Israeli rabbis express shock at West Bank settler ourtrages

JVL Introduction

The statement below is late in the day and it is not enough.

Nonetheless we welcome this powerful intervention from Reform Judaism in Israel, calling out and condemning the atrocities being committed in the West Bank.

We couldn’t agree more when they say: “Judaism also obligates action and forbids turning a blind eye.”

Likewise with their conclusion: “We call on the public to demand that the perpetrators be brought to justice, individuals whose actions are as far from the values of Judaism as light is from darkness.”

We wish they had spoken out earlier. We wish the genocide in Gaza brought forth similar condemnation.

But we also recognise their courage in speaking out in a society where popular opinion is rabidly  genocideal.

And we can’t but wonder at the pusillanimity of Britain’s rabbinical community, particularly among  the liberal and reform rabbis now in Progressive Judaism.

It is widely known that Jewish communities are divided, that the Board of Deputies of British Jews does not speak even for all of its members.

Where are the dissident voices? Has the Board of Deputies’ punitive action against those who spoke out last year stunned them all into silence.

Where the shining light?

AS the Israeli statement says:

“The prophets of Israel insisted on the duty to act against violence and bloodshed:

“… Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean. Remove the evil of your deeds from before My eyes; cease to do evil. Learn to do good; seek justice.” (Isaiah 1:15–17)

RK

** Public Statement by The Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism and the Council of Reform Rabbis in Israel **

Reform Judaism in Israel, Facebook, 18 MR 2025

“The outrage of Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave!” (Genesis 18:19)

The Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism and the Council of Reform Rabbis in Israel express deep shock at the acts of violence and terror by extremist settlers against Palestinians in the territories and against human rights activists who seek to protect them, acts whose frequency and severity have greatly increased since the outbreak of the war with Iran.

Under the cover of the war with Iran, as Israelis endure constant threats to their safety and heightened fear and anxiety, extremist settlers are exploiting the moment to terrorize innocent Palestinian civilians. To our horror, these horrific acts have become routine in recent years, but in recent weeks they have escalated, claiming lives in deeply disturbing and heartbreaking incidents.

In the two weeks since the war began, seven Palestinians have been killed as a result of actions by extremist settlers: Thaer Farouq Hamayel, 24; Fare Jawdat Hamayel, 57; Muhammad Hassan Murrah, 55; Amir Muhammad Shanaran, 28; Muhammad ‘Azem Muammar, 51, and his brother Fahim ‘Azem Muammar, 47; and Amir Odeh, 28. Four members of the Bani Odeh family, Ali, 37, Waad, 35, and two of their children, Mohammad, 5, and Othman, 7, were killed by fire from an undercover Israeli unit.

Dozens of other Palestinians and activists have been injured in violent attacks by extremist settlers. For example, a few days ago extremist settlers broke into the residential compound of a Palestinian family in Khirbet Humsa in the northern Jordan Valley. They gathered a group of ten adults and seven children, members of the family and volunteers from abroad, and abused them for a prolonged period. The abuse included being bound, beatings, the pouring of cold water, humiliation, threats, and the sexual assault of one of the residents. Four Palestinians and two activists required medical treatment following the attack and were taken to the hospital. In another incident, a human rights activist, Aviv Tatarsky of the organization Ir Amim, was attacked in Deir Istiya and beaten until he bled, with fists, kicks, and blows from a rubber hose, after he tried to defend Palestinian farmers.

The Police Internal Investigations Department stated that an investigation would be opened regarding the killing of the Bnei Odeh family, but has yet be carried out. In all the other cases, no action has been taken, and even when army or police forces are present at the scene, nothing is done against the perpetrators of violence. If there is any intervention at all, it is often directed at removing the attacked Palestinians themselves and distancing the volunteers who came to assist them.

In the face of these atrocities, we can no longer remain silent. In the face of the lack of action of law-enforcement authorities, we must not keep quiet.

These severe acts of violence not only contradict the democratic character of the State of Israel; they also stand in absolute opposition to the values of Judaism. The prophets of Israel insisted on the duty to act against violence and bloodshed:

“Thus said GOD: Do what is just and right; rescue from the defrauder anyone who is robbed; do not wrong the stranger, the orphan, and the widow; commit no lawless act, and do not shed the blood of the innocent in this place.” (Jeremiah 22:3)

“Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean. Remove the evil of your deeds from before My eyes; cease to do evil. Learn to do good; seek justice.” (Isaiah 1:15–17)

Judaism also obligates action and forbids turning a blind eye:

“Anyone who is able to protest against the wrongdoing of the members of his household and does not protest is held accountable for the members of his household; for the people of his city—he is held accountable for the people of his city; for the whole world—he is held accountable for the whole world.” (Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 54b)

The time has come to act. Condemnation is not enough.

We call on the government to treat these horrifying acts with the utmost severity.

We call on the IDF and the police to take immediate steps to identify the Jewish terrorists and bring them to justice.

We call on the leaders of the settler public and the rabbinic leadership of the communities in which the perpetrators reside to not remain silent! Do not keep the criminals within your midst.

We call on the media to report every case of violence and assault and to demand a response from law-enforcement authorities.

We call on the public to demand that the perpetrators be brought to justice, individuals whose actions are as far from the values of Judaism as light is from darkness.