“We Shall Not Be a Party to Their Counsel!”
As human beings, we are shocked and appalled at the mass destruction unleashed by the State of Israel against the people of Gaza in its military operation, following years of Israeli occupation, siege, and deprivation.
As Americans, we protest the carte blanche given Israel by the US government to pursue a war of “national honor,” “restoring deterrence,” “destroying Hamas,” and “searing Israel’s military might into the consciousness of the Gazans.”
As progressives, we reject the same justifications for the carnage that we heard ad nauseam from the supporters of the Second Iraq War: the so-called “war on terror,” the “clash of civilizations,” the “need to re-establish deterrence” – all of which served to justify a misguided and unnecessary war, with disastrous consequences for America and Iraq.
But as Jews of different religious persuasions, from Orthodox to secular atheist, we are especially horrified that a state that purports to speak in our name wages a military campaign that has killed over 1,400 people, a large percentage of them civilians, children, and non-combatants, with little or no consideration for human rights or the laws of war.
While the moral and legal issue concerning Israel’s right to respond militarily in these circumstance can be debated, there is near-universal agreement that its conduct of the military operation has been unjust and even criminal – with only the usual apologists for the Jewish state disagreeing.
As Jews, we stand united with another Israel, the patriarch Jacob, who cursed his sons Simeon and Levi for massacring the people of Shechem in revenge for the rape of their sister Dinah. Like Jacob, “we shall not be a party to the counsel of zealots. We shall not be counted in their assembly. (See Genesis 34. 49: 5-7).
As Jews, we stand united with the Jewish sages who rejected the zealotry of the Jewish “terrorists” at Masada, those who masked ethnic tribalism in the cloak of “self-defense” and “national honor.”
As Jews, we listen not only when the sage Hillel says, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me?” but also when he says, “If I am only for myself, what am I?” Hillel’s closing words also ring true in this hour of decision when a full resolution of conflict is demanded of both sides: “If not now, when?”
Finally, as American Jewish progressives, and as human beings, we condemn Hamas and Israel for violating the human rights of civilians on both sides, although we do not necessarily declare these violations to be morally or legally equivalent. We affirm the rights of both Israeli and the Palestinian peoples to self-determination and self-defense, as we affirm the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
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Signers (affiliation for identification purposes only):
| Rabbi Leonard Beerman Rabbi Arthur Waskow Rabbi Brant Rosen Rabbi Rebecca Lillian Rabbi Haim Dov Beliak Rabbi Efraim Ben-Yakir Cantor Michael Davis Cantor Richard Schwartz Tony Judt, NYU Howard Zinn, Boston Univ. Noam Chomsky, MIT Brian Leiter, Wilson Professor of Law, Univ. of Chicago Daniel Boyarin, UC Berkeley Shaul Magid, Indiana University Irena Klepfisz, Barnard College Adam Rubin, HUC-JIR (Los Angeles) Mark Le Vine, UC Irvine Daniel Garber, Princeton, Philosophy dept. chair Ned Block, Silver Professor, NYU Gideon Rosen, Princeton Matthew Noah Smith, Yale Aryeh Cohen, PhD, American Jewish University Ilya Kliger, New York University Aaron Greenberg, Univ. of Chicago Paul Loeb Alice Rothschild Murray Polner, former editor, Present Tense Larry Yudelson Jerome Slater, SUNY Buffalo Joanne Yaron, World Meretz Chana Bloch, Mills College Marilyn Hacker, CCNY Rita Karuna Cahn, UC San Francisco Nance Goldstein, University of Southern Maine Gordon Fellman, Brandeis Univ. Harry Mairson, Brandeis University David L. Green, University of Illinois Stephanie Sieburth, Duke Priscilla Wald, Duke E. James Lieberman, M.D., George Washington University School of Medicine Norbert Hornstein, University of Maryland David Auerbach, Univ. of N. Carolina, Raleigh Joseph Levine, Univ. of Mass., Amherst Shari Stone-Mediatori, Ohio Wesleyan Univ. Ido Roll, Carnegie Mellon Univ. Philip Wadler, University of Edinburgh Assaf Oron, Univ. of Wash. Clare Solomon, Washington Univ. Judith Norman, Trinity Univ. Steven Bell, Berry College Charles Manekin, Univ. of Maryland Yale Strom, UC San Diego Aaron J. Lercher, Louisiana State University Ira Glunts, Morrisville State College Merle Bachman, Spalding University Arnold Wechsler & Toni Dalton Miriam Simos (Starhawk) Richard Silverstein, Tikun Olam Philip Weiss, Mondoweiss Dan Fleshler, Realistic Dove Dan Sieradski, Orthodox Anarchist Adrienne Cooper Steven R. Shalom, William Paterson University Eric M. Fink, Elon University School of Law Bram Hubbell, Friends Seminary Ilana Abramovitch, Ph.D. | Joel Dansky Richard Deaton Mariani Didyk Pioter Drubetskoy Elana Dykewomon Bacia Edelman Carole Edelsky, PhD Steven R. Edelstein Lynne Eisenberg Liz Elkind David M. Ellis Ph.D Daniel Epstein Anita E. Feldman Andrew Felluss Micah Fenner Sarah Bendiner Fenner Eva Ferrero Raya Fidel George Figdor Daniel Fisher Terry Fletcher Dr. Chris Fox Erwin Franzen Stephen Saperstein Frug Racheli Gai Ellen Garvey Doris Gelbman Myles Gideon Jim Glionna Roberta Gold Mary Goldman Daniel Goldstein Julius Gordon Sarah Gordon Bruce Gould Julie Gozan Jessica Greenbaum Jonathan Grindell Kathy Grisham Sherrl Grosse Yanowitz Rogall Kay Halpern Tony & Hillary Hamburger Lawrence R. Hamilton Peter Handler Wendy Hartley Barbara Harvey Glen Hauer Paul J Heckler Katherine Herman Jacques Hersh Dr. Annette Herskovits Neil Hertz Louis Hirsch Hanna J. Hoffman, PhD Jack Holtzman Rebecca Hughes Nomi Hurwitz Spencer Jarrett Rachel Kahn-Troster Barbara S. Kane, PhD, LCSW Ilene Kantrov Gilda Katz Wendy Kaufmyn Mark Klempner Aimée Kligman Judith Kolokoff Steve Kowit Rebecca S. Krantz, PhD Terry Krieger Anton Kuerti Seth Kulick Judith Laitman Susan Landau Sheldon H. Laskin Betsy Lawrence Mirna Lawrence David Leipziger Jack Leiss Howard Lenow Oded Adomi Leshem Yossi Levanoni Jeremy Levick John F. Levin Michael Levin Rebekah Levin Joan Levitt Mary-Lee Lutz Andy Mager Marsha C. Manekin Richard Manekin Gideon Manning Jacques Marchand Vered Meir Yitzhak Y Melamed Marji Mendelsohn Stefan Merken Alan Meyers Gert Meyers Katya Miller Sherin Miller Susan Miller Daniel Millstone Sarah Anne Minkin Cary Moskovitz Rick Nagin Richard Nanas | Dorothy Naor Jim Newman Germana Nijim Sara Norman Henry Norr Leonard Bruce Novick Diane O’Bannon Elijah Oberman Miller Oberman Abigail Okrent Benjamin Orbach Dr. Stephen Oren Tova Perlmutter Karen Platt Lynn Pollack Dr. Betty Potash Harriet Putterman Avi Rab Steve Raphael Joyce Ravitz Susan Ravitz Deb Reich Dorothy Reik Carole Resnick Avram Rips Mara Rivera Lee Robinson Stewart Robinson Danny Rochman Jennifer Rose Dorah Rosen Penny Rosenwasser Ellen Rosner Sue Rouda Novelle Saarinen Lawrence Saltzman Meg Sandow Linda Siegel Sang Marlena Santoyo Karl Schaffer, PhD Cindy Shamban Wendy Scher Madeline Schleimer Eugene Schulman Kayla Schwarz Erik Schwarzfeld Gerald Seligman Janet Settle Alexander Shalom Alexi Shalom Jessica Shalom Greenberg Lee Sharkey Nance Shatzkin Dr Peter Sheridan Brian S Sherman Meryl Siegal David Siegel Jessica Siegel Rich Siegel Earl Silbar Marc Silverstein Shayna Silverstein Esther P. Simon Jeffrey Sklansky Laura Sklarsky Kathrin Smith Daniel Sniderman Louisa Rachel Solomon Talli Somekh Nicole Witte Solomon Dr. Wendy Elisheva Somerson Doug Sparling Tova Stabin Neta Stahl Aaron Stark Burton Steck Jane Stein Mark Stenzler Mae Stephen Lynne Strieb Danny Stone Robert Stone Shirley Stone Debbie Stone-Bruell Uri Strauss Leslie Sudock Michele Sumka Cecilie Surasky Lois & Cy Swartz Vera Szoke Shana Tabak Doug Tarnopol Amir & Roni Terkel David Tostenson Barry Trachtenberg Theodore Warmbrand Norman Weinstein Tom Weltsch Janis G. White Pat Willis Michael Winograd Robin Winogrond Rachel Farrell Wofsy Bruce Wolman, MD Julie Wornan Ellen Zaltzberg Michael J. Zigmond |
Impressive Richard I’m posting this on my FB page, thank you.
THANK GOD Jewish communities around the world are at last coming to their senses! Killing unarmed civilians, men, women and children with missiles, bombs, chemical phosphorus or a bullet through the head is a criminal act – A WAR CRIME. No amount of propaganda from the Israeli embassy will alter that fact. These atrocities are not done in the name of ordinary Jews and we condemn these acts. Judaism expressly forbids such terrible killings. Please use your voice to get President Obama to STOP THE SALE OF ARMS TO THE MIDDLE EAST NOW – tanks, planes, cluster bombs, white phosphorus and spare parts. Let this inhumane shameful behaviour cease – use your voice!
Richard,
I think you need to get into politics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ7Km7SEZ70
“We affirm the rights of both Israeli and the Palestinian peoples to self-determination and self-defense, as we affirm the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
This is the most important and most potentially effective (and divisive among the progressive community) in the whole statement.
Richard,
Just curious — as the co-author of the statement (with Richard) — I wonder why you find that part of the statement “divisive.” Because it says that the Palestinians, like the Israelis, have the right to self-defense? Shouldn’t that be clear and obvious? Does any nation not have a right to self-defense, especially a nation that has been quite literally defenceless — or at the mercy of the Arab governments — for over 60 years?
You know, the criticisms I have received about the document are from those who say that we went too easy on Israel, and that we did not take a stand against Israel’s going to war in the first place. That is true; we did not. We thought we should focus on Israel’s conduct of the war.
But if you want to know what we feel about the whole business, then read Henry Siegman’s piece, or Richard’s synopsis. Henry is quite correct, in my opinion
I posted this on the Out of Iraq Bloggers Caucus site
http://ooibc.blogspot.com/
I am a Jew, I am not a Zionist. No one in my entire family stands with the zionist leadership of Israel. Bibi will be Israels demise.
I affirm the right of every Jew to get the hell out of Palestinian lands and get back to where they came from.
Karin,
What happens if they came from Israel? You think that all of the Israelis weren’t born in Israel? Most of them were born there. Many of their parents and even grandparents were born there.
Edward Said (a well-known Palestinian) did not believe in uprooting Israeli Jews from Palestine. He said that that would be fighting injustice with injustice.
Salman Abu Sitta (a well-known Palestinian) called for Israel to resettle all the Palestinian refugees. Even he didn’t call for transfer of Israeli Jews from Palestine.
Jerry
Jerry, Jerry, Jerry. Most Israelis were NOT born in Israel. And most have NO ancestry in the Holy Land.
It is true, however, that those Jews who lived in the Holy Land prior to 1948 ought to be allowed to remain there — as long as it is in and on their own property, not stolen property.
How much exactly do you know about Israel? Not much apparently. The vast majority of Israeli Jews WERE born in Israel.
It’s time Jews assimilate like everyone else. Diversity is strength. They can no longer live as separate people. They must meld with all others and shed their Jewishness and culture for the greater good.
What a load of hogwash!
non jewish americans need to stand up to our lunatic fringe of “Evangelicals”, and muslim americans must stand up to “militant Islam” it is good to see jewish americans stand up to “radical jewish extremism”. Now we should all join together to help make our country and the world free of religious insanity.
Arabs are not the enemies of Jews, nor Jews are the enemies of Arabs, they both however have two common enemies, Zionism anmd fundamentalism.
I totally agree with you….
It seems like making a statement against Israeli actions is a courageous move but in what way are you risking anything? Living in the US, safely and out of harm, you make statements without living in the fire zone. War is ugly in every manifestation but hopefully you believe there are things worth fighting for…I do. We need less arrogance and more understanding.
Yes I do, which is why I write this blog. I’m fighting for Middle East peace. That’s what I believe in. And contrary to what you claim I’ve devoted my life to this. And where do you who don’t live in Israel get off telling me whether I have a right to participate in the Jewish debate over what Israel should be? Thanks, but keep your advice to yrself.
Palestine must not be divided, but it must be shared by all its inhabitants irrespective of their religion or creed, there is enough in Palestine to meet everyone’s needs, but not everyone’s greed’s, the Zionists are fighting for their greed’s, and the Palestinians for their needs, when the Zionists stop fighting for their greed’s and the Palestinians get their rights and needs, then and only then can peace be achieved
jewish people have a right to settle in a place they can call their own after we have seen what 1 maniac hitler done to them but why did they let him get away with it,german people are as much to blame, human decency was totaly missing & War is a horrible state to be in so Jews & arabs Stop It & live in Peace Together or perish