Uruguayan Jews call on government to cut ties with Israel over Gaza ‘genocide’

A group of Jewish citizens in Uruguay has urged the government to immediately sever diplomatic, commercial, and military relations with Israel, accusing it of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

As reported Wednesday by the Uruguayan outlet Debate, the petition — launched online and later delivered to the presidential offices in Montevideo — was spearheaded by activist Mónica Wodzislawski and has drawn more than 350 signatures from citizens identifying as Jewish Uruguayans.

“We distance ourselves from the criminal policy of Israel,” the letter declares, invoking the phrase “never again” to emphasize that mass violence must not be tolerated against any people.

The letter calls on Uruguay to “act in accordance with the rulings of the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice,” both of which are currently investigating Israel’s actions in Gaza. “Life and human values must be above the market,” it states, urging a halt to arms and trade deals with Israel.

Its timing is significant. Earlier this month, a UN human rights commission concluded that Israel’s campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide, reinforcing international pressure after South Africa’s case at the ICJ and ongoing ICC investigations.

President Yamandú Orsi has criticized Israeli military actions at the UN but has not indicated any intention to cut relations. The government has so far remained silent on the petition.

What makes this appeal stand out is the identity of its authors: Jews in Uruguay explicitly rejecting Israeli policy in the name of Jewish values. They argue that supporting Palestinians’ right to life is consistent with remembering historic persecution.

Whether their demand translates into policy change remains uncertain, but the petition adds Uruguay’s Jewish dissenters to a growing international chorus calling for governments to hold Israel accountable.