A message from NIF Israel Director Mickey Gitzin

I write to you at the end of a long and difficult year.

The daily news about casualties on both sides of this war is heartbreaking: the situation of the hostages in Gaza is more alarming with each passing day. This horror was deepened last week by the unbearable news of the mistaken killing of three hostages by IDF forces.

The unprecedented death toll of innocent Palestinian lives in Gaza and the unfolding humanitarian disaster means our heart has no respite. The terrible images and information that I am exposed to – materials that barely reach the Israeli media and much less the Israeli public – constantly remind me that we must stay true to our values, remember that humans are made in God’s image, and see each person as a unique individual.

It is important to remember: our commitment to the lives of Israelis does not come at the expense of our commitment to the lives of Palestinians, and our ability to express empathy for the residents of Gaza who are affected by the war does not detract, even by an inch, our commitment to Israeli society and its security.

Through our crisis work, NIF upholds its values in these difficult days, as it upheld them before and will continue in the future. NIF is committed to justice, equality and democracy. While the government tells us that “together we will win”, we can only ask ourselves the difficult questions: who is the “we”? what do “we” want to be after this war? and what would a real, long-lasting victory look like? To me, one victory is to not stop believing in partnership and shared living, in human rights for all, and in responsibility for Israel’s most vulnerable. We must continue to believe in the possibility of peace.

During these times of war, the persecution and silencing of voices are greater than ever, silenced under the thunder of war and oppressive forces. In such a situation, we as an organisation must express sensitivity to each other, model tolerance, and work on shared leadership based on our values.

We have much to be proud of in our work since October 7th.

I wish for quieter and better days as we usher in 2024.

Thank you for your dedicated support each and every day, and for the privilege we share to bring about healing and repair.

Wishing you strength and sending solidarity

Mickey Gitzin
Executive Director of NIF Israel