Miriam Margolyes has called on all Jews “to shout, beg, scream for a ceasefire” in Gaza as the Palestinian territory continues to deal with rising death tolls and, according to aid agency UNRWA USA, is facing a “man-made famine.”
The veteran British-Australian actress and activist, who is best known for starring as Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter film franchise, released a video on Saturday via the Jewish Council of Australia, in which she said Israel’s prosecution of its war in Gaza has left her “so ashamed of Israel.”
She added, “To me, it seems as if Hitler has won. He’s changed us Jews from being compassionate and caring and do unto others as you would have them do unto you into this vicious, genocidal nationalist nation, pursuing and killing women and children.”
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Margolyes said that she condemned Hamas’ actions. On Oct. 7 last year, Hamas launched a terrorist attack on southern Israel leading to the death of 1,139 people, including Israeli civilians and foreigners, and around 250 civilians and soldiers were also taken hostage. Israel retaliated by invading Gaza and the six-month conflict has so far seen more than 33,000 people in Gaza die, according to Gaza Health Ministry figures cited by the UN, and a further 1.7 million people displaced according to UNRWA.
The actress said that what was happening in Gaza since the war started was, “shocking, embarrassing and wicked and I cannot understand why all Jewish people, particularly members of synagogues do not want immediately to stop what is going on.”
In an impassioned plea, Margolyes called on “Jews to shout, beg, scream for a ceasefire” in order to do the “right thing,” which she believed “is a ceasefire to stop the killing, certainly to beg and insist on the release of hostages.”
Margolyes is among hundreds of Jewish entertainment industry figures to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Angels in America writer Tony Kushner has been amongst the most vocal in his condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza, describing the country’s policy in the territory as “ethnic cleansing.”
Last week, 151 Jewish creatives released an open letter in support of The Zone of Interest filmmaker Jonathan Glazer, whose wildly misquoted speech at the Academy Awards became a source of controversy. “We reject the false choice between Jewish safety and Palestinian freedom. We stand with all those calling for a permanent ceasefire, including the safe return of all hostages and the immediate delivery of aid into Gaza, and an end to Israel’s ongoing bombardment of and siege on Gaza,” the letter said.
Among those who signed the ceasefire letter are Joaquin Phoenix, Pamela Koffler, Chloe Fineman, Ilana Glazer, Abbi Jacobson, Joel Coen, Todd Haynes, Miranda July, Mike Leigh, Boots Riley, Amy Berg, Janicza Bravo, Nicole Holofcener, James Schamus, Lenny Abrahamson, David Cross and Elliott Gould.
Margolyes full message is below.
Hello, I’m Miriam Margolyes, and I wanted to say something in support of the Jewish Council of Australia. I’m an Australian citizen. I’m 83 and I have never been so ashamed of Israel as I am at this moment. To me, it seems as if Hitler has won.
He’s changed us Jews from being compassionate and caring and do unto others as you would have them do unto you into this vicious genocidal nationalist nation, pursuing and killing women and children.
Of course, I condemn the Hamas action, of course I do. But what we are doing, Jewish people over in Israel, is shocking, embarrassing and wicked and I cannot understand why all Jewish people, particularly members of synagogues do not want immediately to stop what is going on.
And in the name of humanity, I call upon all Jews to shout, beg, scream for a ceasefire.
It is not anti-Semitic to have a different opinion on the wartime actions. Now we have to do as my mother used to say the right thing, the right thing is a ceasefire to stop the killing, certainly to beg and insist on the release of hostages. But there is an opinion about Israel’s actions, which is, it’s not anti-Semitic to voice what Israel is doing is wrong, it is wicked.
And if you want to say this is very bad for Israel, please call on your rabbis on your communities, on all the people, you know, to voice your disgust and detestation of the Israeli actions. Please. You are then doing the right thing and behaving in accordance to the Jewish tradition.
Thank you.
