Bucking Israel’s far right, several large American Jewish groups say they oppose resettling Gaza

Numerous major centrist and liberal American Jewish organizations have expressed their opposition to the reestablishment of Israeli settlements in Gaza.

In response to recent developments in northern Gaza and calls from right-wing Israeli government ministers, prominent Jewish groups such as the Jewish Federations of North America, the American Jewish Committee, and the Anti-Defamation League have made it clear that they do not support the idea of Israeli settlements in Gaza. This stance is also shared by bodies representing the Reform and Conservative movements, which collectively represent a significant portion of American Jews.

According to Jason Isaacson, AJC’s chief policy and political affairs officer, the land in question should be shared by both Jews and Arabs, and the reestablishment of Israeli settlements in Gaza or displacing Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank would not be in Israel’s best interests.

Israel evacuated its Gaza settlements in 2005, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently opposed the idea of reestablishing them. However, a significant percentage of Israelis, particularly right-wing voters, support the concept, as indicated by a recent poll by the Israel Democracy Institute.

Some Israeli government officials have advocated for encouraging Palestinian emigration from Gaza, a proposal that has been met with criticism both domestically and internationally.

Carole Nuriel, director of the Anti-Defamation League’s Israel office, condemned the proposals to displace Palestinians in Gaza and establish Jewish settlements there, labeling them as inhumane and immoral.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of Israel’s Otzma Yehudit party, and Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionist Party, attend a rally with supporters in the southern Israeli city of Sderot, Oct 26, 2022. (Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP via Getty Images)

The topic of Gaza resettlement sparked tension at a recent Jewish Federations of North America conference, where a comment made in a closed-door meeting received backlash from attendees. The JFNA maintains its support for a two-state solution that excludes Israeli occupation and settlement of Gaza.

While support for a two-state solution varies among U.S. Jewish groups, many centrist organizations are opposed to Israeli settlement expansion in both Gaza and the West Bank.

The Union for Reform Judaism and the Rabbinical Assembly have also expressed their opposition to any plans for Jewish settlement in Gaza, citing potential negative consequences for Israel’s security and the Palestinian population.

AIPAC focused on supporting Israel in its defense against external threats in its response, while J Street strongly condemned any Gaza resettlement project and warned against extremist influences dragging Israel into perilous territory.

The Orthodox Union, the Rabbinical Council of America, and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations did not provide comments on the issue of Gaza resettlement.

While some American Jews, like Morton Klein of the Zionist Organization of America, advocate for resettling Gaza, the majority of major Jewish organizations stand in opposition to the idea.

These statements were made in the context of ongoing debates within the American Jewish community regarding Israeli policies and human rights in the region.