Elik Elhanan
Co-founder of the Israeli-Palestinian group Combatants for Peace
Elik Elhanan served in a special forces unite in the Israel Defense Forces from 1995 – 1998, serving extensively in south Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza. In 1997, his 14-year old sister was killed by a suicide bomber in Jerusalem.
Elik is also a military refuser. He joined Courage to Refuse in 2002 and in 2005 was a co-founder of the Israeli-Palestinian group Combatants for Peace. Elik served as the Israeli director of the group in 2006-7.
Besides Combatants for Peace, Elik’s peace activism included many other initiatives and organizations. A longtime member of the Parents Circle-Families Forum, Elik joined following his father Rami Elhanan in 2000. in 2012 Elik participated in the attempt of the Swedish boat S/V Estelle to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza.
Elik received his Phd in Middle East studies from Columbia University and is currently teaching at CITY COLLEGE NEW YORK
