Veteran Fasted, Arrested Protesting Gaza Conflict
Air Force vet concludes 40-day fast, demands action.
Following a 40-day fast protesting the U.S. role in the Gaza conflict, recently separated Air Force veteran Joy Metzler was arrested in New York City along with 28 other veterans and allies during a demonstration outside the Israeli Consulate.
Decision to Protest
Metzler, now a member of Veterans For Peace, left the Air Force after filing as a conscientious objector, citing the atrocities being committed with U.S. tax dollars and military manhours.
Her separation was approved on April 25, 2025.
The fast was the brainchild of former VFP executive director Mike Ferner and Phillip Tottenham. Their initial protest targeted the U.S. Mission to the UN, decrying the famine impacting Palestinians. Metzler immediately volunteered.
Details of the Fast
The fasters aimed to pressure the U.S. to permit humanitarian aid to Gaza under UN authority and halt weapons shipments to Israel. The group agreed to consume only 250 calories daily, mirroring the average daily intake of Palestinians as indicated by an Oxfam study.
Metzler managed the team’s social media, arranged interviews, and participated in daily protests outside the U.S. Mission.
Challenges and Setbacks
The fasters faced multiple challenges. As the weeks passed, participants experienced exhaustion. Ferner was hospitalized with critically low potassium levels. They also learned that the U.S. vetoed a resolution calling for humanitarian aid and a ceasefire, despite the UN General Assembly’s call for peace.
Other events that impacted the group included the abduction of the Madleen and the violent suppression of the global march to Gaza by Egyptian authorities,
plus the Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran.
Culmination: Protest and Arrest
On the 40th day, fasters blocked the street outside the Israeli Consulate while reading the names of children killed by Israel. Mike covered the front of the U.S. Mission in blood. Twenty-nine people were arrested, including veterans, Jewish Voice for Peace activists, and other supporters.
Impact and Future
While their demands were not immediately met, Metzler believes the fast achieved its goals by sparking conversations and expanding to include almost 800 participants worldwide. She stated that the fast reminded the U.S. Mission workers and UN diplomats that we, as world citizens, stand with Palestine.
According to the World Food Programme, nearly 1 million people in Gaza are facing catastrophic levels of hunger as of June 2024, highlighting the urgent need for increased aid and sustained efforts to address the crisis (WFP).
Metzler asks, The question now is how to keep the movement going, and who will take the torch now?
adding that the situation in Gaza demands continued disruption, boycotts, and strikes.
She concluded with a call to action: End the genocide, end the apartheid, and free Palestine!
