Dear Friend,

I hope you and your loved ones are holding up okay.

Like many of you, over the recent days, I have been in close contact with Jewish and Palestinian family, friends, and colleagues in Israel, as they shelter from missile attacks. It is heartbreaking to witness homes destroyed and families shattered across the country.

Among the growing number of Israelis wounded and killed, four members of one family lost their lives last weekend in the Palestinian town of Tamra, a place I visited with dear friends and their baby just a few months ago. This tragedy underscores the lack of adequate protection for some Israeli citizens. A recent Ynet article addressing these challenges quoted a Bedouin citizen of the Negev:

“I am a volunteer medic at MDA. Every time I get a message to show up, my heart immediately says: ‘Get up, go, help. You’re here to save lives.’ … then I look at my children, my family…I think about how I’m the one who should protect them. But we have nowhere to go (no shelter).”

We are currently working with our partners to identify and address emergency needs, especially in vulnerable and neglected communities. We are assisting those seeking to ensure the effort to return the hostages is not sidelined amid the current crisis. We are responding to the dire situation in Gaza and the West Bank. We are easing tensions in mixed cities. We are protecting freedom of expression and protest.

War without a diplomatic strategy will not bring lasting security. Even now, especially now, we persist with the people, policies, and public campaigns offering an alternative to the endless bloodshed.

Please join us and Yachad online this Sunday, 5:30 – 6:30 pm, to hear from Maya Ilana and Eran Etzioni, our partners at Mitvim and Molad, for an update on the situation in Israel and their advocacy work for regional diplomacy.

Thank you for your generosity and determination to be on the side of those seeking safety and security for all Israelis and everyone in the region.

In hope for much calmer days,

David Davidi-Brown Chief Executive, New Israel Fund UK

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