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SILENCE IS CONSENT - Although a growing number of Jews around the world have become increasingly appalled by the Netanyahu government's war crimes in Gaza, many Jewish leaders, especially in the US, have remained silent in the wake of these horrific crimes, violating the moral tenets that Jews have held throughout the centuries. The silence from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in particular (the most influential American Jewish organization, which exercises considerable political sway on both Democrats and Republicans) not only gives consent to Israel’s actions, but they are also critical of those who “dared” to voice their revulsion about Israel’s crimes against humanity.
While we must not overlook Hamas’ savagery against Israelis in October 2023, this must also be examined in the context of Israel’s subsequent war against Hamas and the calamity being inflicted on the entire Palestinian population in Gaza. Yes, Hamas had to be punished for its atrocities, but Israel’s retaliatory war is beyond the pale of proportionality. Causing the death of more than 60,000 Palestinians, two-thirds of whom are women, children and the elderly, and laying to waste most of Gaza’s infrastructure cannot be justified under any circumstances.
Even beyond the inhumanity that Netanyahu and his government have displayed, these Jewish leaders are ignoring Israel’s plan to exile the Palestinians altogether from Gaza, which is ethnic cleansing and is not only immoral but also illegal under international law. It represents an egregious violation of the Palestinians' inherent right to live on their own land. This is a catastrophe in the making, and those shameless Jewish leaders who are numb must remember what John Stuart Mill wisely said: “Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” And in this case, they say nothing, and much worse yet, they go after those with a conscience who have the courage to criticize Israel for its onslaught on Gaza.
The Deafening Silence of AIPAC
For these leaders, Israel remains sacrosanct and not to be criticized. Beyond that, AIPAC targets incumbents it sees as not sufficiently pro-Israel in the US Congress. Going back to 2022, AIPAC spent $4 million opposing Michigan Representative Andy Levin, who criticized Israeli annexation of Palestinian territory and had once proposed legislation that would make a two-state solution the official policy of the US, and who is himself Jewish. In 2024, Jamaal Bowman of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri, both progressive Democrats, were defeated in their primaries after AIPAC-affiliated groups spent millions in opposition to the representatives. United Democracy Project, AIPAC’s super PAC, spent $9.9 million in opposition to Bowman, and an additional $4.8 million supporting his opponent – a whopping $14.7 million into a single race to defeat a candidate who had been critical of Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
It seems that it has never occurred to these so-called Jewish leaders that when Netanyahu claims that he speaks on behalf of the global Jewish community, any criminal acts that he and his government commit without being rebuked or denounced by them cast a dark shadow on diaspora Jews at large.
The whole world is in uproar about the unfolding horror in Gaza—the destruction, displacement, deadly diseases, and starvation. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defense minister for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Amnesty International concluded that Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute genocide. Israel’s allies, including France, Britain, and Germany, issued a joint statement demanding an immediate end to Israel’s military operations in Gaza. And even now, when many Israelis are demonstrating against the war, carrying photos of Palestinian children slaughtered in Gaza, these contemptible Jewish leaders remain deftly silent.
Many American Jews say they feel betrayed by these leaders and their acquiescence to what Israel is doing in their name. The majority of these Jews grew up believing in Judaism as the source of human dignity, and now there is no respect for the sanctity of human life. They are witnessing in real time the Palestinians' continuing tragic existence under Israeli siege and Israel’s utter disregard for their right to exist.
The Dire Ramifications of Israel’s Military Actions in Gaza
The ramifications of Israel’s military savagery in Gaza are hard to enumerate; it will suffice to mention only some of the grave consequences that Israel and, by association, Jews around the world, will suffer. They know that the wholesale death and destruction in Gaza will come back to haunt them.
The sharp rise in antisemitism across the globe will further escalate to a level unseen before. Many Jewish communities reported a significant surge as high as 400 percent in antisemitic incidents in the weeks immediately following October 7, including hate crimes, vandalism of synagogues, and physical attacks, especially in the US and Europe. Many are even hiding their identity to prevent harassment and threats to their lives.
Netanyahu’s war crimes in the Gaza war have triggered deep debates and soul-searching within Jewish worldwide communities, questioning how Jewish identity should be reconciled with the actions of the State of Israel, and calling for a painful moral reckoning and a redefinition of Jewish values.
The Gaza campaign has fueled global protest movements, including mass demonstrations, academic and cultural boycotts of Israeli institutions, and divestment drives, with some actors often conflating anti-Zionism and antisemitism and creating further tensions for Jews outside Israel.
The war has caused strain between Israeli officials and some Jewish communities abroad, who are critical of the scale of Israel’s actions, fearing backlash in their own societies. Some Jewish organizations have publicly distanced themselves from the Israeli government, a schism between the two sides that has never been seen before.
Scores of governments worldwide, including many of Israel’s traditional allies like France, the United Kingdom, and Canada, have condemned the humanitarian toll and loss of civilian life in Gaza. They are distancing themselves from Israel, which increases its isolation.
The support for Israel's military campaign in the US, Israel’s closest and most important ally, has fallen to historic lows. Recent polls of disapproval have risen to 60 percent, marking a significant decline in American public backing.
Israel is now facing coordinated diplomatic pressure from the UN and alliances such as the Hague Group, which is actively pursuing legal measures against Israel’s government for violating international law, and has become the subject of a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
The scale of civilian casualties and destruction in Gaza has severely undermined Israel’s peace agreements with its neighbors, especially Jordan and Egypt. Moreover, it will further radicalize extreme elements in the region, leading to cross-border attacks and wider internal violent outbreaks.
Whereas these righteous leaders need not publicly condemn Israel's criminality in Gaza day in and day out, they could exert tremendous pressure on Israel to immediately end its war crimes, not only to save the lives of countless Palestinians but also to minimize the dire consequences from which Israel and diaspora Jewry will inescapably suffer. Otherwise, they will live in shame for supporting a criminal Israeli government whose image is stained with Palestinian blood and wear this badge of disgrace for decades to come.
AIPAC’s leaders should remember that in Italian poet Dante Alighieri’s Inferno, those who had never taken a side in life were condemned to a never-ending torment in the vestibule of Hell, as “Their miserable lives have sunk so low that they must envy every other fate.”
These Jewish leaders have committed a far greater sin. In the name of solidarity with Israel, they have and continue to actively shield Netanyahu and his criminal gang from committing crimes against humanity—the highest form of moral bankruptcy.
American Jews must pour into the streets by the hundreds of thousands and call for the end of all financial contributions to this corrupt organization that has forfeited its moral obligations and inflicted a greater harm on the Jews worldwide than the most ardent antisemite ever could.
(Dr. Alon Ben-Meir is a retired professor of international relations, most recently at the Center for Global Affairs at NYU. He taught courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies.)
[email protected] Web: www.alonben-meir.com
