This collective of 31 well-known Israeli public figures—including politicians and artists—makes a direct appeal to the international community. They call for “crippling sanctions” against Israel for its genocidal actions toward Palestinians in Gaza. This call comes on the heels of charges that the Israeli government is carrying out a “genocidal” policy towards the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. The extended conflict has resulted in over 60,000 deaths.
The crisis in Gaza has unleashed heavy criticism from all angles. Human rights organizations such as B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights Israel have been ringing the alarm bells for years. Both organizations have recently issued reports calling Israel’s actions “genocidal.” They highlight the extreme limitations on access to basic supplies like food, water, and medicine. The US government long criticized the Israeli government for its starvation tactics against the people of Gaza, charges that Israeli officials had ominously denied.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other government leaders have repeatedly made the claim that there is no famine in Gaza. The evidence provided unanimously points to the wretched humanitarian crisis. The continued blockade prohibits the flow of supplies necessary for everyday life, adding fuel to an already raging fire. The Israeli Defence Minister’s recent proposal to construct a “humanitarian city” on the ruins of Rafah has further fueled concerns about the government’s intentions.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert responded brutally to this proposal. He characterized it as making a giant open air concentration camp for Palestinians. He said to force all the Palestinians into that tiny little city with very limited resources, he said that’s ethnic cleansing. This baseless accusation injects more dangerous fuel onto an already combustible fire.
The dire humanitarian crisis faced by the people in Gaza has been exacerbated by a 21-month war between Israel and Palestinian factions. Violence continues to rage, threatening the freedom of innocent life. Recent reporting has documented how civilians and humanitarian workers alike have been killed or injured, trying to find help in a besieged enclave. The situation remains dire as calls for action grow louder from various factions within Israel and abroad.
Against this background of challenges, the letter signed by 31 national and local signatories calls for immediate action. Among its alumni are Academy Award winner Yuval Abraham and a number of Israel Prize winners.
“Blocking food, water, medicine, and power – especially for children – is indefensible.” – the letter
The signatories stress the moral imperative for action, urging their fellow citizens not to succumb to indifference amid the suffering of others.
“Let us not allow our grief to harden into indifference, nor our love for Israel to blind us to the cries of the vulnerable. Let us rise to the moral challenge of this moment.” – the letter
With international scrutiny, including from many US lawmakers, growing, the future of Gaza looks much less clear. At the same time, humanitarian needs worldwide are skyrocketing. Far from being alarmist, these groups are sounding the alarm on a coming crisis unless we act now. Policymakers in Israel and the world face an extraordinarily difficult challenge. More importantly, they are doing the hard and heavy lifting of addressing the consequences of perpetual violence and humanitarian catastrophes.