A group of 54 Italian Jews has called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt the war on the Gaza Strip. They also urged Jews worldwide to reflect on the grave effects of the current tragedy on the future. In an open letter published by Italian newspapers, including “Il Fatto Quotidiano,” on the occasion of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
In the letter entitled “What Value Does Memory Have if It Doesn’t Stop Death in Gaza and the West Bank?” the signatories wrote that the October 7th attack shook them deeply, just as they were shaken by the violent crimes overseen by Netanyahu in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. They accused Netanyahu of lacking a political solution to the war and expressed their regret that part of the Israeli society and many Jews around the world understand the gravity of what is happening and its impact on the future.
According to the signatories, debating whether the war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza qualify as genocide will not alleviate the suffering of Palestinian victims, hostages, and their families. As Jews worldwide commemorate the International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27th, this occasion should not be reduced to mere rituals, as the signatories emphasized.
They called for the true spirit of this day – initially intended as an occasion for reflection to prevent future atrocities, not only against the Jewish people but all nations. They questioned the utility of memory if it does not contribute to stopping the production of death in Gaza and the West Bank.
The signatories criticized Israel’s use of the victim discourse and the exploitation of anti-Semitism to justify crimes, asserting that the resistance attack cannot be a justification for ignoring the pain of others, dehumanizing the weak, and committing violence against them. They also distanced themselves from the implications carried in a statement by the Union of Jewish Communities in Italy, which categorized any criticism of Israel as anti-Semitism, stating: “We understand the meaning of anti-Semitism and will not tolerate its exploitation.”
