Anti-racism and Israel
This makes me extremely, extremely uncomfortable, even angry. I'm a fairly secular Jew, I want Israel to move back to the green line, give the Palestinians a state, phase out the land part of the right of return (like Iceland's), and secularize to some extent before the Haredi take over and make Israel into a Jewish Saudi Arabia.
BUT, while I sympathize with the Palestinians and really hate a lot of things that that crazy asshole Olmert is doing, and what has been done by previous PMs, I sure as hell support Israel's right to exist now. And I don't blame Israel entirely for the plight of the Palestinians. Am I the only person who looks at the 1957 Refugee Convention and goes "Holy shit". For the less invested members of my FO, it basically says that any Arab nation that gives Palestinians citizenship is committing an act of treason by taking away their solidarity and identity as Palestinians. Which, is bullshit -- displacement and new citizenship haven't made the Jews less Jewish, Cuban-Americans less passionately Cuban or anti-Castro, etc etc. And I bet the Catholics in N. Ireland, the Kurds in Iraq and Iran, and the Basques in Span would have something to say about that.
I seriously wonder if I'm just defending my privilege. But, Israel and the Israelis are only privileged as "oppressors" inside of Israel. Outside, the Palestinians are being oppressed by being made into a false minority by their Arab neighbors. There is terrible, terrible, bloody history since 1948, and to simplify it to "OMG ISRAELIS ARE MAKING OPPRESSHUN" is simplifying it way too much. I think anyway.
ETA: Rereading the document, I find it even more troubling that they're disrupting ceremonies. There's absolutely a place for a protest and alternative rallies, and I wouldn't begrudge them that -- but disrupting is incredibly disrespectful. Like the Orangemen going through Catholic neighborhoods. It's like they want a confrontation to "prove themselves right". I think the Seder supplement is a lovely idea and a wonderfully symbolic gesture that could possibly raise consciousness in the "Israel's always right!" crowd.
But taking up the language of Israel's enemies by calling those who do not want to dismantle the state Zionists? What next, are the suicide bombers going after civilian targets martyrs, and the actual Zionist bombers that helped found Israel "terrorists"?
(Sidenote: How the Jews got the Brits out of the protectorate is a really interesting and sad story)
BUT, while I sympathize with the Palestinians and really hate a lot of things that that crazy asshole Olmert is doing, and what has been done by previous PMs, I sure as hell support Israel's right to exist now. And I don't blame Israel entirely for the plight of the Palestinians. Am I the only person who looks at the 1957 Refugee Convention and goes "Holy shit". For the less invested members of my FO, it basically says that any Arab nation that gives Palestinians citizenship is committing an act of treason by taking away their solidarity and identity as Palestinians. Which, is bullshit -- displacement and new citizenship haven't made the Jews less Jewish, Cuban-Americans less passionately Cuban or anti-Castro, etc etc. And I bet the Catholics in N. Ireland, the Kurds in Iraq and Iran, and the Basques in Span would have something to say about that.
I seriously wonder if I'm just defending my privilege. But, Israel and the Israelis are only privileged as "oppressors" inside of Israel. Outside, the Palestinians are being oppressed by being made into a false minority by their Arab neighbors. There is terrible, terrible, bloody history since 1948, and to simplify it to "OMG ISRAELIS ARE MAKING OPPRESSHUN" is simplifying it way too much. I think anyway.
ETA: Rereading the document, I find it even more troubling that they're disrupting ceremonies. There's absolutely a place for a protest and alternative rallies, and I wouldn't begrudge them that -- but disrupting is incredibly disrespectful. Like the Orangemen going through Catholic neighborhoods. It's like they want a confrontation to "prove themselves right". I think the Seder supplement is a lovely idea and a wonderfully symbolic gesture that could possibly raise consciousness in the "Israel's always right!" crowd.
But taking up the language of Israel's enemies by calling those who do not want to dismantle the state Zionists? What next, are the suicide bombers going after civilian targets martyrs, and the actual Zionist bombers that helped found Israel "terrorists"?
(Sidenote: How the Jews got the Brits out of the protectorate is a really interesting and sad story)