Open letter to PM Netanyahu says controversial settlement expansion could be 'final blow to a peaceful solution'
Washington, DC - More than four hundred US rabbis, cantors, rabbinical students and cantorial students are expressing grave concern about Israel's plans to advance the construction of settlements in the controversial E1 area of the West Bank and authorizing thousands of new housing units in East Jerusalem.
In an open letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the rabbis, cantors, and students warn that the move undermines the territorial contiguity of the future Palestinian state and the prospects for reaching a two-state solution, while damaging US-Israel relations.
"We fear that building settlements in E1 would be the final blow to a peaceful solution," the letter warns.
The letter also expresses concern that "the current situation in the occupied territories violates Palestinian human rights and undercuts the very values on which Israel was founded - democracy, liberty, justice, and peace."
The full text and list of signers to date can be found here.
The letter responds to Israeli government decisions announced the day after the United Nations General Assembly voted to upgrade the status of Palestine to that of non-voting state.
Construction in E1 would violate repeated commitments that Israeli governments have made to the United States since 1994 not to build there.
Thus far, the letter has been signed by more than 400 rabbis from 38 states and the District of Columbia. The majority of the signers are congregational leaders.
Americans for Peace Now, J Street and Rabbis for Human Rights-North America coordinated the appeal.
More details on the planned construction in the E1 area and its implications for the two-state resolution can be found at /entries/post_69#.UM9PHW_AeDM
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Withall the threats that Israel needs to defend against it is unlikely that her demise will be the result of an outside attack. Instead, Israel's policies in the occupied terrataries and settlements will cause its demise.
Natanyahou is taking Israel down a disastrous path. He needs to stand against the extreme right and the settler movement and immediately negotiate peace with the Palestinians befotre it is too late, which is soon.
Dear Rabbi Suskin, like everything else in your letter even the Pirkei Avot quote is a cynical twist. It says on the Tora, on work and on good deeds. All you are doing is what is called in Hebrew "Avoda Baeinaim".
Where were you and your 499 other Rabbis, where was APN when the PA and Hamas gave the peace initiative blow after devastating blow. Why have your voice sounded like a whisper from behind a mountain?
Please call back when you have learned to treat your flash and blood with the same respect you give to your enemies
Ehten Teitler is going down the path of no return. If we continue the 'hate' and 'revenge' mentality then we will fail to find a solution to this conflict.
Even though there seems a real partner in negotiations is difficult we must still act with intelligence and Natiyahou is not doing so. To win peace you have to refrian from provocative acts and place yourself in a positive environment even when it seems it might be fruitless.