In the latest attacks between Israel and Palestine, hope was
dashed for an initial agreement between them during an informal ceasefire as an
Israeli missile strike killed Hamas military commander Ahmed Jabari, who was
already holding a draft of it.1
But this latest “round” of what feels like an eternal
conflict came to an official, if temporary, end with a formal ceasefire
agreement, of which Egypt played a prominent role. The document’s conclusion
declares, “[e]ach party shall commit itself not to perform any acts that would
breach this understanding.”2
As the agreement was finalized and announced, Israel
continued attacks on the Gaza Strip.3 And in public statements to
the press, with UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon present, Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured everyone that Israel takes care not to
produce civilian casualties, including the latest attack, and blamed Hamas “and
other Gaza-based terrorists deliberately fir[ing] at innocent civilians in
southern Israel.” Netanyahu expanded on this, expressing his concern about
casualties, while “terrorist groups” purposely use their own citizens as
shields, including children, in their disregard for life.4
The story hasn’t really changed over the years: Israel =
100% good, Palestine 100% bad. Albeit with deviations, this has been a general
view of the conflict. The Israeli occupation and settlements don’t become the
focus for a sincere attempt at negotiating for a withdrawal. Thus, the conflict
goes on.
Another thing not regularly focused on is Israel’s
Left/Progressive opposition to its countries’ policy toward Palestinians.
Historically, many Jews have contributed to labor rights,
social justice, attempting real change, among other issues, through, e.g.,
Marxism, Socialism and Liberalism. Historical figures include Karl Marx,
Herbert Marcuse, Saul Alinsky, Leon Trotsky, Noam Chomsky, Abbie Hoffman, and
Howard Zinn.5
And contributions continue. Regarding Jabari’s
assassination, “Left-wing, Hadash party, Israeli MK Dov Khenin condemned the
killings. ‘In place of leaders killed, others will grow, and we will have
another cycle of fire and blood.’”6 Shiomo Gazit, a member of Yesh
Din (which monitors potential conflicts, and handles complaints) wrote a
commentary in 2011 revealing 69 years ago, the British Mandatory government
labeled him a “terrorist.” In 2011, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman
labeled Yesh Din itself “terrorist.” Gazit wrote defiantly that this word
coming from Lieberman was like a “badge of honor.” Gazit added that the role of
Yesh Din is “a crucial attempt to save the State of Israel from becoming an
apartheid regime.”7
About a year later, Shani Chabansky, who refers to herself
as a “Leftist Zionist,” went to an event organized by Partners for Progressive
Israel Symposium. PPI is an “American Jewish organization loosely connected to
the Israeli center-left political party Meretz.” Visiting the Symposium,
Chabansky wanted to get a better idea of Israel’s Left/Progressive movement.
Afterwards, she felt both alarm and inspiration, realizing “how fractured and
marginalized the Left has become in Israel.” But, indicating it wasn’t done
for, Chabansky got involved in the Symposium. She “joined the battle. They
turned me into a soldier, and I will now fight. I will not stop until the
occupation is over. I will not stop.”8
But Jews, and non-Jews, opposing Israel’s policies, are being
called the new “anti-Semites.” Alvin Rosenfeld, an Indiana University
professor, wrote an essay in 2006 using this term. Rosenfeld implied that Jews
who oppose Israel’s policies-and question Israel’s existence as he claimed-are
“not driven by anything remotely like reasoned historical analysis, but rather
by a complex of psychological as well as political motives that subvert reason
and replace it with something akin to hysteria.” Other accusing fingers point
at the “new anti-Semites.”
Left/Progressive Jews challenged Rosenfeld’s essay, among
them, Richard Cohen, Susan Jacoby, Daniel Boyarin and Noam Chomsky. Among the responses:
Israel, being internationally isolated, has caused its supporters to be more
aggressive; the attempt to merge anti-Semitism with anti-Zionism; asserting inaccuracies
and perceived hostilities.
International criticism coming from United Nations
organizations, non-government organizations, Jewish and Arab activists, human
rights groups include: illegal occupation and settlements, second class
segregation toward Palestinians, assassinations (the Israeli Left called it
“gangster behavior”), imprisonment, torture, not allowing its nuclear
facilities to have safeguards; in turn,
discarding the idea of a “nuclear-free Middle East Zone.” Occupation was
expanded in the aftermath of the 1967 Six-Day War, where Israel took territories
in Egypt, Jordan, Syria and the Golan Heights.9
Israel feels like the world is against it, implying, “We’re
all right, the whole world’s all wrong.” It is evident. Ultra-rightist Danny
Danon from the Knesset “advocates for Israel to annex all the Jewish-occupied
and uninhabited land in the West Bank to its Arab neighbors…,” adding, “Israel
must make decisions that are good to Israel” and implied he doesn’t give a damn
what the world thinks. But does Israel have legal authority to decide the fate
of “Jewish-occupied and uninhabited land,” based on occupation itself? Israel
withdrew from Gaza in 2005. But Danon ignores the carte blanche the Israeli
right thinks it has with an “ongoing aerial, land, and sea blockade and control
over the movement of goods, people, water and electricity in [Gaza].” Shlomo
Gazit, a 32 year veteran in the Israeli Defense Forces, condemned his country’s
policy when he wrote that “there is no equal treatment for Jews and Arabs when
it comes to law enforcement” which “is actually maintaining an apartheid
regime.”10
Harsh words like “apartheid,” Nazi,” and “fascist,” have
been used against Israel’s policies. But it’s hard to refrain from them when,
e.g., Interior Minister Eli Yishu remarks that “The goal of the operation [the
latest attack] is to send Gaza back to the Middle Ages.” David Harris-Gershon
described Yishu as being “a known racist and head of the ultra-orthodox Shas
party.” Harris-Gershon added that “[Yishu would] feel much more comfortable in
the Middle Ages himself.”11
Further examples: Ignoring the occupation, opinions in a
poll showed that more than 90% of Jewish Israelis support the attack on Gaza.”;
In a rally at Haifa University, “Israeli students danced and chanted, ‘”Death
to the Arabs’ and among them, a Ben-Ari, was quoted as saying, “Haifa
University is a Jewish and Zionist university,” echoing segregation.12
Consolidating their forces, Avigdor Lieberman and Netanyahu merged their
right-wing parties, calling it Likud Beiteinu. Larry Derfner wrote that
Lieberman is “an internationally despised neo-fascist,”13 and that’s
Netanyahu’s ally. And a survey also revealed “that 59% of Israeli Jews would
favor a formal apartheid system of government if the West Bank were to be
completely annexed.”14
In an example of racism in the “Holy Land,” a public service
employee named Ziona Mangistu was assaulted by a “True Israelite” when she was
told to not allow his son to board a school bus because he was suspended.
Later, the father called Mangistu, saying, “Stinking Ethiopian, we will have
you sent back to where you came from.” He went beyond slurs, later confronting
Mangistu and punched “Ziona in the face, breaking her nose.”15
Deaths in the latest attacks in Gaza include “ten members of
the al-Dallu family, including four children, when a missile strike destroyed
their home.” “[M]ost of those affected by the attacks have been civilians.”16
Netanyahu’s promise of avoiding civilian casualties was only that.
Attempting “solidarity,” Rabbi Eric Yoffie wrote an opinion
piece, reaching out to “progressive American Jews” to support Israel’s “get
tough” policy in Gaza.17 But in a commentary, David Harris-Gershon
called it “deluded and insidious,” using “shockingly misguided and narrow
arguments. It’s a call I, and other progressives should reject.” 18
But the rockets fired by Hamas in southern Israel prompted
calls for revenge. Yossi Dayan, a resident, declared, “I want the army to go
into Gaza, flatten it. If they don’t give us peace, they deserve it.” Another
resident, Yoram Selouk, thought “Netanyahu should go all out, but not on the
ground,” alluding to carpet bombing.19 And Rabbi Yoffie described
how rocket attacks in southern Israel affected children. They “wake up crying,
wet their beds, and cling to their parents and teachers in incomprehension and
terror.”20 While compassion shouldn’t discriminate, there are Palestinian
children who won’t have to worry about that, or anything, anymore.
In the aftermath of the attacks, the death toll amounted to
about 145 Palestinians killed, including a range of about 40 to 91 civilians,
and about five Israeli deaths during a week.21 Though harsh, these one-sided
totals are a symbolic characterization of the conflict itself.
The obvious goal for the opposition was summed up by Zehava
Galon, MK for the Meretz Party: Ending the occupation and settlements,
establishing Palestine as a nation based on the 1967 borders, and admittance
into the UN.22
An obvious reminder: There has been an ebb and flow of persecution
against Jews for ages, as early as the 4th century AD, to the
Crusades when Jews were considered
“children of the Devil, agents employed by Satan to combat Christianity
and harming Christians,” to the Nazi Holocaust.23 The latter obviously
will never be forgotten among Jews.
But Israel is not exempt from criticism, given its own
persecution of Palestinians. Knee-jerk reactions accusing critics of Israel as
“anti-Semite,” or “new anti-Semitics,” isn’t credible. If Israel, especially
its right-wing, continues its current policy,
influenced by religious supremacy myths, a self-fulfilling prophecy may occur
to where anti-Semitism becomes more blatant and overt; a potentially, tragic
irony.
Israel’s refusal to acknowledge the illegality of its
occupation and settlements further prolongs an agreement for an appropriate
withdrawal, continuing merely an insecure security, an illusion.
One obstacle that has to be removed to heavily contribute in
resolving this “eternal” conflict is the occupation and settlements.
Sources:
1) Goodman, Amy: “Israeli Negotiator: Hamas Commander
Assassinated Hours After Truce,” Democracy Now, 11/17/2012, RSN.
2) Kane, Alex: “Day Eight of Israeli Attack on Gaza:
Ceasefire Agreement Reached,” www.mondoweiss.net, 11/21/2012.
3) Ibid.
4) Benari, Elad: “Netanyahu to Ban: We Avoid Hitting
Innocents, They Don’t,” www.israelnationalnews.com, 11/21/2012.
5) “Jewish Left”: www.wikipedia.org.
6) Morning Star (from www.peoplesworld.org): “Israel
Assassinates Hamas Military Commander,” 11/15/2012.
7) Gazit, Shlomo: “Yes, Mr. Lieberman, I’m a Proud Jewish
Terrorist,” Haaretz, 7/19/2011.
8) Chabansky, Shani: “Experiencing the Israeli Left,”
Tikkun Daily, 11/09/2012.
9) “Progressive Jewish Thought and the New Anti-Semitism,”
www.wikipedia.org.
10) “Danny Danon, Israeli Knesset Deputy Speaker:
‘Today We Are Not In Gaza Anymore,’” HuffPost World, 9/13/2012.
11) Harris-Gershon, David: “Israeli Minister: ‘The
goal…is to send Gaza back to the Middle Ages,” Tikkun Daily, 11/17/2012.
12) Abunimah, Ali: “Israel: A View From The 10%,” http://desertpeace.wordpress.com,
11/20/2012.
13) Derfner, Larry: “The Bibi-Lieberman Deal: A
Wake-up Call to the World About Israel,” +972 Magazine, 10/25/2012.
14) friendlylefty: “Majority of Israeli Jews Would
Favor Apartheid,” The Friendly Lefty, 10/23/2012.
15) Raved, Ahiya: “Violence, Racism on Board
School Bus,” www.newsnet.com 10/31/2012.
16) Rowland, Jacky: “Gaza Family Killed By Israeli
Strike.” www.aljazeera.com, 11/20/2012.
17) Yoffie, Rabbi Eric: “A Call to U.S.Progressive Jews: Support Israel’s ‘Get Tough’ Policy in Gaza,” www.haaretz.com, 11/15/2012.
18) Harris-Gershon, David: “Why I’m Rejecting
Rabbi Yoffie’s Call for Progressive Jews to Support Israel’s Bombing of Gaza,”
Tikkun Daily, 11/15/2012.
19) Carlstrom, Gregg: “Israeli Rocket Victims Rage for Revenge,” www.aljazeera.com,
11/20/2012.
20) Yoffie, Rabbi Eric: “A U.S. Call to
Progressive Jews: Support Israel’s ‘Get Tough' Policy in Gaza,” www.haaretz.com. , 11/15/2012.
21) Kane, Alex: “Day Eight of Israeli Attack on
Gaza: Ceasefire Agreement Reached,” www.mondoweiss.net, 11/21/2012.
22) “Head of Meretz Israeli Party Calls on
President Obama to Support Bid to UN,” Palestine News Network, 11/08/2012.
23) Cohn, Norman: “Warrant for Genocide: The Myth
of the Jewish World-Conspiracy and the Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” Harper
& Row Publishers, 1966.
