“We affirm that #Hamas’s sins & crimes do not relieve the government of #Israel of its obligations to make whatever efforts are necessary to prevent mass #starvation,” the letter said. “Orthodox Jewry, as some of Israel’s most devoted supporters, bears a unique moral responsibility. We must affirm that Judaism’s vision of justice & compassion extends to all human beings.”
A primary organizer was Rabbi Yosef Blau, the former religious leader of #YeshivaUniversity, a Modern Orthodox institution in Manhattan. Blau said his concerns encompassed not only the Israeli government’s treatment of #civilians in #Gaza but also reported #violence against #Palestinians by Orthodox #Jewish settlers in the #WestBank.
