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(JTA) — The pinnacle rabbi of Britain’s Masorti motion printed a press release Tuesday opposing a threatened Israel invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza and urging “one other, political, path ahead.”
The assertion makes Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg probably the highest-profile European Jewish chief to specific misgivings about Israel’s conflict in Gaza since Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault on Israel.
“These phrases are written out of deep concern about Israel’s actions and potential actions in Rafah, making it unimaginable to stay silent,” Wittenberg stated within the assertion, which was printed by Masorti Judaism on its social media channels. Masorti is the British parallel to the Conservative motion in the US.
“I write out of horror at what might ensue and its potential penalties in unimaginable struggling. I write out of dread on the future hatred that is prone to engender, and out of worry that these actions might hang-out us, and the nice title of Israel and the Jewish Folks, for generations,” wrote Wittenberg, who additionally helms the New North London Synagogue, one of many greatest Jewish congregations in the UK, with over 3,700 members.
Wittenberg didn’t name for a ceasefire, a requirement of left-wing and pro-Palestinian activists that Israel rejects as a result of it could depart Hamas in energy in Gaza. Nonetheless, his assertion is uncommon amongst Jewish leaders in Europe, the place Jewish communities are typically extra pro-Israel, on common, than in the US. A number of outstanding American rabbis have expressed grave concern concerning the plight of the Palestinians and about Netanyahu’s dealing with of the conflict.
“I did this as a result of I simply felt I needed to,” Wittenberg informed the Jewish Telegraphic Company. “I like Israel, I’ve many buddies there, I’ve deep considerations for Israel’s future. … I assumed that my conscience prompted me to say one thing about it.”
He added, “I used to be cautious to not say, ‘That is what should occur,’ however I’m simply saying from a Jewish perspective, and an moral perspective, it’s terribly painful, and each life issues.”
Wittenberg’s assertion comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned of a “main operation” in Rafah, which he says is required to “collapse” the remaining Hamas battalions considered sheltering there alongside Gazan civilians. On Sunday, Israel carried out an operation to rescue two hostages in Rafah through which dozens of Palestinians have been additionally reportedly killed.
The plans for an invasion have raised alarms as a result of greater than 1 million persons are at present in search of refuge in Rafah, a metropolis close to the Egyptian border the place Gazans have been informed to go when Israel invaded Gaza Metropolis and Khan Younis. Netanyahu has agreed to American requests to evacuate civilians from the town, however it’s unclear the place they’ll be capable of go.
“I write in prayer that one other, political, path ahead will probably be solid, and that the God of Israel and all humanity will assist us discover a solution to a peaceable decision, with safety for Israel and a viable future for the civilian inhabitants of Gaza, with none extra appalling bloodshed,” Wittenberg wrote on the assertion’s conclusion.
Wittenberg stated he had heard solely gratitude from folks to whom he had spoken about his assertion. He has beforehand issued statements essential of the Israeli authorities, together with when Netanyahu was advancing adjustments to the nation’s judiciary final 12 months that have been broadly denounced within the Diaspora. He has additionally lengthy participated in interfaith collaboration in England, together with shortly after Oct. 7, when he appeared with the Archbishop of Canterbury and Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra, a outstanding British imam, to name for peace amongst spiritual communities amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Wittenberg visited Israel in early November, which he wrote about on his weblog, and is ready to go again in one other two weeks.
“The nation is in trauma, and I needed to be there to hearken to folks and be as supportive as I can,” he stated. “However I felt that if I stated nothing, I couldn’t dwell with myself.”
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