Omri Ronen (social activist)
Omri Ronen | |
|---|---|
| עמרי רונן | |
.jpg) | |
| Born | May 24, 1992 |
| Occupation | lawyer |
| Organization | Brothers and Sisters in Arms |
| Known for | social activism |
Omri Ronen (עמרי רונן; born May 24, 1992) is an Israeli lawyer and social activist who is one of the leaders of the Brothers and Sisters in Arms protest. Ronen is one of the most prominent faces of the protest, and has participated in demonstrations, speeches, and media interviews, including on the American program "60 Minutes", where he emphasized the importance of the Supreme Court as the last line of defense of Israeli democracy.[1][2]
Biography
[edit]Ronen was born in Kfar Aza to Zlil and Idit Ronen. As a child, his family moved to Kokhav Ya'ir Tzur Yigal and he completed his high school education at Ami Assaf School. Ronen volunteered for a year of service through the Kibbutz Movement at the Neve Eyal boarding school, which cares for children with disabilities. In the army, he served in the Maglan unit. In 2014, he graduated with honors from the officers' course at the 1st Infantry Division. As part of his military service, he served as a team commander in Operation Shuvu Achim, Operation Protective Edge, and the Iron Swords War. He studied law at Tel Aviv University, which he graduated from in 2021. He interned at the State Attorney's Office in the economic department dealing with government corruption, security offenses, and white-collar offenses.[3][4] In 2024, he was selected to the list of 40 most promising young people under the age of 40 by TheMarker.[5]
Social activism
[edit]Ronen is a graduate of the prestigious StandWithUs Israel Fellowship Program, the flagship program that trains leading students to promote Israel's image in the world. In 2022, he and friends founded the "Yahav-Educators for Zionism" association, which aims to inspire and deepen Zionist identity among young groups through education, ideological clarification, and social action.[6]
In 2023, he began his activities as part of the protest against the judicial reform. He first did so by organizing internally with his military and reserve comrades, and then joined the Brothers and Sisters in Arms organization and became one of its leaders.[5]
During the protest, Ronen announced that he would suspend his volunteering for the reserves if the thirty-seventh Israeli government completed the enactment of the judicial coup laws. In practice, he continued to report for the reserves.[7]
In 2024, Ronen filed a defamation lawsuit against MK Galit Distel-Atbaryan, after she published inflammatory and false statements against him on social media, including claims that he had shed the blood of those murdered on October 7th and that he was an outsider. During that year, Ronen filed other lawsuits against people who made similar statements.[7][8]
The October 7th massacre and rebuilding
[edit]When the Hamas attack broke out on October 7, 2023, Ronen alerted his team before they received a report order and went down to fight in the Gaza perimeter. He arrived with his team to Nir Oz. At the same time, Ronen waited for a sign of life from his grandmother Nira Ronen, who lived in Kfar Aza. Two days later, Ronen was informed that his grandmother had been murdered by Hamas terrorists along with her caregiver in her home. The terrorists left a letter declaring their intentions.[9] He continued to serve in the reserves for an additional 230 days.[10]
Reconstruction project in Kfar Aza
[edit]Ronen initiated the first Zionist-Pioneering construction project since the October 7 attacks, the renovation and reconstruction of 16 housing units in Kibbutz Kfar Aza. The project was carried out voluntarily by thousands of volunteers and donors who are citizens of the State of Israel and was handed over to the kibbutz in April 2025. The project is a joint initiative of the kibbutz together with "Rebuilding", which is a social implementation arm of Brothers and Sisters in Arms.[11][3]
Personal life
[edit]Ronen is married to Tamar, a medical intern, and father of one child. The family lives in the central district of Israel.
External links
[edit]
- Stahl, Lesley (17 September 2023). "Netanyahu's push to weaken Israel's Supreme Court divides nation". 60 Minutes. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
References
[edit]- ^ Azulay, Moran (1 August 2024). "Leaders of 'Brothers in Arms' on IDF's readiness for massacre: 'It has nothing to do with us. This is a claim by the poison machine'". Ynet (in Hebrew). Ynet. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ Stahl, Lesley (17 September 2023). "Netanyahu's push to weaken Israel's Supreme Court divides nation". 60 Minutes. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ a b Lukatch, Ilan (13 April 2025). ""We didn't wait for anyone": The initiative of Brothers in Arms activists to rehabilitate Kfar Aza" (in Hebrew). Hevrat HaHadashot. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ Yechiel, Yanai; Fogelman, Shai (20 June 2024). ""They sent us to Nir Oz, but we arrived too late. The feeling of missing out never leaves me"" (in Hebrew). Haaretz. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ a b Reuven, Yifat (1 January 2025). "Omri Ronen: The Desperation Moves Aside" (in Hebrew). TheMarker. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ "Eye To Zion" (in Hebrew). Yahav.
- ^ a b Rubenstein, Roy (11 July 2024). "Distel to Brotherhood in Arms activist whose grandmother was murdered on 10/7: "You led them to the slaughter, your hands are stained with blood"". Ynet (in Hebrew). Ynet. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ Glikman, Aviad (15 July 2024). "Omri Ronen to MK Distel: "You have spilled my blood; apologize or I will sue"" (in Hebrew). Channel 13. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ Zuri, Matan (4 February 2024). ""Die, and you will not remain here": The letter left by Hamas terrorists in the home of Nira who was murdered in Kfar Aza". Ynet (in Hebrew). Ynet. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ Tzuri, Matan (2024-02-04). "'You'll die, and you won't stay here': Hamas terrorists leave menacing message behind". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2025-04-19.
- ^ Benita, Maya (12 January 2025). ""After more than a year of the state not touching the kibbutz, we decided to renovate Kfar Aza"". Ynet (in Hebrew). Ynet. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
