Prominent Jewish Voices Demand Sanctions Against Israel, Citing ‘Unconscionable’ Actions in Gaza
A growing chorus of prominent Jewish figures worldwide is calling for international sanctions against Israel, alleging its actions in Gaza constitute genocide. Over 450 signatories – including former Israeli officials, acclaimed artists, and leading intellectuals – have added thier names to an open letter demanding accountability for Israel’s conduct in Gaza, teh occupied West Bank, and east Jerusalem.
The letter’s release coincides with a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday, were reports suggest proposals for sanctions related to human rights violations are being shelved. This timing underscores the urgency felt by the signatories, who argue that the international community must act decisively.
“We have not forgotten that so many of the laws, charters, and conventions established to safeguard and protect all human life were created in response to the Holocaust,” the letter states.
“We bow our heads in immeasurable sorrow as the evidence accumulates that Israel’s actions will be judged to have met the legal definition of genocide,” the letter reads.
This appeal reflects a important shift in public opinion, particularly among US Jews. A recent Washington Post poll revealed that 61% of US Jews believe Israel has committed war crimes in Gaza, with 39% stating they believe Israel is committing genocide. Broader public sentiment is also trending in this direction, with a Brookings Institution poll finding 45% of Americans believe Israel is committing genocide, and a Quinnipiac survey in August showing half of US voters agree, including 77% of Democrats.
Further amplifying the call for action are signatures from Israeli conductor Ilan Volkov, playwright V (formerly Eve Ensler), American comedian Eric André, South African novelist Damon Galgut, Oscar-winning journalist and documentarian Yuval Abraham, Tony Award winner Toby Marlow, and Israeli philosopher Omri Boehm.
The letter powerfully asserts that “Our solidarity with Palestinians is not a betrayal of Judaism,then,but a fulfillment of it. 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.”
As October 7, 2023, the Gaza health ministry reports at least 65,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 167,000 injured. The UN estimates roughly 90% of Gaza’s population is internally displaced. A fact-finding mission conducted by US Democratic senators Chris Van hollen and Jeff merkley in September concluded that Israel is implementing “a systematic plan to destroy and ethnically cleanse Palestinians from Gaza,” with the United States complicit in these actions. Their report detailed widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, the weaponization of food, and systemic obstruction of humanitarian aid.
The fragile 10 October ceasefire has been repeatedly violated.The Palestinian news agency reports 80 ceasefire violations and at least 80 Palestinian deaths in the past 11 days.Israel’s military, in turn, accuses Hamas of violations, citing the killing of two israeli soldiers in Rafah and delays in the return of hostages’ bodies.
The public letter also criticizes the ceasefire’s silence regarding the West Bank, where settler violence continues unabated and the underlying conditions of occupation remain unresolved. According to the latest UN humanitarian office report, over 3,200 palestinians have been injured in West Bank attacks this year, with the UN documenting 71 settler assaults in a single week in October. A recent incident captured on video showed a 55-year-old woman hospitalized after being attacked by a masked settler while picking olives.
Investigations into settler violence yield minimal results, with the Israeli civil rights group Yesh Din finding that only 3% of cases investigated between 2005 and 2024 led to convictions. The situation was further complicated when Donald Trump lifted limited sanctions on violent settlers and settler groups previously imposed by Joe Biden.
The ICJ is expected to issue a new ruling this week clarifying Israel’s obligations in the occupied territories, building upon its july 2024 non-binding advisory opinion that deemed the occupation unlawful.However, reports indicate that EU foreign ministers are reconsidering sanctions, despite findings from the bloc’s diplomatic service suggesting “indications” of Israel breaching its human rights obligations under the EU-Israel association agreement.
