J Street Horrified by Detention of Congressional Candidate and American Rabbis

Washington, DC – In response to Israeli authorities’ detention of congressional candidate Brad Lander and dozens of American rabbis and advocates who were helping Palestinian farmers harvest olives in the West Bank, J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami issued the following statement:

"J Street is horrified by the detention of congressional candidate Brad Lander and dozens of American rabbis who were peacefully accompanying Palestinian farmers during the seasonal olive harvest in the West Bank.

The situation in the West Bank is beyond unacceptable: violence, terror and pogroms against Palestinian communities.

Jewish tradition calls on us to pursue justice and bear witness. These rabbis and volunteers were living out those values. Yet Israeli authorities have detained them.

The Israeli government must immediately release everyone detained and start arresting settler terrorists – not rabbis standing up for peace and justice.

American political leaders and Jewish communal institutions must immediately bring pressure to ensure that these activists are released, not deported, as Israeli authorities have threatened.

Our values must mean something. American Jews and the institutions that claim to represent them and care about Israel’s future must speak out – loudly and immediately."