Public Comment
Gaza - Rabbis speak out
Ignoring the carnage in Gaza, the U.S. military announced that it was resupplying the Israeli army to ensure the mass murder of civilians continues. Local reporters describe horrific scenes of distraught families witnessing their loved ones being blown to pieces before their very eyes.
Hospitals are on the verge of collapse following the destruction of local power plants. There is no safe place in Gaza. Its 1.8 million residents are trapped, unable to leave Gaza by land or sea. Many are fleeing their homes which are being targeted but alas there is no place to run. Unable to refrigerate their food because of the lack of electricity, the people of Gaza are starving to death. No one is spared; reporters, medical personnel and many UN officials have been killed.
Several Rabbis have voiced their vigorous opposition to the ongoing assault on Gaza. Rabbi Jill Jacobs of New York stated that in “human rights law and Jewish law – it is mandatory for the occupying force to protect the lives of civilians”. Rabbi Siegman formerly the executive director of the American Jewish Congress and head of the Synagogue Council of America, has expressed outrage of Israel’s polices in the Occupied Territories. He stated that ”there was a very simple remedy to prevent the attack on Gaza, namely to end the occupation which is the root cause of Palestinian outrage”. In a recent article in Politico Rabbi Siegman laid the blame on Israel for provoking the war.