Jewish Groups Call On Israeli Govt To Respect International Court Ruling & Withdraw From Occupied Palestinian Territory

Dayenu and Alternative Jewish Voices are calling on the Israeli government to follow the International Court of Justice’s recent ruling on Palestine. The Court has said that the Israeli government must withdraw its settlers from East Jerusalem and the West Bank, and pay compensation to affected Palestinians.

The message was delivered today in the form of a snap protest, outside the Israeli embassy in Wellington. “Despite being an Israeli citizen, the embassy has for years been unwilling to engage with us about the illegal occupation of Palestine. So we are being more creative in delivering our message,” says Rick Sahar, an Israeli citizen, and member of Dayenu, Alternative Jewish Voices and Justice 4 Palestine.

“My parents were both Holocaust survivors. It is outrageous that the Israeli government uses that trauma as an excuse for harassing, abusing, torturing, and killing Palestinians. As a young man, I participated in this system as an IDF soldier. I deeply regret my actions and not having done enough to change it. I am so disgusted by the behaviour of the Israeli government that today I have burnt my Israeli passport in protest. This burning also marks my commitment to devote myself to fighting for Palestinian rights,” says Sahar.

“The International Court of Justice has condemned Israel’s occupation of Palestine, its system of apartheid against Palestinian people, and the crimes that it has committed in the Occupied Territory. The Court has confirmed that Israel is breaching fundamental international law. While non-binding, the Court’s decision increases the pressure to end Israeli impunity. Israel’s current strategies endanger the peace and security of Palestinians, Israelis, and the Jewish diaspora. Israeli actions threaten the peace and stability of the Middle East, if not the whole world. We call on the Israeli government to comply fully with the ICJ ruling,” says Philippa Yasbek, Dayenu spokesperson.

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