Monday, April 24th: An Evening with Mustafa Barghouti

Why is it that anyone who opposes the state of Israel�s occupation and brutalization of the Palestinians is branded an anti-Semite? Israel is no different from any other state, be it Muslim, Christian, or secular. Our objections to Israel are not based upon the makeup of its citizenry, but upon its actions as a state. If we would, as many of us do, oppose the Chinese government for its oppression of Tibet, would we be branded as racists, or anti-Asians? No, we would not. People know that those objections are political and humanitarian, not racially based. So what makes Israel different? Zionist organizations have made it their goal to try to convince the world, Jews and non-Jews alike that Zionism is Judaism. Thus attacking Zionism is the same as attacking Judaism. This is simply not true, and most real Jews understand this. There are countless Jewish groups that are anti-Zionist, anti-occupation, and pro-peace all over the world. There are even some ultra orthodox groups that state that Zionism is the complete opposite of Judaism. They say that Jewish teachings proclaim that Jews cannot return to the lands of Palestine until the end of time, thus making Zionist Israel antithetical to Jewish teachings. Even though many Jews understand the difference between Zionism and Judaism, the Zionists have been able to convince many non-Jews that there is no difference.
The Zionists are on the defensive all over the world. The last resort of the supporters of the state of Israel who, since the horrors of their involvement in the Lebanese civil war, and their continued brutalization of the Palestinian peoples in the occupied territories, is to blindly flail about with accusations of �rampant anti-Semitism� among Palestinian activists. The Zionists refuse to separate criticism of Israel from criticism of Jews. The President of Harvard recently stated that Harvard�s University divestment campaign was �anti-Semitic in its result, if not in its intent� let us analyze that statement for a second. He acknowledges that the campaign is not anti-Semitic in its intent, yet because it urges Universities to stop investing in the state of Israel; it is anti-Semitic in its result. Therefore, he is trying to say that any actions that are opposed to the state of Israel are anti-Semitic. This statement is the epitome of ignorance, especially from someone who claims to be the leader of a place of Higher Education. He cannot seem to separate Israel from Judaism, thinking that Israel is Judaism and Judaism is Israel. This is ridiculous to many of us who know countless Pro-Palestinian Jews and Jews who oppose the state of Israel. Israel is a country, it has a largely Jewish population, as America has a largely Christian population, and as India has a large Hindu population. Yet I am sure the Harvard President can separate the criticism of American foreign policy from criticism of Christianity, and I am sure he can separate the criticism of India role in Kashmir from criticism of the Hindu religion. Yet he cannot separate criticism of Israel from anti-Semitism. There is a problem in the world with anti-Semitism, do not get me wrong. The far right, Nazis, and fascists perpetuate anti-Semitism wherever they go. Pat Robertson and Jerry Fallwell to bigoted anti-Semite Christians who live in this very country. Yet they are not the focus of anti-Semitic accusations. Instead, the Zionists focus their wild accusations on the Pro-Palestinian movement, a move that just makes the accusations of anti-Semitism laughable, and discredit the movement against anti-Semitism. Pat Robertson, the anti-Semite, got an honorary award from the Chicago chapter of the Zionist Organization of America. Why? Because in his anti-Semitic mind, Israel is a good idea, because he hopes all the Jews will leave America and go there, so America will be purely Christian. Yet the Zionists give him an award, and call us, those who have fought all our lives for justice for all people including Jews, anti-Semites. It is purely laughable.
Jewish organizations that oppose Zionism need to make their voices hear. They need to show the world that you can be a Jew and not be a Zionist, you can be a Jew and fight the occupation, and you can be a Jew and want a Palestinian state. Pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist does not mean anti-Jewish or anti-Semitic. I am Pro-Tibetan, I am not racist against Asians, I am pro-Chechen, I do not discriminate against people of Russian ethnicity, I am pro-Northern Irish independence, I do not hate Catholics or Protestants, I am Pro-Cypriot Unification, I do not persecute Turks, and I am Pro-Palestinian, and I am defiantly NOT anti-Semitic.

It is imperitive that we take a stand while billions of our tax dollars go to subsidize Israeli terror and subjugation of the Palestinian people.

Let the IDF cockroaches by their own bombs.