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from https://www.newsweek.com/we-are-75-israeli-progressives-peace-activists-we-are-dismayed-left-opinion-1835735

We Are 75 Israeli Progressives and Peace Activists. We Are Dismayed With
the Left | Opinion
RAN HEILBRUNN , ISRAELI ACADEMIC AND WRITER
ON 10/18/23 AT 11:24 AM EDT

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We, Israel-based academics, thought leaders and progressive activists
committed to peace, equality, justice, and human rights, are deeply
pained and shocked by the recent events in our region. We are also
deeply concerned by the inadequate response from certain American and
European progressives regarding the targeting of Israeli civilians by
Hamas, a response which reflects a disturbing trend in the global Left's political culture.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched an unprecedented attack that included
mass murder of innocent civilians in their homes, indiscriminate
violence toward women, the elderly, and children, and mass kidnappings
of Israeli citizens. Entire families were wiped out in this carnage,
whole communities were reduced to ashes, bodies were maimed, infants
were massacred.

It is impossible to overstate the damage caused by these events, both on
a personal and a collective level. The traumatizing events of that
Saturday in October will leave a lasting mark on our hearts and memories.

As expected, in response to Hamas's actions, the State of Israel
launched a massive military operation in Gaza. We still cannot estimate
the death toll of these attacks, but it is likely to be higher than
anything we have witnessed heretofore. This cycle of aggression severely undermines our long-standing struggle against oppression and violence
and in pursuit of full rights and equality for all residents of Israel-Palestine. At this moment, more than ever, we need support and solidarity from the global Left in the form of an unequivocal call
against indiscriminate violence towards civilians on both sides.

Many of our peers worldwide have expressed strong opposition to Hamas's
attack and have offered unambiguous support for its victims. Prominent
voices in the Arab world, too, have made it clear that there is no justification for sadistic murder of innocent people. However, to our
dismay, some elements within the global Left, individuals who were,
until now, our political partners, have reacted with indifference to
these horrific events and sometimes even justified Hamas's actions.

Hamas
Thousands march from the BBC to Whitehall to demand freedom for
Palestine on May 14, 2022 in London, England.
GUY SMALLMAN/GETTY IMAGES

Some have refused to condemn the violence, claiming that outsiders have
no right to judge the actions of the oppressed. Others have downplayed
the suffering and trauma, arguing that Israeli society brought this
tragedy upon itself. Yet others have shielded themselves from the moral
shock through historical comparisons and rationalization. And there are
even those—no small number—for whom the darkest day in our society's history was a cause for celebration.

This array of responses surprised us. We never imagined that individuals
on the Left, advocates of equality, freedom, justice, and welfare, would
reveal such extreme moral insensitivity and political recklessness.

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Let us be clear: Hamas is a theocratic and repressive organization that vehemently opposes the attempt to promote peace and equality in the
Middle East. Its core commitments are fundamentally inconsistent with progressive principles, and thus the inclination of certain Leftists to
react affirmatively to its actions is utterly absurd.

READ MORE
Donald Trump: Biden's Weakness and Incompetence Strengthened Iran—and Hamas For Denouncing Hamas, Students at Northeastern Demanded I Be Investigated
Why Hamas Is a Direct Threat to U.S. Interests

Moreover, there is no justification for shooting civilians in their
homes; no rationalization for the murder of children in front of their
parents; no reasoning for the persecution and execution of partygoers. Legitimizing or excusing these actions amounts to a betrayal of the
fundamental principles of left-wing politics.

We would like to emphasize that there is no contradiction between
staunchly opposing the Israeli subjugation and occupation of
Palestinians and unequivocally condemning brutal acts of violence
against innocent civilians. In fact, every consistent Leftist must hold
both positions simultaneously.

The seventh of October is a dark day in the history of Israel-Palestine
and the lives of the peoples of this region. Those who refuse to condemn Hamas's actions do immense damage to the prospects of peace becoming a
viable, relevant political option. They weaken the left's ability to
present a positive social and political horizon, turning it into an
extreme, narrow, and alienating political force.

We call on our peers on the Left to return to a politics based on
humanistic and universal principles, to take a clear stance against
human rights abuses of any form, and to assist us in the struggle to
break the cycle of violence and destruction.

פרופ' אביעד קליינברג, Prof. Aviad Kleinberg, President of the Ruppin
Academic Center

אבירמה גולן, Avirama Golan, author and journalist

פרופ׳ אבנר בן-זקן, Prof. Avner Ben-Zaken, Institute for Israeli Thought

אבתיסאם מראענה, Ibtisam Mara'ana, former MK, Labor Party

אדם רז, Adam Raz, historian, human rights activist

פרופ' אווה אילוז, Prof. Eva Illouz, Directrice d'études EHESS Paris,
Institute for Israeli Thought

ד"ר אופק בירנהולץ, Dr. Ofek Birnholtz, Bar Ilan University

אורטל בן דיין, Ortal Ben Dayan, social activist

אורי בן דב, Ori Ben Dov, social activist

אורי וולטמן, Uri Weltmann, National Field Organizer - Standing Together

אורי קול,Ori Kol, social entrepreneur

ד"ר אורית סוניה ויסמן, Dr. Orit Sônia Waisman, David Yellin Academic
College of Education, Jerusalem

פרופ' אורן יפתחאל, Prof. Oren Yiftachel, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

אילון טוהר, Eilon Tohar, social activist

איריס לעאל, Iris Leal, author

אלון-לי גרין, Alon-Lee Green, National Co-Director of Standing Together

ד"ר אלי למדן, Dr. Eli Lamdan, Nemala Publishing House

ד"ר אלי קוק, Dr. Eli Cook, Head of the General History Department, Haifa
University

ד"ר אלמוג כשר, Dr. Almog Kasher, Bar Ilan University

פרופ' ארנה בן-נפתלי, Prof. Orna Ben-Naftali, the College of Management
Law Faculty and the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute

ג'וש דריל, Josh Drill, social activist

גדיר האני, Ghadir Hani, peace activist, Standing Sogether

פרופ' גילה סטופלר, Prof. Gila Stopler, Faculty of Law, College of Law
and Business

פרופ׳ גליה צבר, Prof. Galia Sabar, Tel Aviv University. Former President
of Ruppin College

ד"ר דב חנין, Dr. Dov Khenin, former MK, Hadash, Tel Aviv University

ד"ר דוד לרר, Dr. David Lehrer, Arava Institute for Environmental Studies

דויד גרוסמן, David Grossman, author

דורית הדר פרסקי, Dorit Hadar Persky, M.A teacher for special education,
David Yellin Academic College of Education, Jerusalem

ד״ר דליה שיינדלין, Dr. Dahlia Scheindlin, Political Scientist and board
member, A Land for All

פרופ' דן רבינוביץ', Prof. Dan Rabinowitz, Tel Aviv University

ד"ר דנה מילס, Dr. Dana Mills, author and human rights activist

פרופ' דני גוטוויין, Prof. Danny Gutwein, Haifa University

פרופ׳ דני פילק, Prof. Dani Filc, MD PhD, Standing Together

ד"ר הדר גל, Dr. Hagar Gal, David Yellin Academic College of Education, Jerusalem

ורד ליבנה, Vered Livne, former Director General of The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) and leadership member of Standing Together

טלב א-סאנע, Taleb el-Sana, Former MK, Arab Democratic Party, Head of High Committee for Arab Citizens of the Negev

יואב הראבן, Yoav Hareven, leadership member of Standing Together

פרופ' יואב גולדברג, Prof. Yoav Goldberg, Bar-Ilan University

פרופ' יונתן רובין, Prof. Jonathan Rubin, Bar Ilan University

יוסי סוכרי, Yossi Sucary, author

ד"ר יופי תירוש, Dr. Yofi Tirosh, Tel Aviv University

פרופ' יעל השילוני-דולב, Prof. Yael Hashiloni-Dolev, Ben-Gurion
University, Sociology and Anthropology Department

ד"ר יעל שטרנהל Dr. Yael Sternhell, Tel Aviv University,

ד״ר יפתח גולדמן, Dr. Yiftah Goldman, David Yellin Academic College of
Education, Jerusalem

ד"ר כרמל שלו, Dr. Carmel Shalev, Faculty of Law, Tel Aviv University

ד"ר ליסה קינן, Dr. Lisa Kainan, David Yellin Academic College of Education, Jerusalem

פרופ' מאיר יעיש Prof. Meir Yaish, Haifa University,

מוסי רז, Mossi Raz, former MK, Meretz

ד"ר מיטל פינטו, Dr. Meital Pinto, Zefat Academic College, Ono Academic
College

מיטל פלג מזרחי, Meital Peleg Mizrachi, Postdoctoral fellow at Yale University, environmental justice researcher

מיקי גיצין, Mickey Gitzin, New Israel Fund, Executive Director in Israel

ד"ר מירי לביא נאמן, Dr. Miri Lavi Neeman, Arava Institute for Environmental Studies

פרופ׳ משה צוקרמן, Prof. Moshe Zuckermann, Tel Aviv University

נדב ביגלמן, Nadav Bigelman, Social Activist, member of Standing Together

פרופ' נעם זהר, Prof. Noam Zohar, Bar Ilan Univesity

ניב מאירסון, Niv Meyerson, Social and environmental justice activist

פרופ' ניר אביאלי, Prof. Nir Avieli, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

ד"ר ניר ברק, Dr. Nir Barak, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

סאלי עבד, Sally Abed, Member of national leadership, Standing Together

ד"ר עדי מכמל, Dr. Adi Makmal, Engineering Faculty, Bar-Ilan Uni. Israel

עודה באשארת, Odeh Bisharat, writer

פרופ' עירן דורפמן, Prof. Eran Dorfman, Literature Department, Tel Aviv
University

פרופ' עמית שכטר, Prof. Amit Schejter, department of communication studies, Ben-Gurion University, chairman of ACRI

ד"ר ענת הרבסט-דבי, Dr. Anat Herbst-Debby, The Gender Studies program,
Bar-Ilan University

ד"ר עפרי אילני, Dr. Ofri Ilany, Van Leer Institute, historian and journalist

ערן ניסן, Eran Nissan, Mehazkim, CEO

צליל רובינשטיין, Tzlil Rubinshtein, social activist

רן היילברון, Ran Heilbrunn, writer

ד"ר רונית דוניץ-קידר, Dr. Ronit Donyets Kedar, College of Law and Business

פרופ' רות הלפרין-קדרי, Prof. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, Bar-Ilan University
Faculty fo Law

ד"ר רפאל זגורי-אורלי, Dr. Raphael Zagury-Orly, Institut Catholique de Paris

ד"ר שלומית אהרוני ליר, Dr. Shlomit Aharoni Lir, Bar Ilan University

פרופ' שרון ערמון-לוטם, Prof. Sharon Armon-Lotem, Bar-Ilan University

תום יגיל, Tom Yagil, social and environmental activist

ד"ר תמר אשר שי, Dr. Tamar Ascher Shai, David Yellin Academic College of
Education, Jerusalem

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