30 June 2020 / 8 Tammuz 5780

Empowered by a U.S. president facing reelection and courting votes from U.S. evangelical Christians — many of whom see strengthening Israel as key to enabling the New Testament-prophesied "End Times," aka apocalypse and Armageddon with true believers of Jesus raptured to heaven and terrible things happening to nonbelievers — the Israeli government is considering unilaterally annexing parts or all of the West Bank. Regardless of whether or not these lands eventually would become part of Israel as the result of a negotiated two-state solution, unilateral annexation is a mistake, in that it lessens the likelihood of long-term peace in the region, harming both Israelis and Palestinians, and it threatens to extend unjust treatment of Palestinians in perpetuity.

It has been 53 years since Israel seized the West Bank from Jordan in the Six Day War and nearly 27 years since the signing of the Oslo Accords that began steps toward establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank. For decades Palestinians in the West Bank have been living under a combination of Israeli martial law and very limited self-rule, without the benefits of Israeli citizenship, and without representation in the Israeli government — a moral failure that should be corrected, not exacerbated. In keeping with Theodor Herzl's vision for a Jewish state that treats all peoples fairly and equally, and in keeping with Jewish laws and customs to treat all peoples fairly and to pursue justice, Aytzim has a long record of supporting a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and of opposing violating the human rights of Palestinians. Aytzim supports efforts toward peace and justice and condemns efforts that work against peace and justice. Correspondingly, Aytzim opposes plans for Israel's unilateral annexation of part or all of the West Bank and encourages Israeli and Palestinian leadership to return to the negotiating table to reach a lasting agreement for peace in the region.