון עם המזכירה הכללית של הנוער הקומוניסטי הקובני | המפלגה הקומוניסטית הישראלית" (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ הדרך", מערכת "זו (2023-01-29). "רבבות הפגינו נגד שלטון הימין ברחבי הארץ; הוקם 'הגוש נגד הכיבוש'". זו הדרך (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ "19th Congress of the Young Communist League of Israel | Communist Party of Israel". Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ "May Day: Thousands demonstrate in Tel Aviv, Haifa, Nazareth and Beer-Sheva for workers' rights | Communist Party of Israel". Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ "תנועת "ברית הנוער הקומוניסטי הישראלי" (בנק"י)". נוסטלגיה אונליין.
- ^ לאלו, עידן סלוצקר ויהלי סער (2024-07-03). "ברית הנוער הקומוניסטי הישראלי מציינת 100 שנות פעילות". זו הדרך (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ "ברית הנוער הקומוניסטי הישראלי מציינת 100 שנות פעילות | המפלגה הקומוניסטית הישראלית" (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ Irfansyah, Azhar (2018-11-04). "The Internal Historical-Dialectics Process behind Peace Advocating Agenda of Israeli Communist Party". Islam Bergerak. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ "Reunion of The Young Communist League of Israel - MoBY-Museums of Bat Yam" (PDF). ArtForum.
- ^ Livio, Oren (2010). "Reds, white and blue: The dialectical construction of Zionism through the communist other in the Israeli press, 1948-1976". Journalism. 11 (5): 549–566. doi:10.1177/1464884910373535. ISSN 1464-8849.
- ^ "Communist Youth Leader: "This Government of Netanyahu is a Betrayal of the People's Mandate" | Communist Party of Israel". Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ "'A nation that occupies other nations cannot be free': Young Communist League of Israel". Challenge Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ "The Palestinians and the Israeli Communist Party". Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question – palquest. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ "Jewish-Arab Demonstration in Tel-Aviv Marks 54 Years of Occupation | Communist Party of Israel". Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ "Police Order Not to hold an Anti-occupation Protest in Tel-Aviv | Communist Party of Israel". Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ "Communist Party of Israel: The nation-state law is a fascist step towards Apartheid". Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ "Young Communist Omar Saad Imprisoned for Resisting Conscription in Israel". Young Communist League of Britain. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ Konrad, Edo (2014-06-19). "Druze conscientious objector Omar Sa'ad released from military service". +972 Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-16.