The Jewish Choice: Human Equality or Israel?

[Resistance]

by Susan Abulhawa, Dissident Voice

I gave a talk on Thursday to a group of bright students from Council Rock South HS. Of course, it was about the Palestine/Israel conflict. I knew that most of the students were Jewish and likely to have strong opinions, but I was not prepared, initially at least, for an onslaught before I had presented less than five minutes of my talk. The gist of their questions and comments boiled down to a belief that the land between the Mediterranean and Jordan River rightfully belongs to Israel and that Palestinians, who have existed on that land for centuries, millennia even, are but trespassers, squatter, mere accidents of history.

From the corner of my ear, I caught the smiling comment of one boy, "Israel kicked their butts and the rest is war booty." While I pretended not to hear, I will admit that I felt a burning at my core. With such ironic, unrepentant racism, a Jewish American high school student had reduced my entire family and the whole nation to which we belong, to "war booty." For a good few moments, I struggled to subdue images bubbling in my mind: Of my grandmother, the heir to a beautiful stone home inside the Old City wall, rotting away as a refugee in a bug infested shack, while an immigrant Jewish family enjoyed the fruits of her heritage, her furniture, money and personal belongings; The ancient olive farms, passed on from one Palestinian generation to the next like family heirlooms, confiscated and then uprooted to make way for another Jews-only settlement; The countless images of ineffable suffering of human beings dispossessed of home and heritage, of dignity and freedom, of water and life.

________________

There are many who will argue that granting equal rights to Palestinians will overwhelm the "Jewish character" of Israel. But this is an ancient argument dating long before Israel was even a glimmer in Herzl's eye. Slave owners made that same argument about freeing their human property. Then white folks made that argument when it came time to grant Black American civil rights. It was the argument made by Apartheid South Africa and every other imperial power to pass its force across the earth.

[DuctapeFatwa]

1. And to think that those who dare to say that equal rights

is a fundamental of "Jewish character" are called anti-Semites.

[Jim Sagle]

2. Equal rights is indeed such a fundamental. National suicide is not.

Thanks for affording me the opportunity to clarify this complex issue. ;-)

[ex_jew]

3. Why is setting up a secular democracy "national suicide" ?

If it's good enough for Iraq, why not Israel ?

[Jim Sagle]

5. Because maybe they don't feel like it.

[Violet_Crumble]

10. Yeah, Jim! Secular democracies ain't nuthin' but shit!!

;)

[Jim Sagle]

13. Of course not. But freedom and self-determination come first.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Please take the time to critique the piece

Mr. Sagle, if you were to take the time to critique the piece, we might all benefit from your wisdom.

For example, it seems to me that Ms. Abulhawa assumes as much as the Chicago high school students that there can be but one state from the Jordan to the sea. Yet, we continually speak of two nations existing on that land.

Now, I would amend Ms. Abulhawa's thesis to read that democracy and Greater Israel are a contradiction. A Jewish democracy cannot exist in a state with an Arab majority. The obvious solution is for Israel to withdraw behind the Green Line, her internationally recognized borders, and allow the Palestinian nation to establish a state on the remainder of the Levant. That would allow Israel to be Jewish and for Israelis to enjoy the blessings of democracy. That would not be national suicide, would it?

Now, I understand there might be some problems with extremists in one nation who want to drive the other into the sea or on the other who want to drive the one across the Allenby Bridge. However, the problem with bitter enders is nothing that hasn't been dealt with before, such as in Ireland in 1922 or South Africa in 1990. I'm sure we can deal with the assorted lunatics in this matter, too.

Please let us know your thoughts. Take your time and elaborate.

[Resistance]

11. oh well

nice try, Jack

[Jim Sagle]

12. Your amendment makes sense to me, Jack.

A Greater Israel would indeed be the death of democracy in Israel. I just don't see things unfolding that way.

[Resistance]

14. which do you want

Democracy or Apartheid?

[Clark Edwards]

6. This post makes me want to cry.

What is going on in this forum?

[Resistance]

7. what was wrong with the post?

[Gimel]

8. There is a difference

"Jewish character" does not really exist. "Jewish law" does.

I may be mis-interpreting this post, but it seems to me that there is an error in that it does not describe the poster's usual or characteristic statements.

On edit: The Jewish character of the state of Israel is often mentioned, but that is in a different context.

[DuctapeFatwa]

9. I will be happy to clarify it for you

Jewish character means having to do with the basic values of Judaism, which is a religion that I associate with tolerance, peace, human rights, equal rights, and serious study of religion and philosophy.

That is my impression from my own study, and of the Jews I am privileged to know.