Jewish and Israeli figures urge world leaders to act over ‘unconscionable’ Israeli acts in Gaza
Hundreds of prominent Jewish figures and Israelis have called on the UN and world leaders to hold Israel accountable for its actions against Palestinians in Gaza.
In an open letter released on Wednesday, 460 signatories - including former Israeli officials, Jewish artists and intellectuals - urged heads of state to address "the underlying conditions of occupation, apartheid and the denial of Palestinian rights" absent from the current ceasefire agreement.
The letter is the first coordinated appeal of its kind since the ceasefire came into effect on 10 October.
Signatories include Canadian author and activist Naomi Klein, former Israeli peace negotiator Daniel Levy, actors Ilana Glazer and Hannah Einbinder, and Oscar-winning directors Jonathan Glazer and Yuval Abraham.
Addressed to the UN secretary general, the letter called on world leaders to uphold international law, halt arms sales and impose sanctions, as well as ensuring the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
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Signatories further urged leaders to reject accusations of antisemitism targeting those campaigning for peace and justice.
“Our solidarity with Palestinians is not a betrayal of Judaism, but a fulfilment of it,” they emphasised.
“When our sages taught that to destroy one life is to destroy an entire world, they did not carve exceptions for Palestinians.
"We shall not rest until this ceasefire carries forward into an end of occupation and apartheid.”
The letter reflects a marked shift in public opinion for US Jews and the electorate more broadly. A recent poll by the Washington Post found that 61 percent of American Jews believe that Israel has committed war crimes in Gaza.
'A moment of rupture'
Signatory and former Knesset speaker Avram Burg told Haaretz that: "We have reached a moment of rupture," and that Israel "stands in conflict with my deepest human and Jewish values."
In August, Burg, who also formerly headed the Jewish Agency and World Zionist Organisation, had issued a call to Jews across the globe to file an appeal to the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of crimes against humanity in Gaza.
While expressing relief at the implementation of a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, the letter's signatories warned that it is “fragile”, and fails to address escalating settler violence in the occupied West Bank.
“Israeli forces remain in Gaza, the agreement makes no reference to the West Bank, the underlying conditions of occupation, apartheid and the denial of Palestinian rights remain unaddressed,” the letter reads.
The year 2025 saw a record surge in settler violence across the occupied West Bank, with the pace of settlement activity rocketing since October 2023.
According to the latest UN figures, some 3,200 Palestinians have been wounded in settler attacks across the West Bank this year.
The UN also documented 71 settler attacks within a single week in October.
At least 68,216 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza since October 2023, with another 170,361 others wounded.
According to a Palestinian government office, Israel has committed 80 violations of the ceasfire since it was implemented on 10 October, killing 97 people and wounding 230 more.
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