02/10/2024 – Sydney

With the continued outbreak of war across the region, it is clear that the conflict in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon and beyond is costing countless lives, and must be addressed immediately. There can be no security for all while the region is at war, there must be a political solution to this conflict, to ensure that we see an end to this cycle of violence.

The New Israel Fund (NIF) Australia condemns the more than 180 missiles launched from Iran overnight, only moments after 6 Israelis were murdered in a terror attack in Jaffa. These violent attacks mark a continued escalation and an ongoing threat to innocent civilian lives.

As our friends and colleagues in Israel transited in and out of bomb shelters overnight, we  watched the news in horror, hoping and praying for an end to the violence. We stand in solidarity with our partners on the ground who did not want this war, but continue to face its consequences every day. 

We are grateful no civilians were harmed as a result of the Iranian attack, and for the support from allies who quickly condemned this attack in the strongest terms. There can be no path forward that allows for continued attacks by rogue actors in Iran or terror inside Israel.

At the same time, it is clear the longer this war goes on, the greater the civilian death toll will be. There can be no security until there is peace and so we urge all parties to the conflict to deescalate tensions immediately. As our partners at the Halachic (Faithful) Left in Israel stated: “This week has been full of heartbreak. We are horrified as the Israeli military’s attacks in Lebanon kill hundreds – each death a universe destroyed…It didn’t have to be this way. It still doesn’t. We can honour the lives of the dead by committing to a world beyond violence and oppression.”

Media contact:

Michael Chaitow (NIF), 0432 629 342

About Us

New Israel Fund Australia (NIF)

NIF Australia was formed in 2011 when Naomi Chazan, then-president of NIF Israel and the former deputy speaker of the Knesset, visited Australia. In the more than ten years since its formation, NIF Australia has raised over $5 million, distributing grants to important civil society organisations in Israel, and facilitating new conversations about Israel inside the Australian Jewish community. Our community promotes freedom, equality and social justice by funding Israeli nonprofits and fostering new discussions in the Australian Jewish community.