NEW YORK – Today, T’ruah, a rabbinic human rights organization that represents over 2,300 rabbis and cantors and their communities in North America, spoke out against actions taken by the Israeli government moving toward full annexation of the West Bank. An agreement was signed by the Minister of Defense and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also serves in the ministry of defense, giving the latter far-ranging administrative power over settlements.
Rabbi Jill Jacobs, executive director of T’ruah, released the following statement:
“The transfer of broad administrative authority over the West Bank from the military commander of the occupied territories to Bezalel Smotrich effectively constitutes de jure annexation of the territory, in direct violation of international law. This is a dramatic change that essentially turns Smotrich into the governor of the West Bank, and it would be dangerous to allow it to pass unnoticed.
“Through a new Settlements Administration division within the Ministry of Defense, Smotrich will have power to approve the construction of new settlements and to acquire new land for settlement expansion. The agreement also provides for deepening Israeli sovereignty over the Green Line by expanding the Knesset’s direct legal authority over Israelis living in settlements, thus formalizing the two-tier legal system that already exists there. By transferring primary power over the West Bank into Israeli civilian, rather than military hands, Israel is declaring sovereignty over the territory, thus committing an act of de jure annexation.
“It is no surprise that Smotrich declared the day the agreement was signed as a ‘holiday for the residents of Judea and Samaria.’
“This move is part of a broader effort by this government to drastically expand settlements, and to evict Palestinians from large swaths of Area C, the part of the West Bank under full Israeli security and administrative control, in order to put facts on the ground that will make the establishment of a Palestinian state virtually impossible. In the same week, The Israeli Civil Administration approved the construction of more than 7,000 new settlement units. Earlier this month, the government moved to legalize nine outposts, considered illegal under both Israeli and international law. At the same time, Israel continues to demolish Palestinian homes and other structures, including in Masafer Yatta, where more than 1,000 residents are under threat of eviction.
“In the Bible, when the people demand that the prophet Samuel grant them a king, he warns them that any such king will seize their property, send their children to war, and otherwise make the people serve his personal desires. The prophet warns, ‘The day will come when you cry out because of the king whom you yourselves have chosen.’ (I Samuel 8:18) This warning echoes through the centuries, as Netanyahu’s government selfishly seizes more power and undoes vital human rights protections.
“T’ruah calls on American Jewish organizations to speak out loudly and clearly against the de jure annexation of the West Bank, including in public statements and in every meeting with Israeli officials. We call on these organizations, as well as the Biden administration, to refuse to meet with Smotrich during his upcoming visit to the U.S. and to let it be known that his extremist views are unwelcome and unacceptable. Furthermore, in its relationship with the Israel government, the Biden administration must set clear redlines with real consequences to meaningfully oppose annexation and settlement expansion.The time for gentle admonitions has passed. We must be vigilant in stopping moves like this one that violate human rights and prevent long-term peace.
T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights mobilizes a network of more than 2,300 rabbis and cantors from all streams of Judaism that, together with the Jewish community, act on the Jewish imperative to respect and advance the human rights of all people. Grounded in Torah and our Jewish historical experience and guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we call upon Jews to assert Jewish values by raising our voices and taking concrete steps to protect and expand human rights in North America, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories.