“Singling Israel out, among all the nations of the world, for a boycott is obviously anti-Semitic in effect, if not necessarily in motivation.”1
I would not have described myself as Anti-Israel, and definitely not anti-semitic, but reflecting on it, I have been quite negative in my thinking towards Israel. Why have the people of Israel’s crimes seemed worse to me than Palestinians’ crimes?
The answer is obvious once I think about it, I am beating up the good people. I don’t mean that the Palistinians or other Arabs are the bad people. I mean, Israeli culture feels closer to my own culture, and therefore I feel I can relate to their values and therefore their crimes, but “singling Israel out, among all the nations of the world” is wrong.
- Self-defeating boycotts, The Jerusalem Post (some parts of the article seem quite biased); link from Eli Goldberg, Why I’m counter-boycotting the United Kingdom… [↩]
Well you couldn’t boycott Palestine if you wanted. Their economy is in shambles. And highly dependent on Israel.
But anyways, it is appropriate for like someone in the US to hold Israel to a higher standard since Israel is an ally and a recipient of billions in aid. Its more productive to criticize countries closer to you, since they might actually care what you think, but it is also harder to do so.
I think the problem is that Israel asks to be considered as a modern, western democracy. When you compare it to Syria or Malaysia or Zimbabwe it’s not so bad but if you compare it to modern-day Australia, Canada, France or America it comes up seriously short.
When you have an immigration policy that is based on race you’re behaving like we behaved 50 years ago. When you the territory you occupy and control has inhabitants who aren’t entitled to vote and aren’t entitled to the rights of citizenship then you’re behaving like we did 100 years ago. When you don’t allow citizens of different religions to marry you’re behaving like we did 200 years ago.
It’s a lovely place, but when I see the lives the Palestinians I met are forced to live because of the policies of the Israeli government, and when I see the freedoms that my Israeli friends are deprived I can’t help but criticize.
When it comes down to it, it’s not about religion or politics, its about basic human rights.
Please avoid confusion Israel is a country, semit is an ethnie and jew a religion.
The fact that israel is hiding behind religion and it Semitic origins is something we must fight.
I’m not anti semitic, i’m not anti-israel, i’m anti sionist
I’m against the segregation isreal tends to impose to Palestinians.
Thats is a crime, even as terrible as Palestinians extremists crime.
At least Plestinian can argue that their crimes are resistance.
Resistance for their land stole by Israel.
Anti-Israel boycotts are unfair, hypocritical and accomplish nothing. It is weird and shameful that Israel is held to a higher standard in these matters than almost any other country in the world.
I’m not saying that Israel is a nation of saints and anything they do is beyond criticism. But when Israel is singled out by such boycotts and Syria, China etc are not, that is a disgrace, and those that propose such boycotts should be called on it.
“Why have the people of Israel’s crimes seemed worse to me than Palistinians’ crimes?”
What crimes are you referring to?
Since September 2000, Israeli forces have killed some 4,000 Palestinians (including some 800 children). Palestinian armed groups have killed more than 1,100 Israelis (including 120 children).
The International Court of Justice considers the 700-kilometer fence build through the West Bank a violation of international law as it undermines the human rights of residents, including the basic rights of the 60,500 people stuck living between the fence and Israel.
Israeli settlements in the West Bank have existed in defiance of UN resolutions since the beginning of Israel’s occupation in 1967.
The extensive destruction of Palestinian property in the West Bank by Israeli forces constitutes a violation of Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
The idea that people are “singling Israel out, among all the nations of the world” is a misleading excuse. Judge each nation’s and each individual’s actions accordingly.
Well said, everyone that has shared their comments and continued to shape my perspective. It needs to be about human rights, and actions that work towards that.
Personally, I can’t fathom the hostile environment that Israelis endure surrounded by countries controlled by extremists, nor can I fathom the way Israelis and Palestinians treat each other — Israelis are in the position of power and need to take responsibility for the relationship.
Personally, I’m looking forward to Ian (McKellar)’s trip report, if he ever has a chance to write one.
It’s an oversimplistic statement, though, to classify Israel’s immigration policy as race based. Surely you’re aware that about 100,000 black Ethiopian jews have immigrated over the past 15 years, for example.
Israel is ultimately a Jewish state, and anyone wishing to convert to Judaism receives the same immigration right; it is not race-based.
And to singlehandedly attribute the present occupation to Israel is blithely naive, rather than as the natural consequence of the intersection of actions of two parties, one of which is the Palestinians.
But I realize there are folks like Mr. E. Occupation lack a broader historical context, and have to settle for cherry-picking information that pushes an ideological agenda under the guise of factualism.
I’d say more, but got work to do.
“And to singlehandedly attribute the present occupation to Israel is blithely naive, rather than as the natural consequence of the intersection of actions of two parties, one of which is the Palestinians.”
Oppression and occupation are not the “the natural consequence of the intersection of action of parties.” And who is singlehandedly attributing blame to Israel? Surely, Israel is not without fault?
“But I realize there are folks like Mr. E. Occupation lack a broader historical context, and have to settle for cherry-picking information that pushes an ideological agenda under the guise of factualism.”
Your contribution to “factualism” is a single line about the number of Ethiopians immigrating to Israel and then a cop out by saying, “I’d say more, but got work to do [sic].” Are you sure your opinion is based on a “broader historical context”, or is it more personal?
Further, if you are select an example of Israel’s immigration policy, you may want to select an example that doesn’t demonstrate Israel’s preference for covert operations and unilateral action over diplomacy.
(“1984 – Under tight military censorship, Israel brings 15,000 Ethiopians to the Jewish state in a secret airlift through Sudan known as Operation Moses.” http://www.jewishagency.org/JewishAgency/English/Home/About/Press+Room/Jewish+Agency+In+The+News/2007/1/mar27reut1.htm ).
I also assume you mean 25 years, not 15.
Finally, were you being ironic when in a broad discussion on accountability in the conflict, you “cherry-pick” a barely relevant figure on the immigration of Ethiopian jews?
I’d comment further and build a stronger argument, “but got work to do [sic].”
Dude, I’m happy to discuss stuff I consider important with my friends like Lloyd and Ian.
But to the best of my ability to discern, Mr. Occupation, you’re an anonymous troll who is limited to copying, paraphrasing and pasting your posts from amnesty.org content.
Sorry, still got better things to do with my time than “discuss” anything with you.
P.S. Lloyd, if you’re still reading, see you and Julie in Vancouver in September if you’re around.
Eli – issues such as the one being discussed here require people to engage in dialogue and discussion, not accusatory diatribe. I would recommend if you want to defend a position you do so with your intellect and facts, not by slamming people who are clearly backing a position.
I think the problem comes down to jealousy. It seems when a small amount of people like the Jews, who are willing to work hard and show the world that not only can they fight off racist muslim countries looking to destroy them, but at the same time develop some of the best technologies in the world (ie. cell phones, instant messaging, Pentium chips and state-of-the-art medical equipment), you have to wonder why they are hated them so much. Yet, countries like England who have committed far worse atrocities through brutal colonization of America, South Africa, India and China (countries thousands of miles away) can hypocritically and audaciously criticize Israel is beyond amazement!
Next time someone criticizes Israel, he/she needs to ask themselves why Indians and South Africans sound like Brits and how many American Indians you know (not many).
Sal, I don’t know any critics of Israel who applaud British
imperialism or the destruction of American Indians.
I would rank Palestinian atrocities in the second intifada
“worse” than Israeli ones,since the former provoked the
latter. This wasn’t the case with the 2006 onslaught in
Lebanon,though.
I think the tide is starting to turn and obama might be a big part of it http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/17/agendas-clash-as-netanyahu-obama-meet/