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New Israel Fund Joins Progressive Partners to honor Rabin’s Legacy, Urge Action

29 October 2015

The New Israel Fund is joining J Street, Americans for Peace Now, Truah, Partners for Progressive Israel, and Ameinu in collaborating on a multi-organization online joint action centered on a statement calling to “pick up Rabin’s torch and strive to complete his work.”

The New Israel Fund endorses the attached Statement of Principles regarding the current situation in Israel and a way forward that builds on the legacy of Prime Minister Rabin. In memoriam of the 20th anniversary of the assassination, we believe that uniting progressive Americans in a solemn demand for a peaceful and democratic Israel has never been more necessary.

“At a time when innocent Israelis and Palestinians are again living in justified fear of violence, it is crucially important for us to be clear about the dangerous risks the current Israeli government is running,” said NIF CEO Daniel Sokatch. “Incitement, religious and political extremism and reckless disregard for others’ rights are inflaming both sides in the conflict.”

“By joining with J Street, Truah, APN, Partners for Progressive Israel, and Ameinu, we hope to amplify our voices, which represent the majority of the American Jewish community in our values regarding Israel, and voice our expectations to the Israeli government.”

On Wednesday, November 4, the leaders of these organizations will host a conference call for our supporters at 3:00 PM EDT (noon PDT). We will discuss how each organization is moving forward on its agenda during the current cycle of violence, and how the American Jewish community can play a part in advancing an agenda of peace, democracy and tolerance in Israel.

If you are interested in joining the call, please contact us for call-in information.


 

LIVING RABIN’S LEGACY

Twenty years ago, a great defender of Israel and champion of peace was struck down.
As we commemorate the yahrzeit of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, z”l, and look at how much Israelis and Palestinians continue to suffer from this conflict, we are resolved that we cannot accept another 20 years of violence, misery and despair. As American Jews and Israelis, passionate supporters of Israeli democracy, we must recommit to carrying out Rabin’s legacy and ensuring that his death was not in vain.

We grieve for Rabin as we grieve for victims of the latest terror attacks in Israel. We pray for healing for the injured and strength for all the families affected by this renewed violence. We worry about the safety of our friends and family in Israel — of Jews attacked while walking to work or school, living their daily lives.

We unequivocally condemn acts of terror against Israelis. There is no justification for this violence. We call on Palestinian leaders to take action to stop it and to reject any language that may encourage or incite it.

We also grieve the loss of life among Palestinians in Israel and the Occupied Territories. We urge Israel’s authorities and the public to respect the rule of law and to reject acts of collective punishment and vigilantism against Palestinians, including suspected terrorists, their families and other civilians.

Ultimately, no degree of force can end this conflict. This is a political problem and requires a political solution. Prime Minister Rabin recognized that peace and security were inextricably linked – that the cycle of violence would continue until a just peace was reached. He pursued peace and compromise not out of weakness or charity, but out of his conviction that it was the only way to guarantee the safety, vitality and future of his nation.

Rabin was killed by an Israeli Jew who wished to prevent peace, spurred on by leaders using rhetoric that demonized Palestinians and portrayed Rabin as a traitor – ironically echoing Palestinian extremists who reject any accommodation with Israel. Today, many of these extremists have found their way into leadership on both sides. We hear them louder than ever: demanding retaliation and repression, insisting on the futility of pursuing peace, spurning hope while elevating fear and hatred.

If these voices triumph, we face another 20 years of loss, violence and quagmire. We must stand up and challenge them by offering a path of responsibility, honesty, practicality and hope. Neither outrage nor despondency will end this cycle or create a better future. Only determined action seeking a permanent peace settlement will break this deadly cycle and provide Israelis and Palestinians with hope for the security, freedom and dignity they so deeply desire and deserve.

We have no illusions that this will be easy. We must do it precisely because it is so hard and so important for the future of Israel and the Jewish people. As a Jewish sage once taught, “You are not obliged to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.”

Let us pick up Rabin’s torch and strive to complete his work.

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