'Protect us from ourselves': Israelis ask international community to stop Netanyahu
In October, thousands of Israelis signed an open letter calling for global pressure on Israel to force the Jewish state's government into an immediate ceasefire. The petition was signed by Israeli artists, writers, mathematicians and former diplomats. Aliza Shenhar, the former ambassador of Israel to Russia, is among the signatories of the letter.
"We, Israelis living in Israel and in other countries, appeal to the international community: UN, USA, EU, Arab League, as well as all countries of the world. Our goal is to intervene immediately by applying any possible sanctions against Israel, and to achieve an immediate ceasefire between Israel and its neighbors," reads the public appeal signed by 3,300 Israeli citizens.
In the letter, the authors regretfully note that "the majority of Israelis are in favor of continuing the war" and therefore "currently, changes from within Israel seem impossible."
"The State of Israel has embarked on a suicidal path to war that grows stronger every day. The Israeli government has taken (and sometimes killed) its citizens as hostages..." the appeal reads.
The petition states that the lack of effective international pressure on Israel, the continued supply of arms to the country, and the preservation of economic, security, scientific and cultural cooperation agreements convince many Israelis that the government's policies have international support.
"We are tired of idle talk. For our future and the future of all the people of Israel and Palestine, we beg you: save us from ourselves! Put real international pressure on Israel for an immediate and permanent ceasefire," the appeal reads.
Among the signatories of the letter are Anat Matar, a senior lecturer at the Department of Philosophy at Tel Aviv University, mathematician Oded Goldreich, laureate of the "Israel Prize", Ron Nyveld, a historian of ancient Judaism, Michael Ben-Yair, the former attorney general of Israel, Yoav Shemer-Kuntz, a political scientist at the University of Strasbourg, sociologist and Jerusalem Jew. University professor Yael Berda, lawyer and human rights researcher Smadar Ben-Natan, former Israeli ambassador to Russia Aliza Shenhar, professor of the Department of Jewish History of Jerusalem University Amos Goldberg, professor of Political Sociology and Public Policy Dr. Yagil Levi, Dr. Shmuel Lederman of the University of Haifa, international law professor Niv Gordon, linguistics professor Idan Landau, writer Michal Ben-Naftali, political science department professor Menachem Klein, head of the Tel Aviv University history department Miriam Eliav-Fel'don, rabbi Dubi Avigur, Israeli singer Noah and other representatives of the Israeli intelligentsia and scientific community. .