20-year-old quits top UK Jewish body over Israel's war on Gaza

A 20-year-old member of the Board of Deputies, the UK's largest Jewish body, has resigned over the group's stance toward the war on Gaza, highlighting a shift among young British Jews against Israeli actions.

Student Daniel Grossman was one of 36 deputies of the 300-plus board who wrote an open letter condemning the war on Gaza, saying the assault was seeing “Israel’s soul is being ripped out” and that “Jewish values compel us to stand up and to speak out”.

It reflects a growing trend among young British Jews strongly opposing the Gaza war, which has killed at least 50,000 Palestinians and put the enclave on the brink of famine, with the group often at the forefront of the pro-Palestine protest movement.

"It’s very simple: they are refusing to explicitly and publicly condemn Israel’s genocidal assault in Gaza and to criticise the [Israeli] government for abandoning the hostages, who have been in captivity for far too long," Grossman told The Guardian.

"Increasing numbers of people are recognising that Israel’s actions in Gaza cannot be justified as purely self-defence. They seemingly want to declare a perpetual war against Palestinian civilians with the goal of ethnically cleansing them from the Gaza Strip."

The open letter saw a strong backlash from the Board of Deputies, with disciplinary procedures launched against the 36 members who penned the letter, and two suspended, with Grossman saying the body had tried to suppress dissent.

Grossman's resignation has been well received among the Jewish community with recent events in Gaza leading to a rethink among many in the Board of Deputies.

“More people were sympathetic than I expected, and it has genuinely astonished me. Lots of these people may not feel able to speak out themselves, they might find it difficult with friends or family. But people have reached out to me," he added.

"A huge shift is happening. The diversity of opinion in the Jewish community is becoming increasingly clear."