Rabbinical group requires stopping offensive army assist to Israel

(RNS) — A rabbinic human rights group has signed on to an announcement calling for an finish to offensive army assist to Israel in mild of the nation’s continued blocking of humanitarian assist to the ravaged Gaza Strip.

The group, T’ruah: The Rabbinic Name for Human Rights, made clear it doesn’t favor an finish to all army assist. It nonetheless helps defensive army assist to Israel, such because the Iron Dome, the missile shields that intercept short-range rockets.

However right now, it’s against additional offensive weapons corresponding to these decimating the Gaza Strip, the place up to now greater than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed with bombs and munitions which have helped to flatten the enclave and left tens of 1000’s homeless.

“Offensive weapons are protecting the battle going, inflicting horrific injury to Palestinians,” Rabbi Jill Jacobs, T’ruah’s chief government, advised RNS. “It’s not protecting Israelis protected, definitely not getting the hostages again.”

On Oct. 13, the Biden administration warned Israel that if it continued blocking humanitarian assist it could represent violations of worldwide legislation and will quantity to battle crimes. It gave Israel 30 days to extend the quantity of assist allowed to enter Gaza. However that deadline got here and went final week and the Biden administration didn’t observe up on its menace.

Final week, eight assist businesses, together with OXFAM, Save the Youngsters and Refugees Worldwide, issued a joint assertion saying Israel had didn’t adjust to each the U.S. calls for and the obligations below worldwide legislation to facilitate satisfactory assist to Gaza. A United Nations-backed panel warned final week that famine was imminent within the northern Gaza Strip.

Now, organized gangs look like stealing a lot of the assist Israel permits into the enclave, presumably with the passive safety of the Israel Protection Forces, the Washington Submit reported.

Palestinians line up for meals in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on March 12, 2024. (AP Picture/Fatima Shbair)

Becoming a member of T’ruah’s assertion had been Individuals for Peace Now and J Avenue, the liberal American Jewish group devoted to a two-state answer. The three, along with others, are a part of the Progressive Israel Community.

J Avenue’s assertion mentioned it favors withholding “sure” offensive arms transfers. The group, whose “pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy” stance displays the place of most American Jews, issued an announcement Monday (Nov. 18), calling on U.S. senators to vote for a decision of disapproval on arms gross sales to Israel.

The decision was filed by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who’s Jewish. On Monday, in an op-ed within the The Washington Submit, Sanders mentioned the U.S. authorities “should cease blatantly violating the legislation with regard to arms gross sales to Israel.”

The battle in Gaza started in response to the Oct. 27, 2023, Hamas assault inside Israel that killed about 1,200 folks and took 250 hostages.

T’ruah and J Avenue have supported Israel’s proper to defend itself on this battle, and for months into the 14-month battle, the teams solely known as for a negotiated cease-fire, not like another teams on the left, corresponding to Jewish Voice for Peace or If Not Now, which known as for a direct cease-fire with no circumstances and an finish to U.S. army assist. These latter teams seek advice from the battle as a genocide, a phrase that neither T’ruah nor J Avenue have used.

In her assertion, Jacobs cited Israel’s former protection minister, Yoav Gallant, who was fired by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this month. Gallant mentioned there was no motive for Israel to stay in Gaza and that it had achieved its goals.

“I concern we’re staying there simply because there’s a need to be there,” Gallant was quoted as saying.

Jacobs, whose group T’ruah contains about 2,300 U.S. rabbis, mentioned the current assertion was per the group’s ongoing help for following worldwide legislation.

“One piece of U.S. legislation is that international locations can’t block humanitarian assist,” Jacobs mentioned. “There shouldn’t be a double normal for Israel.”