Jews in support of deproscribing Palestine Action

Statement by Jews, including those arrested at Defend our Juries protests, rejecting the allegations published in the Jewish Chronicle and Jewish News.

We are Jews, including some of the dozens of Jews and persons of Jewish descent who are among the thousands of peaceful protestors arrested for opposing the proscription of Palestine Action. Several of us are the descendants of Holocaust survivors.

As the hearing in the Supreme Court approaches, we are appalled by the ‘joint editorial’ by the Jewish Chronicle and Jewish News that: “Reversing ban on Palestine Action would send a chilling message to Britain and its Jews.” (see  Jewish News here 

This factually incorrect and inflammatory piece is hysterical nonsense! 

Our experience is that conflating all Jews with those who support the racist and Zionist destruction of Gaza and the murder of its citizens is more likely to result in increased hostility towards Jews in the UK.

Palestine Action’s activities were directed at Israeli arms manufacturers, principally Elbit Systems, and their suppliers and enablers in the United Kingdom.  The aim was the disruption and prevention of the supply of weapons and military services being used in the genocide that the Israeli state is perpetrating against the people of Palestine. 

In her statement to Parliament, the then Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, referred to a single action (out of over 500) that was directed against “a Jewish-owned business”. However, as this included painting the slogan “Drop Elbit”, it was clear that the business was targeted because it was judged to be involved in the supply of weapons to Israel, not because it was Jewish-owned.

We therefore reject any implication that Palestine Action was antisemitic or was directing its activities at Jewish people or businesses because they were Jewish.

Nor can these protests against the proscription be in any way characterised as anti-Jewish.  From our thousands of fellow committed non-violent citizens of all faiths and none we have experienced nothing but solidarity, sympathy and support.

At other times we have joined the thousand or more Jewish participants in the London Jewish Bloc for Palestine that prominently march in the protests against the genocide, as well as other Jewish blocs in Manchester and elsewhere.  Here too we are always welcomed, shown affection and even, poignantly, applauded.

The only antipathy, aggression and abuse that we as Jewish people experience comes from pro-Zionist counterdemonstrators.

We therefore consider the intervention of Jewish News and the Jewish Chronicle to be disingenuous in their claim that Palestine Action was a threat to the safety of the Jewish community. Jews across the UK are not a uniform monolith, and these media do not speak for all Jews. 

On the contrary, there are a growing number of Jewish people speaking up and demonstrating for an end to the illegal occupation, the genocide in Gaza, the escalating violence in the West Bank and for the right to Palestinian self-determination. These voices are rarely represented in legacy media.

We the undersigned will continue to raise our voices, for that is the true spirit of Judaism and humanity.

To add your signature, go to statement here.

Signed: (223 signatures as at 10:15am 31st October, of whom at least 30 have been arrested at Defend our Juries protests)

Zoe Cohen, Jewish anti-Zionist, granddaughter of refugees from Poland and Romania, member of Manchester Jewish Action for Palestine
Colonel Chris Romberg, Retired British Army officer, son of a Holocaust survivor from Austria
Talia Woodin, Jewish Anti-Zionist Action and Jewish Bloc coordinator
Charlotte Prager Williams, Holocaust survivor descendan
Dora Fidler, Jewish Bloc for Palestine
Charlotte Reynolds, Daughter of a Holocaust survivor
Lin James, Newcastle Minyan, Newcastle Reform Synagogue
Simon Lynn, Jewish Socialists’Group
Rob Denison, Related to people who died in the Holocaust
Jacob Tucker, Doikayt Collective
Alice Bondi, Newcastle minya
Rose Levinson, Ph.D. Prof. Emerita; educator/activist
Mara Pirenack-Marrs, Concerned jew
Ben Samuel, synagogue member
Leah Levane, Co-Chair, Jewish Voice for Loberation, DoJ arrestee and member of JJP and Hastings Jews for Justice
Steve Roman, Grandson of Holocaust victims.
Rebecca Johnson, Naamod member
Izzi Valentine
Elena Solomon
Benny Ross, Regular participant and ba’al tefillah (prayer leader) at United Hebrew Congregation, Newcastle and at Newcastle Reform synagogue; signing in personal capacity -Treasurer, Newcastle Reform Synagogue; supporter and participant, Newcastle Minyan
Noga Levy-Rapoport, Israeli descendant of Holocaust survivors
Tal Machover, Lift the Ban arrestee
Evan Lorant, Descendant of Holocaust survivor
Hannah Tillmann-Morris, British Jew
Sylvia Finzi, Descendant of Holocaust survivors and victims
Carla Bloom, Na’amod
Jackie Rosenberg, Jewish woman
Erica Smith, Member of Hastings Jews for Justice, with family members who died in the Holocaust
Anna Howitt, Public Librarian, member of Na’amod
Samuel Solomon, Educator
Katie Clarke, Calder Valley Jews, Calder Valley Jews and Halifax Friends of Palestine
Dr Diana Warner, Descendant of a Holocaust survivor and retired GP
Robert Lizar, Jewish Voice for Liberation
Perdita Heller, Daughter of a holocaust survivor
Stephen Engelhard, Son of refugees from the Holocaust
Ben Janoff, Ba’al Tefillah
Tony Whiteson, Holocaust descendant
George Andrews, Descendant of Holocaust survivor
Louise Bloom, Na’amod
Mrs Isabel Dunnell, Mrs Isabel Dunnell
Rayah Feldman, Descendant of Holocaust survivors and victims
Emanuel Bloom, Na’amod member
Stuart Markless, Anti Zionist
James Morris, Academic Historian
Alisa Lebow, Writer
Philippa Winkler, second cousin of a holocaust survivo
Arthur Andrews, Descendant of a Holocaust survivor.
Adam Stock, Member of Newcastle Reform Synagogue & Newcastle Minyan
Bob Walker, Son of a Holocaust survivor
Peter Perrett, Descendant of Holocaust Survivor
Ben Webb, Ben webb, supporter, descendant of holocaust survivor
Soreh Levy, Jewish anti-Zionist
Ana Silvera
Irene Sedler, My Jewish father helped to liberate Belsen death camp, Jewish Voice for Liberation
Ewan Forrest, PhD student
Helen Grisdale, Member of JVL and PSC
Mel Gould, Member of Brighton & Hove Jews Against The Occupation
Ilana Cravitz, Musician
Dave Lukes, 2nd generation Holocaust survivor
Hunter Solomon, Descendant of WWII / Holocaust survivors
John Keidan, Jewish Green
Judith Kramer, Jewish antizionist.
Carole, I am a member of several anti-zionist Jewish groups & organisations in the UK & a descendent of  Holocaust survivors
Beau Elijah Sebastian, Jewish activist, JAZA
Viv Talbot, Daughter of Holocaust survivors
Magda Sachs, Descendant of refugees from Nazi Germany
Joshua Gottlieb, Descendent of Holocaust survivors
Sylvia Cohen, JVL, JFJFP
Jenny Bloom , JJP
Benny Talbot, Jew and descendant of holocaust survivors
Ros Edwards, Brighton & Sussex Na’amod
Yonit, Descendant of the German holocaust survivor
Mica Nava, Jewish Voice for Liberation Council
Mike Cushman, JVL officer
Miriam Sedacca, Descendant of grandparents who escaped the holocaust
John Abraham, Grandchild of Holocaust victims
Felix Moore, Jewish Bloc
Erica Burman, Manchester Jewish Action for Palestine
Alexandra Stein, Supporter
Ayla Estreich, Jewish person
Joelle Gartner, Shoah descendant
Eva Durant, Descendent
Carolyn Gelenter, Daughter of Holocaust Survivor. Member of Jewish Peaceniks UK
Dr David Goldberg, Son of escapee from Gestapo prison
Scilla Alvarado, Scilla Alvarado
Donald Sassoon, Prof.
Marji Mansfield, Granddaughter of Jewish Nakba survivor
Meir Shabat, Teacher
Sonja Linden, Playwright, Holocaust descendant, Jewish Peaceniks UK
Hilary De Santos, Member of Jewish Voice for Liberation
Julietta Schoenmann, Daughter of a Holocaust survivor
Alison Kerr, Holocaust descendant
Inbar Tamari, Trade unionist
Jenny Kassman, Jewish anti-racist
Peter Frankental, Son of holocaust survivor
David Middleburgh, Proud Jew campaigning for peace in Israel/Palestine 
Ann Kramer, Member Hastings Jews for Justice (HJJ)
David Cannon, Jewish heritage and Chair of Jewish Network for Palestine</span
Martin Franklin, Environmental and peace activist. 
Michael Kalmanovitz, International Jewish AntiZionist Network
Will Hadwen, person of Jewish descent & Holocaust survivor descendant 
Yann van Heurck, peace and justice activist, member Jewish Voice for Peace
Robert Rosenthal, Descendent of refugees
Paul Seligman, Human rights advocate 
Eva Gamarnikow, Descendant of Holocaust survivor (105)
Alexei Sayle, comedian/author
Rachel Rosen, Professor of Sociology, member of BDS@UCL
Tony Booth, Environment Officer for Jewish Voice for Liberation, Descendent of Organisers of resistance to fascism at the Battle of Cable Street
Miriam Yagud, Descendent of victims and survivors of the Holocaust 
Maya Owen, Jewish activist
Marina Irene Spiegel
Mike Layward, JVL member
Zoe Rubenstein, Jewish Solidarity School
Ellie Kavner, JVL/PMHN
Taya, Jewish Greens 
Ruth Kaufman OBE, British Jew
Bernard Spiegal, Supporter of direct action focused on stopping UK supply of arms to Israel.
Martin Horan, Humanist 
Anna Gluckstein, NEU school rep, child of a Palestinian Jew, anti racist activist in Stand Up to Racism 
Les Levidow, member of several Jewish anti-Zionist groups
Jonathan Rosenhead, Member Jewish Voice for Liberation
Pamela, International Solidarity Officer NEU
Adrian Litvinoff 
Frank Fisher
Phil Baptiste, Supporter
Jenny Manson, Co chair JVL 
Irris Singer, Affiliation to Peace and Human Rights organisations 
Daniel Maxwell, Jewish campaigner
Angie Mindel, JVL
Madeline Landauer, Jewish supporter of Palestinians
Leon Rosselson, ex Hashomer Hatzair
Angie, Peacebuilder
George Lissauer, Descendant of Holocaust survivors
Gary Ostrolenk, Member of Unite the Union, and son of Holocaust survivor
Diana Neslen, Jewish anti Zionist
Ivan Wels
Julia Cohen, Assistant Professor
Corinna Powis
Esther Neslen, Holocaust descendant
Mark Fossey, Christian Jew
Arthur Neslen, Journalist and Author
Miriam Scharf, Polish Jewish father lost family in Holocaust 
Kenny Fryde
Caroline Raine, Jewish person
Glyn Secker, Executive Committee member of Jews for Justice for Palestinians, and Jewish Voice for Liberation
Alison Barkshire, jew by descent
Peter Bolwell, son of a holocaust survivor and grandson of a holocaust victim
Therese Gorman, A human being 
Maddy, Affiliated to Newcastle Minyan
Haim Bresheeth, Co-Founder, Jewish Network for Palestine
Nicky Freeling
Aziz Ahmad
Merav Devere, Supporter
Tania Bronstein, Pensioner
Ehud Sivosh, Descendant of Holocaust survivors 
Deborah Asher, Na’amod,  JNP, JJP, JVL
Neve Gordon, Professor of International Law 
Katy Colley, member of Hastings Jews for Justice
Professor David Epstein, FRS, Mathematician
Mark Elf, NHS Patient Transport</span
Annabel Gottfried Cohen, Member of the Jewish Bloc for Palestine and the Edinburgh University Jewish Staff Network
Felicity De Motta, Descendant of Holocaust survivor
Simon Korner, labour member
Ruth Williams, 2nd generation Holocaust refugee
Norma Cohen, Jewish voice for liberation, Jewish peaceniks
Felicity Laurence, Granddaughter of Rabbi
Rita Craft, Jewish supporter of freedom for Palestine. 
Richard Wistreich, Son of a Holocaust survivor from Poland
Margaret Spector
David Bell, doctor, psychoanalyst and opponent of the Israeli state
Moshé Machover
Idit Nathan, second generation holocaust survivor 
Leni Solinger, Member of sheffield jews against Israeli Apartheid 
Astrid Laich, I am a human being who cares about the suffering of Palestinians
Dr Philip Lucas, Psychoanalyst, British Psychoanalytical Society
Teresa Thornhill, Activist and Holocaust descendant
Marsha Sanders, Jewish anti Zionist 
Anna Pollert, Descendant of Holocaust survivors
Lisa Stampnitzky, Lecturer in Politics, University of Sheffield
Sally Davies, Member of JNP, Signatory of JfJfp, member of Jfp Leamington spa
Bernard Davies, Member of JNP, Signatory of JfJfP, Founding member of JfP (Leamington Spa)
Ilana Machover, Descendant
Simon Roth, Jewish Activist and Musician
Nicola Osborne, Of Jewish descendants and member of Amnesty International UK
Monica Gort, Holocaust Descendant
Euphrosyne Andrews, Descendant of a holocaust survivor
Gillian Mosely
Kate Adams, Jewish heritage
Jannie Brightman, Descendant
Pia Feig, Member of Manchester Jewish Action for Palestine, daughter of a Holocaust survivor
Jonathan Feldman, Activist for Palestine Liberation
Talóra Leigh, Manchester Jewish Action for Palestine 
Miriam Hoffman, Progressive Jew, mother, carer, Manchester.
Alicia Arendar, anti zionist Latinoamerican from Jewish tradition family
Tony Greenstein, Jewish Network for Palestine/Unite SE 6246
Martin Golding , Emeritus Fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge
Sarà krish, Jewish supporter
Martin Fisher, Psychotherapist
Nicholas Weaver, Descendant 
Noel Hamel, I am a Jewish descendant of Russian Jews persecuted by the Tsar for no other reason than that they were Jewish
Antony Lerman
Andrew Samuels, Former Chair UK Council for Psychotherapy
John Goodman, Son of Kindertransportee
Cora Morris
Benjy Sandler, Jewish Bloc
Peter Jameson, Another Jew for Palestine
Carolyn Roth, JVL
Craig Parr
Philippa Abrahams, Godless Jew
Lyndall stein
Debbie krantz, Supporter  of JAfP 
David Vickers, Solicitor and Anti Zionist Jew
Caroline Hearst, Daughter of German Jewish refugees.
Dr Ellie Armon Azoulay
Zohar Dina Glouberman, Jewish psychotherapist
Ann Adler 
David Mond, Campaign Against Misrepresentation in Public Affairs Information and News
Ron Cohen, CWU/UTAW 
Mireille Sweeney, Holocaust survivor descendant
Paul Kelemen, Descendant
David Leibel, Descendent of Holocaust survivors 
Joel Samuels, Actor and Writer
Wendy Lewis, descendant of Jewish refugees
Margaret Owen OBE, 94 year old Human Rights Lawyer
Emeritus Professor Robert Reiner, child of Holocaust survivors, child refugee
Dr. Agnes Kory, Jewish Holocaust Child Survivor

Organisations signed in support: (as at 10am 31st October)

1. • Jewish Voice for Liberation
   • Jewish Network for Palestine
   • JAZA
   • Jewish Peaceniks UK
   • JG4P
   • Doikayt
   • ve’ahavta 
   • Manchester Jewish Action for Palestine
   • Newcastle Minyan
   • Hastings Jews for Justice 
   • Calder Valley Jews and Halifax Friends of Palestine
   • Wordsmith design