Rabbis for Human Rights protests Israel’s collective punishment
By Ray Hanania
Rabbis for Human Rights, the only rabbinical based human rights organization in Israel, issued a statement this week calling on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the practice of punishing families and relatives of individuals accused of violent crimes by destroying their homes.
Israel has destroyed thousands of homes of Palestinians who have been accused of violent acts including allegations of terrorism, but in many cases, the suspects are never tried in courts and are often denied their legal rights.
Israel has not only often killed the suspects, but they have also punished relatives and neighbors of the suspects using an practice called “collective punishment” which is defined as a war crime and has been used in past conflicts including by the Nazis during World War II and by other totalitarian regimes in Europe.
Ironically, Israel has accused Arab leaders who have helped the families of accused violent and terrorism suspects by giving them financial assistance. Most notorious were the donations of $10,000 or more that were given by the late dictator Saddam Hussein to the families of suspects arrested or murdered by Israel.
Israel denounced the practice saying that it supported terrorism, yet Collective Punishment is the exact same practice or rewarding and punishing innocent people who are not involved in violent acts. In the case of Collective Punishment, the destruction of homes and lands belonging to relatives and family and friends of individuals accused of violence and terrorism benefits the terrorist Israeli settler movement which seeks with the help of Israel’s rightwing government to push Arab Christians and Muslims out of occupied Palestine.
The issue is a core principle of true civil rights and human rights and Rabbis for Human Rights should be applauded for standing up for the rights of innocent people who are punished purely for political reasons. The practice of hurting or helping families of individuals engaged in violence, convicted in a court of law or not, should end.
Rabbis for Human Rights noted that the true reason for the home demolitions is purely one of seeking to confiscate land from non-Jews in occupied Palestine, acknowledging a key argument from Palestinians that rightwing Israeli governments have used violence and terrorism as an excuse to expel non-Jewish populations and to strengthen the illegal activities of the Israeli settler movement which openly engages in armed acts of violence of terrorism against Arab Christians and Arab Muslims.
The letter is important because it separates the extremists in Israel from the core principles of Judaism upheld by Rabbis for Human Rights and may help Jewish people who have turned their back on human rights in the conflict between Israel and Palestine to reassess their views and instead reject their government’s extremism.
No individual, Jewish, Muslim or Christians, should be punished for the actions of others, regardless of their family relations or friendships. It’s a fundamental principle of Human Rights. To punish someone simply because they know someone or are of the same religion, race and ethnicity violates international principles of law, human rights and morality.
Here is the letter sent by Rabbis for Human Rights which seeks to uphold human rights principles in Israel and in Palestine.
Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu,
In 2005, over four hundred rabbis wrote an open letter to then Prime Minister Sharon expressing concern about the administrative demolition of Palestinian homes. We are extremely disapointed that the Government of Israel is opposing a High Court petition offering a constructive solution for alleviating this issue. Please use your authority to end this opposition.
Part of the 2005 letter read:
“The homes that were demolished were not demolished for any security reason. None of the people in these homes engaged in violence or harboring terrorists. They were demolished because of a violation of zoning regulations in a context where it is almost impossible for Palestinian families in those parts of the West Bank under Israeli civilian control or in Jerusalem to legally obtain building permits… “
The context referred to was the fact that planning and zoning laws severely restrict the ability of Palestinians to build homes, even on the lands that the State recognizes as belonging to them. There has been no representation or true ability for Palestinians to determine how to properly plan for their communities since local and district planning committees were abolished in 1971. The army plans for them.
Back in the 19th century, Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch warned in his Torah commentary about the disastrous consequences when, even with the best of intentions, those with the power in their hands try to appropriate for themselves the task of determining how to be just to others. The current discriminatory planning process exemplifies this, and violates the Jewish prohibition against acting “איפה ואיפה.”
Civil Administration (Army) planning officials have acknowledged that they don’t really have the ability to adequately plan for Palestinian communities. Currently, the failure of the existing system is clear. Thousands have been forced to build without permits, and great human suffering is caused when hundreds of homes are demolished each year in Area C alone.
We are therefore disappointed that the Government of Israel has decided to oppose the High Court petition submitted by Rabbis For Human Rights and partner organizations to restore local planning committees. In the hearing on the petition on April 28th of this year, the judges said clearly that the current situation is unacceptable, and gave the State ninety days to come up with a proposal to truly involve Palestinians in planning their communities. While the judges indicated that they would not force the State to restore the local and district planning committees cancelled by military order in 1971, they indicated that there was no legal reason for the State not to do so.
However, the State’s response was a proposal to institutionalize consultations that are already taking place in many cases. These consultations have not significantly altered the situation because the Civil Administration has no obligation to take into account what they hear. We also saw in the spring that consultations were suspended in response to moves by the Palestinian Authority.
Human rights must not be politicized. The State of Israel has an obligation to ensure that every human being under her control, each created in God’s Image, has a fair chance to build a home for him/herself and his/her family, irrespective of the current state of the peace process or differing opinions about what areas will be under Israel’s control in a future final status agreement. We urge the State of Israel to withdraw its opposition to RHR’s petition.
Rabbis and Cantors in Israel
Rabbi Yehoyada Amir
Rabbi Raphael Arzt
Rabbi Arik Ascherman
Rabbi Sigal Asher
Rabbi Mauricio Balter
Rabbi Ehud Bandel
Rabbi Simcha Daniel Burstyn
Rabbi Ze’ev Cutter
Rabbi Shelton Donnell
Rabbi Yoav Ende
Rabbi Ohad Ezrachi
Rabbi Paul Feinberg
Rabbi Rosalind Gold
Rabbi Miri Gold
Rabbi Esteban Gottfried
Rabbi Ariella Graetz
Rabbi Michael Graetz
Rabbi Yehiel Grenimann
Rabbi Nava Hefetz
Rabbi Naamah Kelman
Cantor Evan Kent
Rabbi Dean Kertesz
Rabbi Ron Kronish
Rabbi Levi Lauer
Rabbi Jim Lebeau
Rabbi Barry Leff
Rabbi Eyal Levinson
Rabbi Joel Levy
Rabbi Jonathan Matt
Rabbi Jeremy Milgrom
Rabbi Joel Oseran
Rabbi Mira Raz
Rabbi Uri Regev
Rabbi Ed Rettig
Rabbi Stanley Ringler
Rabbi Peretz Rodman
Rabbi Ayala Ronen Samuels
Rabbi David Rosen
Rabbi Ofer Sabath-Beit-Halachmi
Rabbi Galia Sadan
Rabbi Michael Schwartz
Rabbi Haim Shalom
Rabbi Gail Schuster-Bouskila
Rabbi Susan Silverman
Rabbi Anita Steiner
Rabbi Ma’ayan Turner
Rabbi Kobi Weiss
Rabbi Moshe Yehudai
Dr Rabbi Aharon Zinger
Rabbi David Zisenwine
Rabbi Or Zohar
Rabbis and Cantors in Great Britain
Rabbi R Benjamin
Rabbi Francis Berry
Rabbi Howard Cooper
Rabbi Colin Eimer
Rabbi Warren Elf
Rabbi Mijael Even-David
Rabbi Paul Freedman
Rabbi Helen Freeman
Rabbi Amanda Golby
Rabbi Mark Goldsmith
Rabbi Aaron Goldstein
Rabbi Michael Hilton
Rabbi Jason Holtz
Cantor Zoe Jacobs
Rabbi Margaret Jacobi
Rabbi Richard Jacobi
Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner
Rabbi Leah Jordan
Rabbi Deborah Kahn-Harris
Rabbi Sandra Kviat
Rabbi Monique Mayer
Rabbi Maurice Michaels
Rabbi David Mitchel
Rabbi Lea Muehlstein
Rabbi Jeffrey Newman
Rabbi René Pfertzel
Rabbi Sylvia Rothschild
Rabbi Sybil Sheridan
Rabbi Irit Shillor
Rabbi Amnon Daniel Smith
Rabbi Mark Solomon
Rabbi Zvi Solomons
Rabbi Jackie Tabick
Rabbi Larry Tabick
Rabbi Charles Wallach
Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg
Rabbi Alexandra Wright
Rabbi Cheryl Wunch
Rabbi Roderick Young
Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers
Rabbis and Cantors in Europe
Rabbi Ruven Bar Ephraim
Rabbi Tamarah Benima
Rabbi Clary Rooda
Rabbi Anna de Voogt
Rabbi Awraham Soetendorp
Rabbis and Cantors in North America
Rabbi Susan Abramson
Rabbi Howard Avruhm Addison
Rabbi David Adelson
Rabbi Ron Aigen
Rabbi Thomas M. Alpert
Rabbi Steve Altarescu
Rabbi Renni Altman
Rabbi Camille Shira Angel
Rabbi David Ariel-Joel
Rabbi Stephen A Arnold
Rabbi Melanie Aron
Rabbi Daniel H Aronson
Rabbi Raphael W. Asher
Rabbi Aryeh Azriel
Rabbi Andy Bachman
Rabbinical student Benjamin Barer
Rabbi Lewis M Barth
Rabbinical student David Basior
Rabbi Rachel Bat-Or
Rabbi Marc Belgrad
Rabbi Haim Dov Beliak
Rabbi Marci Bellows
Rabbi Allen B Bennett
Rabbi Marc Berkson
Rabbi Joseph Berman
Rabbi Phyllis Berman
Rabbi Jonathan Biatch
Rabbi Yossie Bloch
Rabbi Barry Block
Rabbi Herman J. Blumberg
Rabbi Lewis Bogage
Rabbi Liz Bolton
Rabbi Barbara Borts
Rabbi Bradd Boxman
Rabbi Barnett Brickner
Rabbi Herbert Brockman
Rabbi Caryn Broitman
Rabbi Jonathan Brumberg-Kraus
Rabbi Susan Bulba Carvutto
Rabbi Meredith Cahn
Rabbi Debra Cantor
Rabbi Steven Cardonick
Rabbi Reba Carmel
Rabbi Steven Carr Reuben
Rabbi Ari Carton
Rabbi Douglas Charing
Rabbi Joshua Chasan
Rabbinical student Misha Clebaner
Rabbi Debrah Cohen
Rabbi Howard Cohen
Rabbi Michael Tevya Cohen
Rabbi Tamara Cohen
Rabbi Hillel Cohn
Rabbi Neil Comess-Daniels
Rabbi Michael Conforti
Rabbi David J Copper
Rabbi Laurie Coskey
Rabbi Susan Cowchock
Rabbi Meryl Crean
Rabbi Matt Cutler
Rabbi Robin Damsky
Rabbi Janet Darley
Rabbinical student Nathan DeGroot
Rabbi Geoffrey Dennis
Rabbi Lucy Dinner
Rabbi Fred Dobb
Rabbi Robert Dobrusin
Rabbi Art Donsky
Rabbi Billy Dreskin
Cantor Ellen Dreskin
Rabbi Ellen W Dreyfus
Rabbi George B Driesen
Rabbi David Dunn Bauer
Rabbi Shoshana Dworsky
Rabbi Renee Edelman
Rabbi Judith Edelstein
Rabbi Laurence Edwards
Rabbi Lisa Edwards
Rabbi H.Bruce Ehrmann
Rabbi Amy Eilberg
Rabbi Barat Ellman
Rabbi Cindy Enger
Rabbi Rachel Esserman
Rabbi Susan Falk
Rabbi Elyse Feishman
Rabbi Edward Feld
Cantor Devorah Felder-Levy
Rabbi Fern Feldman
Rabbi Ted Feldman
Rabbi Zev Hayyim Feyer
Rabbi Brian Field
Rabbi Brian Fink
Rabbi Tirzah Firestone
Rabbi Frank A Fischer
Rabbi Ellen Flax
Rabbi David L. Freeman
Rabbi Susan Freeman
Rabbi Gershon Freidlin
Rabbi Dayle Friedman
Rabbi Joan S Friedman
Rabbi John Friedman
Rabbinical student Lev Friedman
Rabbi Pam Frydman
Rabbi Baruch Frydman-Kohl
Rabbi Stephen Fuchs
Rabbi Nancy Fuchs Kreimer
Rabbi Roy Furman
Rabbi Joyce Galaski
Rabbi Hillel Gamoran
Rabbi Hillel Gamoran
Rabbi Rachel Gartner
Rabbi Jonah Geffen
Rabbi Laura Geller
Rabbi Everett Gendler
Rabbi Gary Gerson
Rabbinical student Joseph Gindi
Rabbi Miriyam Glazer
Rabbi Arnold S Gluck
Rabbi Bob Gluck
Rabbi Andrew Gold
Rabbi Neal Gold
Rabbi Barbara Goldman-Wartell
Rabbi Debra E Goldstein
Rabbi Seth Goldstein
Rabbi Seth Goldstein
Rabbi Jeffrey Goldwasser
Rabbi David Gordis
Rabbi Julie Gordon
Rabbi Maralee Gordon
Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb
Rabbi Lauren Grabelle Herrmann
Rabbi Roberto D Graetz
Rabbi Joshua Grater
Rabbi Gary Greene
Rabbi David Greenstein
Rabbi Hannah Greenstein
Rabbi Suzanne Griffel
Rabbi Susan Grossman
Rabbi Joshua Gutoff
Rabbi Debra R Hachen
Rabbi Moshe Halfon
Rabbi Richard Hammerman
Rabbi Howard Handler
Rabbi Maurice Harris
Rabbi Vered L. Harris
Rabbi Jill Hausman
Rabbi Abraham Havivi
Rabbi Linda Henry Goodman
Rabbi Floyd Herman
Rabbi Victor Hoffman
Rabbi Linda Holtzman
Rabbi Margaret Holub
Rabbi Daniel Horwitz
Rabbi Mark Hurvitz
Rabbi Me’irah Iliinsky
Rabbi Debbie Israel
Rabbi Daria Jacobs-Velde
Rabbi Josh Jacobs-Velde
Rabbi Rachel Kahn-Troster
Rabbi Cassi Kail
Rabbi Peter E Kasdan
Rabbi Nancy Kasten
Rabbi Joanna Katz
Rabbi Hillel Katzir
Rabbi Peg Kershenbaum
Rabbi Noah Kitty
Rabbi Amy Klein
Rabbi Jason Klein
Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum
Rabbi David L. Kline
Rabbi Janeen Kobrinsky
Rabbi Debra Kolodny
Rabbi Ira Korinow
Rabbi Raquel S Kosovske
Rabbi Chava Koster
Rabbinical student Ilana Krakowski
Rabbi Michael L Kramer
Rabbi Douglas E Krantz
Rabbi Marc Adam Kraus
Rabbi Dr Yaacov Kravitz,
Rabbi Charles Kroloff
Rabbi Jonathan Kuptetz
Rabbi Susan Laemmle
Rabbi Karen Landy
Rabbi Gilah Langner
Rabbi Anson Laytner
Rabbi Darby Leigh
Rabbi Michele Lenke
Rabbi Michael Lerner
Cantor Janet Leuchter
Rabbi Eli-Yoel Levin
Rabbi Mark H Levin
Rabbi Richard N Levy
Rabbi Sue E Levy
Rabbi Yael Levy
Rabbi Sheldon Lewis
Rabbi Mordechai Liebling
Rabbi Janet B. Liss
Rabbi Jane Rachel Litman
Rabbi Richard Litvak
Rabbi Andrea London
Rabbi Michael Luckens
Rabbi Sarah Mack
Rabbi Mark Mahler
Rabbi Nina Mandel
Rabbi Shana Margolin
Rabbi Marc Margolius
Rabbi Jeff Marker
Rabbi Dr Susan Marks
Rabbi Nathan Martin
Cantor Jacqueline Marx
Rabbi Michael Mellen
Cantor Hazzan Harold Messinger
Rabbi Rachel Mikva
Rabbi Heather Ellen Miller
Cantor Annice Miller Benamy
Rabbi Jordan Millstein
Rabbi Joshua Minkin
Rabbi Michelle Missaghieh
Rabbi David Mitchel
Rabbi David Mivasair
Cantor Julie Newman
Rabbi Dev Noily
Rabbinical student Salem Pearce
Rabbi Barbara Penzner
Rabbi Helen Plotkin
Rabbinical student Louis Polisson
Rabbi Arnie Rachlis
Rabbi Debra Rappaport
Rabbi Yaakov Reef
Rabbi Frederick Reeves
Rabbi Paula Reimers
Rabbi Victor H Reinstein
Rabbi Yair D Robinson
Rabbi Brant Rosen
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Rabbi James B Rosenberg
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Rabbi Marc Rosenstein
Rabbi John Rosove
Rabbi Michael Ross
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Rabbi Elissa Sachs-Kohen
Rabbi Andrew Sacks
Rabbi Amy Sapowith
Rabbi Jeffery Saxe
Rabbi Zalman Hiyyah Schachter-Shalomi, z’l
Rabbi Howard Schneider
Rabbi Elhanan Sunny Schnitzer
Rabbi Joel Schwab
Rabbi Jeremy Schwartz
Rabbi Sidney Schwarz
Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller
Rabbi Gerald Serotta
Rabbi Isaac Serotta
Rabbi Judy Shanks
Cantor Linda Shivers
Rabbi Becky Silverstein
Rabbi Jonathan Singer
Rabbi Suzanne Singer
Cantor Raini Siroty
Rabbi Hank Skirball
Rabbi Jonathan Slater
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Rabbi Amy Joy Small
Rabbi Uriel Smith
Rabbi Joel Soffin
Rabbi Ruth H Sohn
Rabbi Eric Solomon
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Rabbi Scott Sperling
Rabbi Toba Spitzer
Rabbi Sonya Starr
Rabbi David Steinberg
Rabbi Jeffrey Stiffman
Rabbi Adam Stock Spiker
Rabbi Ariel Stone
Rabbi Andrew Straus
Rabbi Joshua Strom
Rabbi Alvin M Sugarman
Rabbi Robert Tabak
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Rabbi Zari M Weiss
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Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
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