T’ruah welcomes news of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, after violence that escalated over the weekend and claimed the lives of of at least four Israelis and at least 25 Palestinians since Saturday. This violence did not make Israelis or Palestinians any safer, nor did it advance anyone’s long-term interests. Both parties must work toward a lasting agreement that guarantees the self-determination and national rights of both peoples, and that protects the human rights and security of both.
This Shabbat, as rockets rained down on Israel and the Israeli army responded with bombings of Gaza, we read Parshat Acharei Mot — the Torah portion that begins after the deaths of Aaron’s two sons. Much ink has been spilled by commentators trying to explain the reasons for these deaths. But in the Torah, Aaron responds to this tragedy with silence — no words can capture the pain of his enormous and incomprehensible loss. Today, we are also acharei mot — after the deaths of more Israelis and Palestinians, killed in another round of violence that will bring us no closer to a long-term solution. Like Aaron, we must focus not on justifying these deaths, but on mourning the loss of every human life, and on becoming rodfei shalom, pursuers of peace.
T’ruah condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the rocket attacks against Israeli civilians. Targeted attacks on civilians, such as these, are a clear violation of international human rights law. Our hearts are with our Israeli friends and families who have spent the last day running to bomb shelters, and with the families of those who have been killed by rocket fire.
We also mourn the deaths of those killed in Gaza, who include civilians and unarmed protesters. Israel must abide by its international human rights obligations to avoid harming or killing civilians, and to refrain from directing live fire at unarmed protesters. Hamas and Islamic Jihad must also refrain from putting their own civilians at risk by firing rockets from densely populated areas.
In the short term, immediate actions must be taken to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, in accordance with concessions agreed on following the previous round of violence. No doubt, Hamas, which has demonstrated lack of concern for its own people, including its brutal treatment of protesters in recent months, bears significant responsibility for the crisis. But Israel ultimately controls the perimeter of Gaza, including controlling fishing rights and movement of people and goods in and out of the region. Israel must take immediate steps to alleviate this crisis, and to ensure that the people of Gaza — the majority of whom wish to live their lives in peace (and the majority of whom were not even old enough to vote for Hamas in 2006), do not suffer in impossible conditions.
The Israeli and U.S. administrations are already pointing to the latest barrage of rockets as proof that a two-state solution is impossible, and as evidence of the impossibility of negotiating with the Palestinians. But one does not make peace with one’s friends. Nor will endless cycles of violence bring Israel more security.
We call on the Israeli leadership, the Palestinian leadership, and the U.S. administration to have the courage to pursue a long-term solution built on a commitment to the self-determination and human rights of both Israelis and Palestinians.
T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights mobilizes a network of more than 2,000 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.
To learn more or to speak with T’ruah Executive Director Rabbi Jill Jacobs, contact Julie Wiener at jwiener@truah.org or (212) 845-5201.