Head of Reform Jews Condemns Israeli Occupation and Settlements

[geek tragedy]

http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/news/.premium-1.684620

The president of the Reform movement condemned Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and its settlement policies as causing “pain and hardship to the Palestinians.”

In his keynote address to the Union of Reform Judaism Biennial Thursday night, Rabbi Rick Jacobs said the occupation alienates Israel from friends and allies around the world and is fueling growing “intolerance” within Israeli society.

At the same time, Jacobs took pains to combine his message with strong support for Israel, denunciation of Palestinian terror, and a pledge to fight the BDS movement and other boycott efforts against the Jewish state.

“Many Jews, especially younger ones, feel that Israel has become too intolerant, not only of Arab citizens of Israel, but also of non-Orthodox Jews, Ethiopian Jews, LGBT Jews, asylum seekers, and others. Even as they may grieve for Israeli victims of terror, many cannot relate to the continued growth of settlements in the West Bank, or the weakening of democratic institutions like Israel’s Supreme Court as a result of the constant attacks from some ultra-Orthodox and far right circles,” Jacobs declared, speaking before the 5,000 Reform Jews gathered in Orlando, Florida, for the event.

“Our Reform movement has long opposed Israeli settlement policy in the West Bank. The occupation threatens the very Zionism that we hold dear – the living expression of a Jewish democratic state. It causes pain and hardship to the Palestinians and alienates Israel from friends and allies around the world.”

At the same time, he added, “the Jewish state needs our movement to be staunch defenders of Israel. And we will never stop defending her right to exist, no matter the hostile arena.”

I guess this would be the liberal Zionist viewpoint, which certainly has become less prominent over the decades. But they haven't given up hope.

[aranthus]

1. Not at all surprising.

This is the mainstream position among American Jews.

[geek tragedy]

2. I'd say it is a mainstream position amongst American Jews.

Query whether believing it is more mainstream than being willing to say it.

Chuck Schumer, for example, would never say anything like this.

[oberliner]

4. Among Israeli Jews as well

60 Percent Of Israelis Say Settlements Should Be Removed, Survey Reports

Three fifths of Israelis support dismantling settlements in the disputed territories, according to a survey conducted by the Harry S. Truman Institute for the Advancement of Peace, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

60% of the Israeli public answered that they supported "dismantling most of the settlements in the territories as part of a peace agreement with the Palestinians."

This is 11 points higher than the previous survey, conducted in December 2009, and the highest result since 2005.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/16/60-pecent-of-israelis-say_n_539380.html

[geek tragedy]

6. 2010? nt

[oberliner]

7. 2014: Israel public support of settlements dropping drastically

A new poll shows that Israeli public support for settlements in the West Bank has declined rapidly since 2009, Haaretz news reported on Monday.

http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/society/34380-140616-israel-public-support-of-settlements-dropping-drastically-poll-shows

Here's the Ha'aretz report (it's premium):

Support for West Bank Settlements Dropping Among Israeli Public

http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.599003

[King_David]

11. He's a politician

[oberliner]

3. Reform Judaism is the largest American Jewish movement

This is the predominant mainstream view (as the other poster pointed out above).

[geek tragedy]

5. what's curious is that this doesn't show up in the other major national Jewish orgs.

Are the national orgs aligned differently due to donor preferences (much like the Democratic party tends to be)?

[oberliner]

8. Orthodox Jews are more RW than Reform Jews

Generally speaking.

[King_David]

9. Ultra Orthodox Jews are not as Zionist as mainstream Jews,

And even antiZionist.

[oberliner]

10. Most hard-core fundamentalist Jews are anti-Zionist

That's what you get scenes like this: