Two progressive Jewish organizations have issued responses to the ongoing fighting between Israel and Hamas, saying that an Israeli "apartheid" has caused the violence.
Over the weekend, Hamas launched the deadliest Palestinian militant attack on Israel in history. Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) then launched a subsequent attack on the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his country is "at war" and has cut off supplies of food, fuel, electricity and medicine into Gaza.
In a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter, the Jewish organization, If Not Now, who call themselves "a movement of American Jews organizing our community to end U.S. support for Israel's apartheid system", wrote that they are "horrified" by the violence but noted that "we refuse to let our grief be used to justify revenge or genocide of Palestinians."
"We're reckoning with the fact that the Israeli government has failed Israelis and Palestinians by perpetuating a system of apartheid for decades, without concern for the consequences to their citizens. That's what's led us here," If Not Now said in another post. "As Israeli leaders advocate for genocide and ethnic cleansing, it is reckless and unconscionable for the US government to be sending additional military aid to Israel, especially offensive weapons. Deescalation will save lives."
We’re reckoning with the fact that the Israeli government has failed Israelis and Palestinians by perpetuating a system of apartheid for decades, without concern for the consequences to their citizens. That’s what’s led us here.
— IfNotNow🔥 (@IfNotNowOrg) October 11, 2023
We cannot maintain this violent status quo.
In a further statement to Newsweek, If Not Now said, "Our members are grieving Israeli loved ones while doing everything we can to call for deescalation and ensure our people's pain is not weaponized to justify more indiscriminate bombing of Palestinians in Gaza."
The Jewish Voice for Peace Action, which says they are the "largest progressive Jewish anti-Zionist organization in the world" that started in California, made a similar post on X, saying "The killing of civilians - Palestinian and Israeli - is horrific and a clear violation of international law....That is why we must upend US support for the decades of Israeli occupation and apartheid.
"Every single Israeli and Palestinian life is precious. That is why we do this work. That is why we must end apartheid," the organization said.
According to the Associated Press, over 2,600 casualties have been reported on both sides of the ongoing fighting.
"Humanitarian aid to Gaza? No electrical switch will be turned on, no water hydrant will be opened and no fuel truck will enter until the Israeli abductees are returned home. Humanitarian for humanitarian. And no one will preach us morals," Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz said in a translated post on X.
In 2021, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) published a piece responding to claims that Israel was an "apartheid state."
"Whether such a description is being used to describe Israeli policies towards Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, or towards Arab citizens of Israel, the label is inaccurate, offensive, and often used to delegitimize and denigrate Israel as a whole," the ADL said. "Moreover, the use of this inaccurate and highly charged label is also counterproductive to resolving issues related to injustices within Israeli society or the complex Israeli-Palestinian conflict."
Newsweek reached out to the Jewish Voice for Peace Action organization via email for comment.
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