Fringe rabbis recruit Jewish clergy to lobby against US military aid to Israel, halt weapons sales

The coalition, called 'Rabbis for Block the Bombs, ' launched publicly on 23 August and so far has 92 signatories.

A coalition of progressive rabbis is recruiting fellow Jewish clergy to endorse H.R. 3565 - Block the Bombs Act, which calls for a partial arms embargo on Israel.

The coalition, called 'Rabbis for Block the Bombs, ' launched publicly on 23 August and so far has 92 signatories.

It is centered on support for the Block the Bombs Act (H.R. 3565): a proposed US bill that aims to block the sale and transfer of seven of the most lethal offensive weapons to Israel. These are BLU-109 bunker-busting bombs, MK80 series bombs, GBU-39 small-diameter bomb variants, Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), SPICE gliding bomb assemblies, 120mm tank ammunition, and 155mm artillery ammunition, including white phosphorus munitions.

The new website features a mission statement alongside the words 'You shall not murder' from Exodus 20:13.

The statement reads "we, the undersigned Jewish clergy, implore members of Congress to support H.R. 3565 [...] a necessary step toward ending US complicity in the Israeli military's excessive violence, and in moving towards a just peace and true safety for both Palestinians and Israelis."

Jewish Voice for Peace, IfNotNow, New Jewish Narrative support bill

This stance, the coalition says, is guided by the Jewish values of Pikuach Nefesh, the obligation to save lives, and B’tzelem Elohim, the belief that all humans are made in the image of the Divine.

"Our horror at the deadly and ongoing assaults in Gaza and the West Bank and the realization that we as Americans have a hand in enabling those assaults lead us to support the Block the Bombs Act."

"Supporting the Block the Bombs Act is both a moral imperative and a strategic step toward protecting lives in Gaza," it continues.

While the campaign is unbranded, its FAQ lists Jewish Voice for Peace,  Center for Jewish Nonviolence, IfNotNow, Jews for Racial & Economic Justice, New Jewish Narrative, Rabbis for Ceasefire, as groups supporting the bill. These groups are widely disavowed by mainstream Judaism, and several have attracted significant controversy for their anti-Israel campaigning and BDS support.

Among the signatories are Rabbi Alissa Wise - former co-director of organizing for Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and founder of Rabbis for Ceasefire - Rabbi Brant Rosen - Co-founder of the JVP Rabbinical Council - Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb - longtime activist with JVP - and Rabbi David Mivasair - prominent activist with JVP and Independent Jewish Voices Canada.

Alissa Wise was previously photographed hugging Rasmea Odeh, who planted a bomb in a Jerusalem supermarket, killing two and injuring 9.