Hundreds of prominent Jewish figures and Israelis have called on the United Nations and world leaders to hold Israel accountable for its actions toward Palestinians in Gaza.
In an open letter published on Wednesday, the 460 signatories – who include former Israeli officials, Jewish artists and intellectuals – called on the heads of state to address “the fundamental conditions of occupation, apartheid and the denial of Palestinian rights”, which are left out of the current ceasefire agreement.
The letter represents the first coordinated appeal of its kind since the ceasefire took effect on October 10.
Among the signatories are Canadian author and activist Naomi Klein, former Israeli peace negotiator Daniel Levy, actresses Ilana Glazer and Hannah Einbinder, and Oscar winners Jonathan Glazer and Yuval Abraham.
The letter, addressed to the UN Secretary General, calls on world leaders to respect international law, stop arms sales and impose sanctions on Israel, as well as ensure the unhindered flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The signatories further called on the leaders to reject accusations of anti-Semitism against those who stand for peace and justice.
– Our solidarity with the Palestinians is not a betrayal of Judaism, but its fulfillment – emphasized the authors of the letter.
– When our sages taught that destroying one life means destroying the whole world, they did not make an exception for the Palestinians. We will not stop until this truce turns into the end of occupation and apartheid – they said.
The letter reflects a significant shift in public opinion among Jews in the US and beyond. According to a recent Washington Post poll, 61 percent of American Jews believe Israel has committed war crimes in Gaza.
One of the signatories, former Knesset Speaker Avram Burg, told Haaretz:
“We have reached a tipping point. Israel is now at odds with my deepest human and Jewish values.”
In August, Burg, who previously headed both the Jewish Agency and the World Zionist Organization, called on Jews worldwide to appeal to the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Although the signatories expressed relief at the truce reached between Hamas and Israel, they warned that it is “fragile” and does not resolve the escalation of Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank.
– Israeli forces are still present in Gaza, the agreement does not mention the West Bank, and the basic conditions of occupation, apartheid and denial of Palestinian rights remain intact – the letter reads.
The year 2025 saw a record increase in settler violence throughout the occupied West Bank, with settlement expansion accelerating since October 2023.
According to the latest UN figures, around 3,200 Palestinians have been wounded in settler attacks across the West Bank this year.
The UN also recorded 71 attacks by settlers in one week of October.
At least 68,216 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 2023, while another 170,361 people have been wounded.
According to the Palestinian government, Israel has violated the ceasefire 80 times since it took effect on October 10, killing 97 people and wounding 230 others.
(Vijesti.ba)
