Protests against Israel in the Gaza war were upsetteing in their own right. What was even more intolerable, though, was the fact that Jews joined in these protests emphatically announcing that they were Jews, and as Jews were protesting -- like it was some real and true expression of their Jewishness.
An article on this subject, by Rabbi Hecht, was recently published in the Jewish Tribune (Toronto). To view the article on line, go to http://www.jewishtribune.ca/TribuneV2/content/view/1285/53/
1 comment:
Just because a Jewish person doesn’t agree with your methods of solving ongoing issues doesn’t make them anti-Jewish or plain dreamers. This reasoning equates George W. Bush’s post-911 use of the quotation of “If you’re not with us, you’re against us.” and we all know how many friends that line of thinking has brought the United States and how much better off they are today, right?
When I think of what it is to be Jewish, I equate it with debate, with the throwing back and forth of ideas, not with the labeling of anyone who has a different point of view as “fairy-tale” pushers. To my mind, any democracy worth its mettle would welcome ideas and arguments and not denounce those who disagree with them as some sort of traitor or calling them ignorant. Someone once said: “Engagement doesn’t mean endorsement.” Talking with your opposition doesn’t mean you agree with them. Ariel Sharon understood this. After many years of being a hawk, he knew that it was leading nowhere. It takes a great person to be able to change their mind in such a major way. That is how progress happens. Does Ariel Sharon fall under the category of those who believe in “fairy tales”? Perhaps he just didn’t have enough experience and was naïve??
This is not the first time that Israel has resorted to war in order to solve dilemmas. Granted, many times it has not many other options left at its disposal if it is to survive, but tell me, how’s it working for you? After bombing the heck out of the Gaza strip, rockets are still being launched against you. I don’t know, but if after decades of war after war doesn’t resolve the issues Israel has, isn’t it time for another approach? If your “solution” fails time and time again to achieve its goals, both in the short and in the long term, why would you want to keep using it?
You can oppose the methods used by Israel, after all, not too many generations of Israelis can claim to not have been in some form of armed conflict therefore those with “ideals” might be on to something. You can agree that something needs to be done about a problem but disagree as to the solution, especially when the solution in question has repeatedly brought Israel to a state of war for almost every decade or two since its existence.
I am not Jewish nor am I a religious person, but ever since I can remember you have fought war after war and again, let me ask you, are you closer to everlasting peace today or in a more determined and greater number of enemy’s sights?
Is anti-semitism real. Of course it is. Are there people hell-bent on destroying Israel. Yes there are. I will grant you Israel is surviving. But is it really living a full, free of fear of attack life? I don’t think so. Sadly, there are fanatics on all sides ready to ruin it for everyone else. Anyone with a rocket launcher can shatter any peace effort, that’s basically all it takes.
As far as I’m concerned, Israel needs a new voice.
Edith Gagnon
Toronto ON
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