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Laura Levenson, Jonathan Falk, Todd Miller and Jennifer Goldenberg are members of the Greater Bangor Jewish community.
“Worship of God without justice to man is an abomination.”
As Jews, two things seem perfectly obvious to us: the Hamas attacks on Israel are abhorrent to people of any — or no — religion; and the Israeli assault on Gaza is catastrophic and violates basic Jewish moral principles.
Killing babies is wrong, regardless of who the killers are. Beyond this, we agree with many pro-Israel military and intelligence strategists who believe that Israel’s intense violence puts the country’s own long-term survival at greater risk, while inflaming antisemitism worldwide. Attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank by Jewish settlers and the Israel Defense Force compound the misery.
Our fear is that this colossal loss of life will be the fuel for further violence. Clearly neither Hamas nor the extremist Netanyahu government wants peace. Hamas explicitly calls for the eradication of Jews from the region. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has once again rejected the possibility of a Palestinian state. The extremists are in charge and the results are ruinous.
The demand for a just peace must come from all of us around the world, loudly, persistently and tirelessly. Here in the U.S., we must insist that our own government pressure Israel to reverse its oppressive policies. We hold the purse strings as well as the shield at the United Nations and beyond. We cannot be complicit in allowing extremists on either side to enact their worst dreams.
We join many other voices in calling for urgent action: an immediate bilateral ceasefire, the return of all hostages and the free flow of abundant humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.
This must — must — be followed by negotiations to create a self-governing Palestine alongside Israel, with full recognition of both states.
Activists in joint Arab-Jewish organizations in Israel keep telling us that Israel’s ultimate security lies in a safe, prosperous, independent Palestine. People who are free and content have less appetite for war, while those who are desperate have little to lose. Our profound hope is that this disaster will be the tragic foundation of a fair and moral peace for both Palestinians and Israelis.
