group of Britain's most prominent Jews has called on Israel to cease its military operations in Gaza immediately, warning that its actions, far from improving the country's security, will "strengthen extremism, destabilise the region, and exacerbate tensions inside Israel".

Describing themselves, as "profound and passionate supporters" of Israel - and supporting its right to defend itself against the "war crime" of Hamas rocket attacks - they added that the current tactics threatened to undermine international support for Israel.

The intervention, in a letter published in today's Observer, came as fears grew that Israel was to launch a "new phase" of its military offensive inside the Gaza strip. Yesterday warplanes dropped leaflets warning Gazans "not to be close to terrorists, weapons warehouses and the places where the terrorists operate". The two-week-old campaign has already killed more than 800 Palestinians, while 13 Israelis have died, three of them civilians killed by Hamas rockets.

Although individual Jewish writers and religious figures have expressed their opposition to the conduct of Operation Cast Lead, the letter represents the most significant break with Israel's tactics from a group of UK Jews.

Prominent rabbis, academics and political figures are among the signatories, including Rabbi Dr Tony Bayfield, head of the Movement for Reform Judaism; Sir Jeremy Beecham, former chair of the Labour party; Professor Shalom Lappin of the University of London; Baroness Julia Neuberger; Rabbi Danny Rich, chief executive of Liberal Judaism; Rabbi Professor Marc Saperstein, principal of Leo Baeck rabbinical training college; and lawyer Michael Mitzman, who set up Holocaust Memorial Day Trust for the Home Office.

Their demand comes amid increasing pressure on Israel from the diplomatic community to halt its operations, and rising criticism of the humanitarian impact on Palestinian civilians, including allegations of potentially serious breaches of international humanitarian law. Demonstrations around the world yesterday called for a ceasefire.

"We look upon the increasing loss of life on both sides of the Gaza conflict with horror," reads the letter. "We have no doubt that rocket attacks into southern Israel, by Hamas and other militant Palestinian groups, are war crimes against Israel. No sovereign state should, or would, tolerate continued attacks and the deliberate targeting of civilians. Israel had a right to respond and we support the Israeli government's decision to make stopping the rocket attacks an urgent priority.

"However, we believe that now only negotiations can secure long-term security for Israel and the region."

The letter was written before the escalation of ground fighting in Gaza City itself signalled by Israel yesterday.

"There can be no alternative to a negotiated solution," said Beecham. "Israel should be demonstrating, along with the Palestinian Authority, that there are economic and political benefits to be gained from peaceful engagement rather than violent confrontation."

His sentiments were echoed by Lappin: "Relying on overwhelming military force to respond to terrorist provocations invariably imposes horrendous suffering on innocent Palestinian civilians while entrenching the agents of terror in their midst. We have no alternative but to pursue rational, long term political options that promote moderation and marginalise extremists."

In London violent clashes broke out near the Israeli embassy as tens of thousands marched in protest. Helmeted riot police with batons and shields charged a group of demonstrators who hurled sticks, shoes and traffic cones back at them while chanting "Free Palestine!"

Protesters tried to force entry to the north gate of Kensington Palace Gardens and six climbed an adjoining wall, setting fire to an American flag. The windows of a Starbucks opposite the embassy were smashed.

The police charges created waves of panic. Protester Ahmed Mohammad, 23, claimed he saw women and children get hurt: "It was a peaceful protest until the riot police came. I've seen a mother and little girl pushed to the ground."

Some protesters attempted to throw barriers and other missiles at police.

The Stop the War Coalition, which organised the event, claimed that "at least" 100,000 people had made it "the biggest demonstration of solidarity with the Palestinian people in the history of this country". The Metropolitan Police estimated the total at 12,000.

Earlier, Speakers' Corner at Hyde Park was turned into a sea of Palestinian flags and banners condemning Israel. Speakers included human rights advocate Bianca Jagger, singer Annie Lennox and the Rev Garth Hewitt, canon at St George's Cathedral in Jerusalem.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/11/gaza-israel-letter-british-jews

from earlier...earler...

for someone who served in the military...you should know...that someone's going to win...and...someone's going to lose...in this case...Hamas...picked a fight they cannot EVER win...the whole idea in battle...conflict...or war...is to crush the mudder fuggers...as fast...as quick...and with such deadly force...so they never...ever rise again...war has been and always will be about killing people and breaking things...

israel is already considering a unilateral cease fire. this will give them a chance to show once again that they are willing to be peaceful as long as hamas stops the rocket attacks. however, i'm sure the israelis will continue to detain or destroy any hamas who continue to fire on them.

"It's easy to quit smoking. I've done it hundreds of times."

-Mark Twain

Ok madisonman, your point being? British Jews are speaking out against the current military action in Gaza, ok... so? Aside from cutting and pasting the article, what are you trying to say by posting this?

If your point is "Hey, it's a current event, I'm just posting it to be posting it and I thought it was interesting", okay, I suppose I could start posting every current "man bites dog" story then.

If you're trying to say that there will always be "human rights activists" that will always try to undermine policies/actions that help promote safety and security its citizens, I would agree with you 1000%.

If you're trying to say that just because they are Jewish that they have more "street cred", then I would seriously question your intellectual capabilities and suggest to have those logic wires under the hood checked. Just because a woman is against abortion or a minority is against affirmative action policies doesn't give them any more "cred" than anyone elses opinion of any given topic.

Would you please clarify your point?

Point is, it seems like the everyday NonZionist Jew is horrified by the Massacre in Gaza.

The point would to to educate the uninformed. You can speculate all you wish as to my motives. It amuses me.

group of rabbis and other religious leaders bought advertising space in the New York Times this week to call for U.S. president-elect Barack Obama to push for an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

Rabbi Michael Lerner (photo: © Tikkun Magazine)The ad, placed by the Network of Spiritual Progressives and claiming to represent more than 2,800 other religious, cultural and community leaders, urges Obama to convene an international Middle East peace conference to "facilitate a lasting and just settlement for all parties."

Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun magazine, who convened the group, said the group had to buy the advertising space because the national newspapers would not make room for their perspective.

"They feel that AIPAC's choice is overwhelming, and there's no space left for empathy or objective coverage - the media, according to the group, simply ignored the voice of the Jewish opposition to war in Gaza," Rabbi Lerner said.

Eleven prominent British Jews, including Baroness Julia Neuberger, published a letter in The Observer newspaper last weekend expressing their "horror" at the Gaza conflict and calling on Israel to stop its military campaign.

Israel has been waging an offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip since December 27. The operation, launched in order to halt cross-border rocket fire, has come under heavy criticism for the high number of civilian casualties.

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/01/15

Everyone is horrified by the situation in Gaza.
There never would have been a problem if Hamas
hadn't been an Islamic terrorist organization
hell bent on war rather than peace.

Israel ceased fire last night unilaterally.
Hamas responded by saying that they would NOT
honor the ceasefire and by firing rockets into
Israel again. Then, Hamas lied saying
they WOULD have their own ceasefire but demanding
the Israelis leave the area. Meanwhile Hamas
continues to fire rockets.

If Hamas does not cease their fire immediately
then a major military push will be made by Israel to shut
down any remaining rocket launches.

Hamas' duplicity is on display for the world to
see yet again. Such a waste. But Israel may be
forced to go after them again and again.

As long as america funds their nation they will go after them again and again. If they were not receiving so much american aid and the constant wars were bankrupting them they would find a way to peace. Why do we as a debtor nation fund them? It makes no sence at all.

it has nothing whatsoever to do with any
aid the US or others provide to Israel

the US supplies a similar amount of financial
aid to Egypt for example...

Israel must prevent Hamas from launching
rocket attacks at her citizens - just as
any country would have to do

but Hamas does not care about governing or
the Gazan population they are in it for Jihad
regardless of casualties on either side

sure does bro as long as bankrupt tax payers fund the never ending wars they will keep fighting. If Israel had to stand on its own two feet financialy they wouldnt waste so much money on guns and bombs. We are a debtor nation we cannot fund the slaughter. Take away the money and Israel will find a way to compromise.

Unknown Soldiers are we, without uniform
And around us fear and the shadow of death
We have all been drafted for life.
Only death will discharge us from [our] ranks,



On red days of riots and blood
In the dark nights of despair
In towns and villages shall we raise our banner
On which are inscribed defence and conquest


We were not drafted by the whip, like a mob of slaves
To shed our blood in foreign lands
Our will is to be forever free
Our dream - to die for our country


From all directions, tens of thousands of obstacles
Cruel fate has placed on our path
But enemies, spies and prison houses
Will never be able to stop us


And if we fall in the streets and homes
We will be buried silently in the night
Thousands of others will fill our places
To protect and defend forever


With the tears of bereaved mothers
And the blood of pure babies
Like mortar shall we put together the cadaver building blocks
The edifice of the homeland shall we raise

The immediate conflict is over today if Hamas
stops firing rockets and is disarmed.