Dear Chief Rabbi Mirvis
Jewish Network for Palestine emailed you 10 days ago stating;
“…that Zionist Jews, Zionist Jewish organisations and their supporters are contributing to antisemitism by conflating Judaism and Zionism. It is crucial that, if you are serious about reducing antisemitism and improving Jewish security, you must address this elephant in the room clearly, directly, persistently and loudly.”
Ignoring this vital issue puts protecting Israeli relentless and indiscriminate ethnic cleansing above the need to reduce antisemitic attacks so I have attached the original letter now along with the recent and relevant examples of such dangerous conflation and I am bcc’ing Jewish individuals and organisations who promote a just peace in Palestine as well as media contacts.
In addition, Jewish Network for Palestine is writing again to ask you to please answer seven questions below following a deeply troubling event at one of the synagogues within the ambit of your responsibilities. On 14 June, Edgware United Synagogue hosted an event titled the ‘Great Israeli Real Estate Event’ which was marketed as an opportunity to buy property in Israel. However, the evidence clearly demonstrates that it did not restrict itself to selling properties from within the Green Line, i.e. within Israel, but also promoted land and property in the illegal settlements of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
It is not clear to us that you are sensitive to the emotional and spiritual hurt, to say nothing of the ethical and reputational damage to Jews, that the event has engendered. These negative outcomes are compounded when you claim to speak for the majority of UK Jews, a proposition that has no basis in fact, but gives the misleading impression that all Jews agree on these matters — a dangerous antisemitic trope.
That a place of Jewish worship should be appropriated by a commercial enterprise prepared to flout UK law and treating with indifference the July 2024 International Court of Justice advisory opinion that confirmed Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful, is both shameful and scandalous.
In the light of this, we urgently require confirmation of your position on a number of points:
1. Did you know in advance that the Great Israeli Real Estate Event was to be held on June 14th this year in Edgware United Synagogue, one of the synagogues within the organisation United Synagogues of which you are the spiritual head?
2. Were you aware that the event included marketing land or property situated in the illegal Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory?
3. Are you aware that the Settlements are unlawful under both UK and international law, as confirmed by the UK government1https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-and-allies-sanction-networks-enabling-settler-violence-in-the-west-bank and by UN Security Council Resolution 2334?
4. Are you aware that the Settlements are exclusively for Jews?
5. Do you support Settlements as Jewish-only places?
6. Did you endorse Edgware Synagogue’s decision to host the Great Israeli Real Estate Event, or did you instead urge them not to proceed with supporting unlawful settlements?
7. Will you now publicly condemn the use of United Synagogues’ premises to promote unlawful actions?
We would appreciate a response within seven days.
Yours sincerely,
David Cannon, Chair of Jewish Network for Palestine.
