JVP Rabbinical Council: “Israel is Committing the Holocaust of Our Time Against Palestinians”
California (Quds News Network)- The Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) Rabbinical Council has issued a strong statement condemning Israel’s ongoing actions in Gaza, characterizing them as a holocaust against Palestinians. Reflecting on their own family histories, which include survivors and victims of Nazi death marches, members of the JVP Rabbinical Council stated, “We have all grown up in the shadow of the Nazi Holocaust,” emphasizing that their stance stems from deeply held moral convictions rooted in their Jewish heritage.
The council described the scenes from North Gaza as “a terrifying echo” of images from Nazi ghettos and concentration camps, which, unlike Israel’s crimes, were hidden from the world. The council referenced author Susan Abulhawa, who wrote, “Israel is committing the holocaust of our time, and it is doing it in full view of a seemingly indifferent world.” The statement comes as humanitarian groups and international bodies continue to document the impacts of the genocide, with an estimated 42,000 Palestinian civilians, including children, doctors, journalists, and teachers, killed since the start of Israel’s latest offensive.
The JVP Rabbinical Council emphasized the rising toll of Palestinian casualties, arguing that these actions represent an “intentional mass slaughter.” They contested claims that these actions are necessary for “Jewish security,” suggesting instead that this genocide is an outgrowth of fascist mechanisms and ideologies, which in the past led to the murder of over six million Jews during the Nazi Holocaust.
The council called upon individuals worldwide to take a stand: “Will we be like the courageous ‘righteous gentiles’ who risked their personal safety to protect Jewish lives during the Nazi Holocaust? Or will we behave like those who ‘didn’t want to get involved’?” The statement encourages people to choose a path of resistance, stressing, “There is no middle ground.”
Jewish Voice for Peace is urging immediate action, asking people to join them in demanding an end to US arms shipments to Israel. They’ve also issued a call for Holocaust survivors, refugees, and their descendants to sign a petition in solidarity with Palestinian civilians.
Recommitting a Holocaust
Since Israel’s offensive on Gaza began in October, Israeli forces have killed over 43,000 Palestinians, with half of the victims are women and children. Alongside the devastating loss of life, Israeli attacks have destroyed critical civilian infrastructure, including schools, mosques, hospitals, and UN shelters. Israel has even wiped out entire neighbourhoods amid clear statements by Israeli leaders to annihilate the Palestinian people.
Israeli forces have also established concentration camps, carried out mass executions, and used a humiliating language against Palestinians similar to that used by the Nazis. It also targeted journalists, medical personnel, and UN and aid workers. While the Gaza Health Ministry’s official death toll stands at over 43,000, some reports suggest the true figure may exceed 186,000.
Additionally, Israeli forces have sectioned off areas of the Gaza Strip under siege, blocking access to food, water, and fuel, leading to hundreds of deaths from starvation and lack of medical care.
Palestinian journalists report that half of Gaza City’s Jabalia neighborhood has already been forcibly cleared, an action described as ethnic cleansing. Israeli troops have been moving through schools and residential areas in Jabalia, forcibly displacing unarmed Palestinian civilians suffering from hunger and lack of supplies.
Buildings, including UN schools and homes, are often demolished or burned by Israeli soldiers to prevent displaced residents from returning, according to on-the-ground reports and human rights organizations, deepening the tragedy faced by those who have already lost so much and highlighting the urgent need for humanitarian intervention. As the world watches, the situation continues to deteriorate, leaving countless families in despair and without hope for the future.
