The sanctions were also condemned by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership council.<\/p>\n
But other senior rabbis, many from the progressive wing of the community, have come forward to stress the diversity of views within the British Jewish community, with some backing Miliband\u2019s sanctions<\/a>, while others warned that concern about the measures should not become an excuse for ignoring settler violence and expansion, and others calling for the government to go further.<\/p>\n Jonathan Wittenberg, a senior rabbi of Masorti Judaism<\/a>, said he was in the Palestinian village of Umm al Khair while Miliband was delivering his speech, and had seen the results of settler violence \u201cwith my own eyes\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is taking place today in the West Bank<\/a> is a Chillul HaShem, a violation of God\u2019s name of the worst order. We cannot stay silent. This is terrible for Palestinian people who want to get on with their lives in peace. It is terrible for Israel,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Wittenberg added: \u201cWe must speak out. We must do so out of deep concern for what is human and just, and for the sake of Israel<\/a> and Judaism. We cannot turn away.\u201d<\/p>\n While he acknowledged that the British Jewish community did not have to agree with everything the British government chose to do, he said: \u201cThe time is for action.\u201d<\/p>\n Rabbi Alexandra Wright from the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in London, vice-chair of the British Friends of Rabbis for Human Rights, said while not everyone in the community would support the sanctions, action was needed as \u201cthe occupation and escalating violence are harming Palestinians and Israelis\u201d.<\/p>\n She said: \u201cThe sanctions are the UK\u2019s commitment to a two-state solution. The Anglo-Jewish community is committed to a Jewish state that is founded, not on oppression and violence, but, in the words of Israel\u2019s declaration of independence, \u2018on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n Wright, who had recently visited the Palestinian village Umm al-Khair, which has faced relentless attacks by Israeli settlers, called on the Jewish community to \u201cnot hold back any progression towards a two-state solution\u201d.<\/p>\n Jeremy Gordon, the rabbi of New London Synagogue, who came out in favour of Miliband\u2019s sanctions, said: \u201cIt is wrong to argue for silence, inaction or \u2018the use of carrots\u2019 \u2013 appeasement \u2013 before the settler movement and those who support it. The playbook of these settlers is predicated on the notion that they will be appeased or ignored, and that well-meaning Jews the world over overlook their illegal and criminal actions.\u201d<\/p>\n Lev Taylor, rabbi of Kingston Liberal Synagogue in London, described the sanctions as a sign \u201cthe government is moving in the right direction\u201d. He added: \u201cSome of my Israeli members have been campaigning for sanctions exactly like this \u2026 The Judaism in which I believe repudiates this brutal occupation.\u201d<\/p>\n He pointed to the statements from the Israeli member of the Knesset Gilad Kariv, who said: \u201cThe blame for the European countries\u2019 announcement of sanctions falls squarely on the shoulders of [Benjamin] Netanyahu, [Bezalel] Smotrich, [Israel] Katz<\/a>, and [Gideon] Sa\u2019ar.\u201d<\/p>\n There is some consternation within the Orthodox community at the suggestion British Jews are uniformly opposed to the sanctions.<\/p>\n Miliband, the foreign secretary, announced the sweeping sanctions on trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank on Tuesday, with the government taking the position that Israel\u2019s occupation of the Palestinian territory was unlawful.<\/p>\n
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