UK chief rabbi: 'I never thought we'd witness Israelis discuss civil war'

"Chief Rabbi urges unity" is the headline of Friday's Jewish Chronicle the UK's oldest Jewish newspaper, which published a special edition titled "Israel in Crisis."

UK's Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis wrote a short op-ed where he calls for unity and calmness before the visit of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday and Saturday. 

"I never thought that we would witness a time when citizens of Israel, including respected leaders, are openly speaking about the possibility, God forbid, of civil war," Mirvis wrote. "Every Shabbat and Festival we pray: 'Grant peace in Your Holy Land and everlasting happiness to all its inhabitants'. Today, these words apply to internal peace, as well as to the longstanding external threats facing Israel."

Mirvis added that "at this moment of national crisis, Jewish unity must be our foremost priority. Jewish unity is not only a noble aspiration. It is a sacred responsibility – for politicians, leaders, activists, and for us all, both in Israel and around the world.

"I fervently pray for the success of the efforts of all those who are promoting dialogue, understanding and mutual respect, despite the depth of the challenges.

"If any country specializes in achieving the apparently unachievable, it is the State of Israel. To do so today, it must hold fast to the principles upon which it was founded – respect and dignity for all of its people, regardless of their background or political leanings," Mirvis wrote.

Other Jews also publish op-eds on the situation

The JC also published op-eds by Israelis and prominent UK Jews who share their opinions on the toxic situation in Israel and Israel's relations with other countries and the Jews in the Diaspora.

Netanyahu isn't expected to meet with UK's Jewish community, according to senior officials in the Jewish community who spoke with The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.

"We're not meeting the prime minister and that's not unusual since he rarely meets with us when visiting the UK," the source said.

Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report