Sir Trevor Chinn and Dame Vivien Duffield among Jews from around the world signing letter calling for an end to the war and condemning ‘deadly violence by Jewish extremists’ in the West Bank
August 6, 2025 13:38Prominent communal figure Sir Trevor Chinn has signed an open letter urging Israel to end the war in Gaza and agree to a hostage release deal.
More than 2,000 members of world Jewry have signed the letter, which was organised by the London Initiative, a liberal network supportive of Israel as a democratic Jewish state.
Launched on Tuesday, the letter had garnered thousands of signatures by that evening and, by Wednesday morning, the number of names had reached 2,200.
In addition to Chinn, who is one of the presidents of UJIA and vice president of the Jewish Leadership Council and signed the letter in a personal capacity, prominent signatories include philanthopists Dame Vivien Duffield and Arabella Duffield of the Clore Foundation, Charles Bronfman, Jeff Solomon, Michael and Susie Gelman and Sir Trevor’s son, Oscar-winning film producer Simon Chinn.
Addressed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the letter states: “We are members of Jewish communities around the world who passionately support the State of Israel as the national homeland of the Jewish people.”
It demands the Israeli government “end the war” and “brings the hostages home in a single deal”.
“Our solidarity is always with Israel and Israel’s citizens, never more so than since Hamas unleashed its barbaric attack of October 7. We are under no illusions about the actions and intentions of Hamas,” the letter goes on.
It added that the “policies and rhetoric” of the Israeli government “are doing lasting damage to Israel, its standing in the world and the prospects of secure peace for all Israelis and Palestinians”. This, it claimed, has “severe consequences” for Israel and for the “wellbeing, security and unity of Jewish communities around the world,” the letter continues, referring to a “surge in antisemitic, anti-Zionist hate” around the world.
The letter also urges Netanyahu to “permanently restore and enable the provision of food and humanitarian aid to the Gazan population”. Blocking aid in March, the letter claimed, was “a moral and strategic disaster".
“It is not protesting that policy and its outcomes that hands a propaganda victory to Hamas but the policy itself,” the letter states, alluding to the Israeli government's criticism of those opposing its stance on the distribution of aid in Gaza.
Israel has faced growing international criticism over the humanitarian situation in the Strip, including in letters written by prominent British rabbis. Netanyahu's government has repeatedly denied using starvation as a weapon of war and blames shortages on looting by Hamas and failures in the UN’s distribution network.
While the London Initiative letter recognises the “despicable role of Hamas in stealing aid,” it cites US President Trump’s recent comments about starvation, saying: “The evidence of our eyes and ears as to the extent of the human suffering and the role of your government’s policies in it. As President Trump recently said about starvation in Gaza, ‘You can’t fake that’.”
The letter demands that Netanyahu seize “any opportunity to release all the hostages” and prioritise this “above appeasing extremist members of your coalition”.
“Provide assurances also that Israel will not seek to resettle Gaza or pursue or advocate any policy of expulsion of Palestinian civilians under any guise,” it goes on.
And, citing the rise in “deadly violence by Jewish extremists” the letter calls on the Israeli government to “enforce the law in the West Bank,” prevent attacks by settlers and ensure arrests and prosecutions.
“If Israel’s military, when given the bold order by you, can send a missile through a window in Tehran to take out an Iranian general with unerring accuracy it surely has the ability to maintain order in the West Bank, prevent Jewish extremist violence, protect Palestinian civilians and apply the law. That it does not suggests a lack of will,” it alleges.
Israel maintains that it polices settlers and Palestinian residents equally in the West Bank and prosecutes those found to be responsible for violent crime.
“As past, present and future leaders of Jewish communities we do not remain silent in the face of Israel’s external threats, but nor will we remain silent when we believe the policies of Israel’s own government are wrong, and endangering the resilience, security and sustainability of both Israel and world Jewry,” the letter continues.
It concluded that its signatories “will increasingly speak out and urge others in our communities, including the leaders of major organisations, to do the same,” adding: “We reject actions and language that are an affront to our history, values and traditions, to Israel’s own Declaration of Independence and to the rule of law.
“We will continue to stand in solidarity with the citizens of Israel, who overwhelmingly wish to see an end to this war and the return of the 50 hostages, living and dead, still held by Hamas.”
The full letter can be read here.