Since the establishment of the Jewish National Fund - Keren Kayemeth Leisrael (JNF-KKL), Diaspora Jewry has supported its work, whether through donating funds to plant trees, collecting funds in JNF-KKL blue boxes, or visiting forests on trips to Israel. The recent preliminary decision by the Executive Committee of JNF- KKL to commit potentially hundreds of millions of dollars toward the purchase of land in the West Bank is a blow to Jews across the world who care about Israel’s future as a vibrant democracy and the values enshrined in Israel’s Declaration of Independence. It will only lead to further entrenchment of occupation and long-term conflict. As a coalition of global Jewish organizations, we have come together, along with our supporters and members to say: we will not accept this decision. Add your voice.

To: JNF-KKL World Chairman Mr. Avraham Duvdevani
CC: Chairs of JNF USA, JNF UK, JNF Australia, JNF Canada, JNF South Africa, JNF France, JNF Belgium, JNF Italy, JNF Switzerland

Last week, the Executive Committee of the Jewish National Fund-Keren Kayemeth Leisrael (JNF-KKL) made a preliminary decision to commit potentially hundreds of millions of dollars toward the purchase of land in the West Bank to support the expansion of settlements. This will entrench occupation and lead to unending conflict and violence for Israelis and Palestinians.

We know that JNF-KKL has purchased land in the West Bank through subsidiaries for many years without approval from the board of directors. Now JNF-KKL is openly using an institution that claims to act on behalf of the entire Jewish people to further the narrow and dangerous political goals of Israel’s far-right settlers. Its aim is simple: to consolidate permanent Israeli rule over the West Bank.

We will not accept this.

This latest, overt decision by JNF-KKL to permit the purchase of Palestinian lands in the West Bank for the explicit purpose of expanding settlements and deepening occupation cannot be ignored. It implicates all those who have offered material support to JNF-KKL in any way, including those of us in the Diaspora who thought our contributions to our local JNF branches were being used by JNF-KKL to plant trees in Israel. Instead, they are being used to endanger Israel’s democratic future and dispossess Palestinians of land destined to be part of a future Palestinian state.

Jewish communities around the world are obligated to speak out and take action.

Global Jewish communities are committed to advancing Israel’s future as a vibrant democracy that seeks peace with its neighbors. That is why in the summer of 2020, a global movement of Jewish communities mobilized to oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reckless push toward unilateral annexation of the West Bank. That is why we are mobilizing now to say no to this JNF-KKL policy.

If this decision is not rejected and reversed by the Board of JNF-KKL, we pledge to lend no further support to the JNF-KKL. We have a collective obligation to ensure that our philanthropy, educational programs and communal impact in no way legitimizes or contributes to the expansion of Israel's settlement enterprise in the West Bank.

Your decision to use JNF-KKL funds to expand Israel’s settlement footprint sets back the chances of a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and irrevocably harms the credibility of the Jewish National Fund in Jewish communities around the world.

We know that JNF-KKL has purchased land in the West Bank through subsidiaries for many years without approval from the board of directors. Now JNF-KKL is openly using an institution that claims to act on behalf of the entire Jewish people to further the narrow and dangerous political goals of Israel’s far-right settlers. Its aim is simple: to consolidate permanent Israeli rule over the West Bank.

We will not accept this.

This latest, overt decision by JNF-KKL to permit the purchase of Palestinian lands in the West Bank for the explicit purpose of expanding settlements and deepening occupation cannot be ignored. It implicates all those who have offered material support to JNF-KKL in any way, including those of us in the Diaspora who thought our contributions to our local JNF branches were being used by JNF-KKL to plant trees in Israel. Instead, they are being used to endanger Israel’s democratic future and dispossess Palestinians of land destined to be part of a future Palestinian state.

Jewish communities around the world are obligated to speak out and take action.

Global Jewish communities are committed to advancing Israel’s future as a vibrant democracy that seeks peace with its neighbors. That is why in the summer of 2020, a global movement of Jewish communities mobilized to oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reckless push toward unilateral annexation of the West Bank. That is why we are mobilizing now to say no to this JNF-KKL policy.

If this decision is not rejected and reversed by the Board of JNF-KKL, we pledge to lend no further support to the JNF-KKL. We have a collective obligation to ensure that our philanthropy, educational programs and communal impact in no way legitimizes or contributes to the expansion of Israel's settlement enterprise in the West Bank.

Your decision to use JNF-KKL funds to expand Israel’s settlement footprint sets back the chances of a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and irrevocably harms the credibility of the Jewish National Fund in Jewish communities around the world.

This action is sponsored by a coalition of the following organizations: