Dear Friends,

Today is a very difficult day.

There will be many more difficult and distressing days ahead.

As the final count concludes, it seems almost impossible for Meretz to pass the threshold. Israel will almost certainly have the most right-wing government in the country’s history and with a comfortable majority. Racists and extremists will be in power and seek to further discriminate against minorities and to limit freedom of expression and the independence of the judiciary.

Those of us deeply committed to Israel and determined to pursue the values of equality and justice are reeling from these results.

While we take time to process troubling or indeed terrifying times ahead, we can follow the lead of the Israelis we support to fight for a fair future for all Israelis and Palestinians.

Grantees like the Association for Civil Rights in Israel who expressed in this video their determination “to fight for every single right, for every single person under Israeli control”

Omdim Beyachad (Standing Together), who embody genuine Arab-Jewish partnership, similarly recognised the gravity of the situation yet stated “this is not a moment to lose hope. It is a moment to get organised, to be together and not alone, and choose to build something new and different here. Let us stand together”

This weekend hundreds of us will come together for our Human Rights Awards to honour Nabila Espanioly and Ir Amim.

Their work over many decades demonstrates change can be delivered in the hardest of circumstances that makes a difference every day to the lives of hundreds of thousands of Arabs and Jews.

NIF will remain at the forefront of the movement standing firm against those who vilify and marginalise women, the LGBT community, and Palestinians in Israel or the occupied territories; those seeking to undermine Israel’s very democracy.

We know the depth of the challenges we face.

Change will take long-term work and requires patience, perseverance, and partnership.

The core of our work is not tied to elections – it is about the marathon, not the sprint, towards an Israel that lives up to its founding values.

And we cannot do it without you.

Thank you,

David Davidi-Brown, Chief Executive, New Israel Fund UK