{"id":33504,"date":"2026-06-15T09:42:41","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T09:42:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/?p=33504"},"modified":"2026-06-15T09:42:41","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T09:42:41","slug":"not-in-my-name-the-jewish-communities-fighting-the-consensus-on-israel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/?p=33504","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Not in my name\u2019: The Jewish communities fighting the consensus on Israel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Members of the US\u2019s Jewish community say they reject Israel\u2019s authority over their name amid Smotrich\u2019s Israel Day parade appearance.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Anti-Israeli Jews at a ‘Stop the Sale of Stolen Palestinian Land’ protest against ‘Great Israel Real Estate’ [Sel\u00e7uk Acar\/Anadolu Agency]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Longstanding tensions between the US\u2019s progressive Jewish community and the Israeli government came into focus this month, when Israel\u2019s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and <\/a>other far-right Israeli legislators attended the annual Israel Day Parade in New York City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Smotrich, who\u00a0says he is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC)<\/a>, joined the pro-Israel procession marching down Fifth Avenue, he was met by a chorus of\u00a0\u201cshame\u201d and \u201cwar criminals\u201d<\/a>\u00a0from protesters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Israel Day on Fifth, as the event is known, has been opposed by many in the Jewish community, keen to distance themselves from Israel. With the ongoing genocide in Gaza and some of its architects on parade, the June event has been particularly controversial this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smotrich remained unfazed by the calls from New York\u2019s progressive Jewish protesters and proceeded to link the community\u2019s destiny to Israel\u2019s, a common mantra of both Israeli and US politicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is a massive celebration \u2013 a profound connection uniting the entire global Jewish community, bringing together Jews in Israel and Jews in the United States. This shared destiny has grown significantly stronger over the past three years,\u201d he said. \u201cThe State of Israel is the home of the entire Jewish people. The security of Jews worldwide relies on the strength and security of the State of Israel. There is no better place to live than in Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New York Mayor Zoran Mamdani fulfilled his election pledge by skipping the parade, a move welcomed by some American Jewish organisations critical of the powerful far-right undercurrent in Israeli politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Israel Day Parade, which features Israeli politicians who have not only cheered on the genocide of Palestinians, but are part of the government committing that genocide, is not a celebration of Jewish identity or pride. @NYCMayor knows this. We\u2019re grateful he is not attending,\u201d said Israelis for Peace and Jews for Racial & Economic Justice (JFREJ).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jewish activists in Europe and the US say they are frustrated by politicians such as Smotrich using them and their religion to justify the genocide in Gaza and the occupation of the West Bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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