Jewish Democrats Agains Annexation of West Bank
Some of the most prominent and respected names in British Jewry have raised alarm over the Israeli regime'south plans to annex parts of the W Depository financial institution, maxim such a motility would be an existential threat to Israel.
Among more than than forty signatories of an unprecedented letter to the Israeli administrator to the UK are Sir Ben Helfgott, 1 of the best-known Holocaust survivors in U.k.; the historians Sir Simon Schama and Simon Sebag Montefiore; the quondam Conservative foreign secretarial assistant Sir Malcolm Rifkind; the lawyer Anthony Julius; the philanthropist Dame Vivien Duffield; the scientist Lord Robert Winston; the former MP Luciana Berger; the Times columnist Daniel Finkelstein; and the author Howard Jacobson.
Their letter to Mark Regev, carrying "business organization and alarm" about the pledge by Israel'due south new coalition government to extend its territory over swaths of the West Bank, is the latest indication of mounting ailment amid British Jews over the program.
The signatories say their concerns are "shared past large numbers of the British Jewish customs, including many in its current leadership, fifty-fifty if they choose not to limited them".
The letter says: "Nosotros are yet to see an statement that convinces us, committed Zionists and passionately outspoken friends of Israel, that the proposed annexation is a effective step. Instead, it would in our view be a pyrrhic victory intensifying State of israel's political, diplomatic and economic challenges without yielding any tangible benefit.
"Information technology would have grave consequences for the Palestinian people well-nigh obviously. Israel's international continuing would besides suffer and it is incompatible with the notion of Israel as both a Jewish and democratic state."
The move would be seen every bit bear witness of Israel'due south rejection of a negotiated peace settlement involving the creation of a Palestinian country alongside the Israeli state. This would inflame tensions locally and crusade regional destabilisation, the letter says.
"The impairment to State of israel's international reputation … volition be enormous," the letter says, pointing out that the Britain government has said it will oppose the looting plan, and that the proposed move would eternalize calls for boycotts and sanctions against Israel.
"The impact on diaspora Jewry and its relationship with the state of Israel would also be profound. The British Jewish customs is an overwhelmingly Zionist community with a passionate commitment to Israel. We proudly advocate for Israel but have been helped in doing then past State of israel's status as a liberal democracy, defending itself every bit necessary but committed to maintaining both its Jewish and democratic status.
"A policy of looting would call that into question, polarising Jewish communities and increasing the divisive toxicity of contend within them, but besides alienating large numbers of diaspora Jews from engaging with Israel at all. Under these circumstances, the commitment to State of israel that has been such a vital gum in sustaining and uniting Jewish communities, likewise an nugget for Israel, will decline."
The letter adds: "If asked to make the instance for West Depository financial institution annexations, withal, we will non be able to practice and so."
The policy "not merely lacks merit, simply would pose an existential threat to the traditions of Zionism in Britain, and to State of israel as we know it".
The letter of the alphabet comes later the Lath of Deputies of British Jews rejected demands that it condemn the proposed annexation of parts of the West Depository financial institution, maxim: "We don't take sides in Israeli politics."
Last month, more than 500 Jewish students and youth move members called on the board to speak out against unilateral annexation. Their letter was followed by another signed by hundreds of "British Jews who support Israel's right to thrive every bit a Jewish and democratic state", including 10 rabbis and the Labour peer Jeremy Beecham. It said: "The board's statements of support for a two-state solution are worth nix if the board fails to speak up confronting a unilateral move of annexation."
More than 3 dozen deputies, or representatives, to the umbrella system also called on the lath to condemn the plan.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/05/israel-west-bank-annexation-plans-condemned-leading-british-jews
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