Leehee Rothschild was born into an Israeli Jewish family and identifies as an Anti-Zionist and an Anarchist. As a prominent queer activist, she is particularly vocal against “Pinkwashing”—the state’s use of LGBTQ+ rights to deflect from its military occupation. For Rothschild, true liberation is intersectional; it cannot be achieved for one group at the expense of another’s basic human rights.
In academia, Rothschild is a researcher focusing on social structures and identity politics:
- Academic Focus: A PhD researcher at Manchester Metropolitan University, her work explores “Polyamorous and Queer Families in Practice,” examining the intersections of law, parenting, and state violence.
- Literary Contributions: She is a frequent contributor to +972 Magazine and Mondoweiss, and author of the blog “Radically Blonde.” Her writing bridges the gap between complex political theory and the lived realities of grassroots resistance in the West Bank. By 2026, she is recognized as a leading voice documenting the internal Israeli dissent movement.
Rothschild is renowned for her commitment to direct action and her leadership in radical grassroots groups:
- Anarchists Against the Wall (AAtW): For years, she has spent her weekends in the West Bank, standing with Palestinian villagers against the separation barrier. Her activism has resulted in multiple detentions, interrogations by security forces, and a high-profile raid on her Tel Aviv home.
- Boycott from Within: She is a key member of the Israeli movement supporting the BDS campaign. She argues that international pressure is a necessary catalyst for change when internal political avenues have been systematically closed.
Rothschild’s advocacy is rooted in a profound sense of moral responsibility. At a 2025 human rights summit, she remarked:”As a Jew born with privileges built upon the dispossession of others, supporting the boycott is my way of renouncing that privilege and insisting on universal equality.” Regarding the erosion of civil liberties within Israel, she has noted:”The more the state attempts to criminalize dissent through ‘anti-boycott’ laws, the more it peels off its own mask of democracy. If a society’s sense of security requires the suffocation of another people, that security is itself a form of tyranny.“