Johannesburg — Below is the text of a letter from Jewish South Africans, many 750 prominent in broadcasting, journalism and the arts, as well as students and community activists, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. The current list of of signatories to the open letter is available here.
We are a diverse group of South African Jews who are dismayed by the situation that is unfolding in Israel and Palestine. Through it, the world has witnessed a catastrophic loss of life, and indeed, a loss of humanity. We mourn every life lost: Palestinian and Israeli.
We believe in the universal values of peace, justice and equality, and condemn in the strongest terms any and all violence against civilians, and against children in particular. We must hold to account those responsible for violence against civilians – whether perpetrated in Gaza, the West Bank, or Israel. We do so not in spite of our Jewish identity, but because of it. One of the core beliefs of Judaism is the sanctity of human life and the duty to preserve it, enshrined in the principle of pikuach nefesh.
The assault on Gaza follows an unprecedented and brutal attack by Hamas in southern Israel on 7 October. We are devastated that the lives of approximately 1200 Israelis, including 31 children, were lost to the gratuitous violence that occurred on this day. We grieve with the families whose loved ones were killed or taken as hostages.
We insist, however, that one heinous crime does not justify another. The experience of persecution and genocide is woven into our collective memory. We are therefore called upon to prevent it from happening again, anywhere, to anyone. Moreover, we have a particular obligation to oppose such atrocities especially when perpetrated in our name.
For this reason, we call for an immediate cease to Israel's bombardment and blockade of Gaza. We condemn the denial of basic resources such as water, food, electricity, internet and medical supplies to Palestinian civilians. As of today, Israel's campaign in Gaza has exacted a toll of at least 11,078 Palestinian lives, including 4,506 children*. We abhor the use of collective punishment, and see Israel's response as dramatically disproportionate. We are distressed at the fact that this has taken place alongside state and settler led violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
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We acknowledge that the current cycle of violence is rooted in decades of dispossession. We also acknowledge that this conflict is fundamentally asymmetrical in nature; between a powerful military force and a stateless people who have resisted the denial of their basic human rights for generations.
We note with great concern the rising incidence of Islamophobic and Antisemitic hate crimes worldwide. We reject attempts to conflate the parties to this conflict with entire religious or ethnic groups, just as we reject the notion that criticism of the State of Israel necessarily constitutes Antisemitism. As Jews with diverse views, we do not feel represented by the institutions who claim to speak on behalf of the South African Jewish community on Israel and Gaza.
We join the many voices worldwide calling for an immediate ceasefire, an end to the occupation, and the release of all hostages and detainees unjustly held both in Gaza and in Israeli prisons. We believe that the only lasting solution to ensure genuine safety for all is one that secures the equal rights and dignity of all Israelis and Palestinians.
*As of 14 November as per https://www.ochaopt.org/content/hostilities-gaza-strip-and-israel-reported-impact-day-39
