UK Jewish Leaders Call for gaza Ceasefire Amid Humanitarian Crisis
London, UK – Prominent UK Jewish leaders have joined a growing chorus calling for an immediate end to the conflict in Gaza, citing the escalating humanitarian crisis and its impact on both Palestinian civilians and the Jewish community. The co-leaders of Progressive Judaism, Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Rabbi Josh Levy, released an open letter last Friday stating that the “deepening humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza is “not in our name, and not in line with the Judaism we teach, live and pass on.” They emphasized that the situation is “not just a political moment, it is a moral and religious one.”
The Board of Deputies of British Jews, through its president, Russell Bagel, also voiced concerns. While supporting a two-state solution, Bagel stated that the UK government’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state without a negotiated agreement “risks putting gestures ahead of substance.” The Board’s “primary concern regarding the government’s declaration is to avoid empowering or rewarding Hamas, or giving it incentives to continue evading a ceasefire.”
The statement from the Board of deputies further articulated the community’s strong opposition to certain actions and rhetoric from Israeli ministers. It highlighted the rejection of “appalling rhetoric and unacceptable proposals from some Israeli ministers, notably in relation to the forced displacement of Gazans, and also the intolerable violence perpetrated by extremist settlers in the West Bank,” asserting that these actions are “in complete contradiction to our values.”
The ongoing conflict in Gaza is reportedly taking a notable toll on Israeli citizens and the UK Jewish community, exacerbated by what the Board described as the “unacceptable proliferation of hatred and discrimination directed at Jews in this country.”
