1. A short anecdote: A few Sundays ago I was at my in-laws. They're from small villages outside Ramallah,
came here ~30 years ago. A large group of us were watching an Arab news
station that runs a program covering news stories
running on Israeli TV. It followed updates on the carnage in Gaza.
to use the term "yahood" – Jew. I understand that folks do this – in
conversations with Jews and Israelis I've heard some use the term "the
Arabs" in a similar context – but it still distresses me because I don't
like the blurring of the lines.
came on TV. Before he was even identified, multiple folks blurted out
his name... my father in-law then shushed the room so we could all hear
what he had to say. And of course we were not disappointed.
I
write this just to say that although the fault lines between
Arab/Muslim and Jewish communities may seem like yawning chasms during
these times… there is still much that ties us together. People of
good conscience recognize other people of good conscience, regardless
of background.
Our communities (Arab and Muslim) also need to make sure we
recognize our allies in this struggle and temper our messages
accordingly. The binary response (good vs evil, Jew vs Arab, even
Israelis vs Palestinians) doesn't reflect the reality of the situation.
2. I might be wrong, but it appears to me that one of the hidden benefits of the Internet and especially Youtube and other on-line video news sources is that it has lessened anti-Jewish feelings in the Muslim world,
despite the Gaza massacre and other Israeli atrocities. The reason
this is happening is that the faces and voices of Jews who are opposed
to Israel or to Zionism in general are finally being seen and heard denouncing the Israelis, even by non-English speaking Muslims.
available, it was common to hear ordinary Saudis in social situations
and/or their Friday preachers denouncing Jews and Zionists
as cruel and evil people who deserve no mercy. This was especially
true after an Israeli attack that left numerous Palestinian civilians,
including children dead. These attacks, which are rarely mentioned in
the US Mainstream media, have been happening several times a year for the last ten
years.
confusing. How can they denounce Jews in general when they see brave
Jewish volunteers breaking bread with Palestinians during the Israeli
assault on Gaza,
then coming out on televisions around the world to denounce the Zionist
members of their tribe? Even more confusing is the sight of Neturei
Karta Rabbis calling the creation of Israel itself illegal, and
Holocaust survivors' children like Finkelstein comparing Israel with Nazi Germany.
I can just see them scurrying back to their religious texts looking for a phrase here and there that they can use to differentiate between the "good Jews" and the "bad Jews".
