‘Clock ticking down to the next escalation and war’ with Gaza
Israel’s 50-day conflict with Hamas last year led to images of death, destruction and fear on both sides.
Much fairer reporting meant that, for once, the world saw that Israel was not an arbitrary aggressor.
Still, the horrendous death toll only made the world more thirsty for a new solution – one that opened up the territory to trade, wealth and interdependency, as opposed to keeping it locked in its own little bubble of bombs, radicalisation and desperation.
Among those championing new thinking is a new candidate from Yesh Atid.
Chaim Yellin is the head of the Eshkol regional council, which is situated on the border with the Gaza Strip. He has been in the line of fire for years, and is well-known, having regularly appeared on Israeli media to highlight the suffering in his communities owing to the continuous barrages of rocket and mortar attacks.
He is also popular, as the only leader of the Eshkol council to ever win re-election.
Yet he is also a huge critic of today’s model for Gaza, recently giving evidence to the Schabas Committee, despite the Israeli establishment formally boycotting the committee owing to its biased make-up and mandate.
Since last summer, he has continued his criticism, saying: “Anyone who thought that IDF-manufactured deterrence is the solution for achieving quiet in the Gaza periphery doesn’t understand that wars are won by statesmen, who achieve quiet and security with courage.”
As if that weren’t damning enough, he adds: “After Operation Protective Edge, the country had an exceptional opportunity to bring about a long-term arrangement. Instead, we find ourselves with a clock ticking down to the next escalation and war.” It is a sentiment, alas, that many people share.
[polldaddy poll=8720985]
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
