NEW YORK — As Israeli election results continue to be finalized and a government has not yet been formed, Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, issued the following statement:
“The emerging election results point to a clear desire among the majority of Israeli voters for a change in leadership and an end to the Netanyahu era.”
“As we wait for every vote to be counted and for a governing coalition to be formed, we are filled with stubborn hope and trepidation. The consequences of this election will be enormous for millions of Israelis and Palestinians. Yesterday, we saw historic numbers of Palestinian citizens heading to the polls. It’s clear today that the only way forward is a partnership between Jews and Palestinians.
“In this uncertainty, the one thing we can hold onto is our own commitments. We will continue to work with Israelis and Palestinians on the ground toward a future where Palestinians have the same right to freedom, dignity and self-determination as Israelis. We will continue to pressure the next government to restore democratic norms, end the war in Gaza, halt settlement expansion, reverse steps taken toward annexation, end the state-backed campaign of displacement in the West Bank, and hold violent settlers accountable. There is a lot of work ahead.
“Our Jewish tradition demands that we challenge injustice regardless of who holds political power. We will continue holding Israel’s leaders accountable until Israelis and Palestinians can live in safety, freedom and equality.”
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About T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights brings the Torah’s ideals of human dignity, equality, and justice to life by empowering our network of over 2,300 rabbis and cantors to be moral voices and to lead Jewish communities in advancing democracy and human rights for all people in the United States, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories.