Israeli soldiers watch as settlers near the settlement of Ma’on carry sticks and threaten Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists.
Jacob Magid writes in Times of Israel, “Seven liberal-leaning, American Jewish organizations released an open letter calling on Israel’s top leaders to take “unequivocal action” to stop “ongoing terrorism and political violence committed by Jewish Israeli extremists in the West Bank against Palestinians, Israeli civilians, and IDF soldiers.” “We urge the entire Israeli government to unite in strong condemnation against these acts, to work decisively to hold those responsible accountable and to confront the growing threats posed by these extremists with the determination and seriousness that this grave situation requires,” they wrote.”
“The letter was signed by the Anti-Defamation League, the Central Conference of American (Reform) Rabbis, the Israel Policy Forum, the National Council of Jewish Women, the (Conservative Movement’s) Rabbinical Assembly, the Union for Reform Judaism, and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. It was addressed to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett as well as Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Defense Minister Benny Gantz.”
“The letter represented relatively rare rhetoric by mainstream pro-Israel organizations who seem to be losing patience over ever-escalating settler violence and the Israeli government’s failure to quash it out. It notably avoided using the word “settler,” though, in an apparent effort to reach consensus among as many signatories as possible. At the same time, it goes as far as to call the attacks “terrorism and political violence committed by Jewish Israeli extremists.” (more…)