Britain’s largest Zionist Jewish organisation, the Board of Deputies of British Jews, has suspended five of its own members who expressed criticism of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.
The action by the Board of Deputies, a group which expresses hardcore support for Israel, occurred after a letter was published in the Financial Times in April which strongly condemned Israel’s assault on Gaza and its withholding of food and aid, which has left hundreds of thousands on the brink of starvation.
The Board of Deputies also signed the letter – a decision not supported by leaders of the board who accused the 36 deputies involved of “misrepresenting our community” before launching disciplinary proceedings against them.
They have now all been found to have breached the Board of Deputies’ code of conduct.
The board’s executive body sent a “notice of criticism” to 31 of the 36 signatories, but decided to suspended five deputies from the board for at least two years.
In three cases, the suspension may be reduced to six months “by way of apology to affected parties,” the board reportedly said.
The Financial Times letter asserted that: “The inclination to avert our eyes is strong, as what is happening is unbearable, but our Jewish values compel us to stand up and to speak out.”
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It added: “We know in our hearts we cannot turn a blind eye or remain silent at (the) renewed loss of life and livelihoods, with hopes dwindling for a peaceful reconciliation and the return of the hostages. This most extremist of Israeli governments is openly encouraging violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, strangling the Palestinian economy and building more new settlements than ever.”
The signatories said: “Israel’s soul is being ripped out” by the war on Gaza and “we stand against the war… it is our duty, as Jews, to speak out.”
According to reports, the letter caused a furore within the UK’s Jewish community amid growing divisions over the war and distress at the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.
The investigative panel unanimously found the 36 signatories to be in breach of the code.
Michael Wegier, the Board’s chief executive, said: “We are a democratic organisation that welcomes debate, diversity and free speech. Managing diversity of opinion within our organisation depends on our code of conduct. That code ensures deputies do not create misunderstandings about the position of the board or its members, do not bring the institution into disrepute, and treat one another and the institution with respect.”
This latest internal feud comes after Daniel Grossman, a member of the board, resigned last month over what he described as the failure of its leaders to explicitly criticise “the Israeli government’s ongoing genocidal assault on Gaza.”
Despite widespread allegations of war crimes and a genocide being committed in Gaza, studies suggest that the majority of British Jews remain supportive of Israel or feel a close connection to Zionism.
This hasn’t stopped many Jewish activists and intellectuals speaking out against Israel’s crimes but these voices are often sidelined within the majority Zionism UK Jewish community.
Statements from the Board of Deputies issued since the genocidal war began have been broadly supportive of the Israeli government’s actions – actions which were initiated after the October 7 attack by Hamas in 2023.
