This is a distressing time and there is an overwhelming amount of information to grapple with about the situation in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

We received requests from our supporters for resources and responses that appreciate the scale of the atrocities experienced by Israelis and the Jewish people on 7^th October, whilst understanding the ongoing terrorist attacks on Israel; the diverse communities within Israel suffering the consequences of those attacks; and the devastating humanitarian crisis for Palestinians living in Gaza.

This page provides perspectives from and about our leaders and grantees, as well as sensitive and solutions-focused resources.

For those who can, please donate to our crisis appeal providing safety for all communities in Israel.

Resources

Yachad have prepared a sensitive summary on what happened on and immediately after Saturday 7th October. They have also curated a many more useful resources they are aiming to update regularly, including a list of journalists and organisations to follow, and importantly Israelis and Palestinians with lived experience of this conflict.

Solutions not Sides aims to tackle antisemitism, Islamophobia and polarisation around the issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the UK. The non-partisan programme has been formulated with input of Israelis and Palestinians as well as senior members of Jewish and Muslim communities. They have many free and useful guides, including on how to avoid antisemitic or Islamophobic hate speech.

Prof. Deepak Malhotra, of Harvard Business School, offers an approach to understanding the different conversations around the conflict often had at crossed purposes. His advice is for those trying to engage those we “most expected or needed to stand by (our) side on an issue that seems morally unambiguous, (who) are suddenly hesitating to do so.”

Sam Lebens, writing in Fathom Journal, cites Maimonides as he argues that this is a just war and that “we are not Hamas. We are better than that. We must always continue to care about the innocent people caught up in a mess that was not of their choosing.”.

Testimonies

October 7 is a collection of information from survivors who are bearing witness to the unspeakable terrors of October 7th, horrors that continue to haunt the hearts and minds of countless souls across Israel. Warning: some of these stories are extremely difficult and describe war crimes involving violence, rape and brutality.

Bring Them Home Now was set up by the Hostage and Missing Families. The Forum is volunteer-based and focused on bringing the hostages back home to their families. The forum offers families holistic support and professional assistance and advances the ongoing efforts through all channels, locally, regionally and globally, to bring the hostages and the missing back home to their loved ones.

Media including from and featuring NIF leaders and grantees

Jewish-Arab solidarity offers hope in Israel (The Guardian): “we are doing whatever we can to preserve a sense of Israeli-Palestinian solidarity and identifying triggers for incitement and violence before they spiral.” (Sally Abed, Standing Together)

Across Israel, Jews and Arabs join forces to help war victims and prevent riots (Ha’aretz): “These people need in-person assistance. They need social workers who will come here, but for the moment everyone is afraid to travel. I understand the fear, so I show up instead.” (Amal Abo Alkom, Director of Bedouin Women for Themselves)

Alon-Lee Green, co-director of Standing Together, a joint Jewish and Palestinian organisation, is working with their thousands of members to calm tensions and promote community cohesion. Alon-Lee spoke to Sky News urging the priority to be the safe return of hostages taken to Gaza by Hamas.

CEO of FakeReporter, Achiya Schatz, spoke to CNN about the scope of disinformation on social media. We’ve seen in the past how coordinated disinformation and incitement online can cause violence on the streets.  FakeReporter will soon launch a new platform that allows everyone to report disinformation and take steps to get it removed.

Fida Shehada, quoted in this piece, lives in a mixed city of Lod, and describes the tension rising between Jews and Arabs: Palestinian Citizens of Israel Are Wary, Weary and Afraid (The New York Times).

Director of the Alliance for Israel’s Future and a founder of the ‘Faithful Left’, Mikhael Manekin writes about the hostages taken by Hamas, and the Jewish imperative to free them: Why the Safety of Israeli Hostages Must Come First (The New York Times).

Human Rights Organizations raise a loud and clear voice against the harming of all innocent civilians: NIF grantees including ACRI, Breaking the Silence, Ir Amim, Mehazkim, Standing Together, Physicians for Human Rights Israel, and Rabbis for Human Rights Israel released this joint statement condemning “Hamas’ horrific crimes against innocent civilians” and urging us all to ““never surrender belief in humanity”.

Our chief executive David Davidi-Brown, alongside Hannah Weisfeld, Director of Yachad shared this piece in the Jewish News raising the voices of Israelis determined to hold on to humanity and compassion in these darkest of days.

David has since written ‘We must stand with Israel and stand for justice‘ highlighting the work of ACRI, Standing Together and FakeReporter and how “Standing with Israel during these darkest of days also requires us to support Israelis contending with dangerous extremists and autocrats undermining the rule of law.”

NIF Global CEO Daniel Sokatch is quoted extensively in  How the Activist Left Turned Against Israel (Time Magazine).

ALLMEP – The Alliance for Middle East Peace “stands in solidarity with peacebuilders, and against the unspeakable horrors of recent days.” See statements from ALLMEP members, many of whom are also NIF grantees.