• JEWISH Solidarity has issued the following statement:

The loss of life on all sides in the violence in Palestine / Israel in recent weeks is a tragedy but as UK Jewish organisations we feel with special intensity the horror of Israel’s use of brutal force on Palestinians.

It reminds us that Israel’s 50-plus years of illegal rule over the Occupied Palestinian Territories is maintained only by the threat and the actual application of lethal violence.

The occupation and Israel’s now internationally recognised practice of apartheid across historic Palestine are at the root of the recent bloody upsurge.

But the immediate causes included the saga of the progressive eviction of Palestinians from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah to make way for Jewish settlers, and the aggressive violation by security forces of the Al Aqsa Mosque compound during the holy month of Ramadan.

Destruction and death have yet again been visited on Gaza and right-wing mobs have been allowed to attack Palestinians across Israel.

The majority of the UK’s Jews has for years been deeply concerned by Israel’s policies and actions towards the Palestinians.

Yet the Board of Deputies of British Jews has still not managed a word of criticism of Israel’s violent and deadly assaults on the Palestinian people.

This deafening silence once again undermines their claim to speak for UK Jews.

FREE SPEECH ON ISRAEL
INDEPENDENT JEWISH VOICES
JEWISH NETWORK FOR PALESTINE
JEWISH VOICE FOR LABOUR
MANCHESTER JEWISH ACTION FOR PALESTINE