Articles in the Badger Herald have presented a one-dimensional view of Jewish identity and what constitutes anti-Semitism, which I disagree with as a Jewish person. This problem pervades discussions, which have taken place about the Israeli Palestinian conflict, the Palestinian children’s art exhibit, and Hillel programming. In the media, we constantly conflate being Jewish with being Israeli and negate the diversity among Jews. Likewise, we perpetuate the preposterous idea that in order to support Jews and oppose anti-Semitism, we must support Israel’s every move.
In one opinion piece it was stated, “I am not Israeli, nor am I a lover of Sharon, but pictures of people with Jewish stars shooting children made me feel like I was being singled out, like I was at fault for something.”
The art displayed last week represents the extreme violence Palestinian children face living under the constant aggression of the Israeli military. Each time a Star of David appeared in the art, it was in the context of IDF soldiers carrying out violent and dehumanizing aggression against defenseless civilians. This is the experience Palestinian children deal with every day, especially in the most recent wave of destruction. We should not write off an entire art exhibit about a reality so often denied because a few of the fifty drawings contain statements by children communicating their anger and frustration in a simplistic, distressing manner, such as “Death to Israel.” Frankly, these statements make me uncomfortable, too. However, the fact the Israeli flag carries a universal Jewish symbol does not mean the Israeli government acts on behalf of all Jews or, for that matter, all Israelis. We should always make this distinction.
Unless American Jews speak up and openly criticize the actions of the Israeli government and the brutal occupation and demoralization of the Palestinians, unless we speak up against this collective punishment, we are allowing Sharon and his supporters to manipulate the public by perpetuating the lie that Israel acts on behalf of all Jews and in the interests of all Jews. We cannot permit Sharon to exploit the fears of Jews to mask his true agenda apparent in the proliferation of settlements and censorship of Israelis who dissent.
To be sure, there is anti-Semitism in the world, and I am fearful of it, too. Nevertheless, this is not justification for silence or denial of the very real fact of collective punishment of Palestinians, which self-serving deceptive leaders are carrying out in our name. We need to familiarize ourselves with the images and anger these children live with day and night, so we understand the need for our voice as Jews who oppose what is happening, even at the expense of our comfort. This is the point some fail to see.
The most perceptive and compelling piece which appeared in the art exhibit depicted a scale: on one side were three IDF soldiers, on the other side the dead bodies en masse of Palestinians killed in recent months, and none other than the United States flag appeared at the fulcrum of this scale. What does this imply? U.S. monetary aid to Israel, the bulk of which goes to the military, is felt by Palestinian children in the most brutal sense. To them it appears that Americans believe the lives of a few Israelis are worth more than an infinite number of Palestinians.
Silencing criticism or keeping people ignorant of this injustice is both morally objectionable and counter-productive to peace. I am not willing to relax my standards of social justice when it comes to oppression perpetrated by a Jewish state. Indeed, I feel all the more obligated to register my profound disapproval of the occupation as such injustices contradict the emancipatory teachings of the Jewish people derived from our own collective experience of persecution. The heart of this tradition is our commitment to the principles of universal human rights and the struggle it entails.
By contrast, Israeli leaders like Netanyahu and Sharon, and groups, such as AIPAC and the Anti-Defamation League, build alliances with racist, right-wing fundamentalist groups, led by such unsavory figures as Jerry Falwell, Ralph Reed and Tom Delay to secure uncritical support of Israel. The abhorrent agenda of such notables is sexist, homophobic and fundamentally intolerant of Judaism. If anyone is cavorting with anti-Semites, it is the supporters of such alliances.
Only by working in solidarity with genuine peace advocates, will we advance both social justice and long-term security for both Israelis and Palestinians based on principles of international law and humanity. Complacency or silence can only further the goals of settlers on the West Bank and the reactionary leaders of Israel who do not have peace or human rights on their agenda.
We are only at fault if we do not speak out.
Channa Camins ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in sociology. She is a member of Jews Against the Occupation.
