Chicago Friends of Israel, a Zionist group at the University of Chicago, has scheduled an open meeting with school administrators at the school chapel next Wednesday over Gaza. The title of the event is "An Open Meeting to Discuss Issues of General Concern to Jewish Students." Pretty vague. What's it mean? The email cites "concerns that a number of Jewish students have raised about the atmosphere on campus during the time of the recent war in Gaza."
The meeting is surely a response to harsh criticism of Israel after it
slaughtered 400 children and 900 others in Gaza. Chicago
Friends of Israel is sure to equate criticism of Israel with
anti-semitism. You can see from CFI's events that mostly it has neocon supporters of Israel come in to talk about America's support for Israel. Though John Mearsheimer was invited, too.
A lot of big administrators are to come to the meeting. Martha Roth, Dean of Humanities; Mark Hansen, Dean of Social Sciences; Susan Art, Dean of Students in the College… I wonder if they said anything about the slaughter in Gaza? Though yes, it is very important for critics of Israel to make clear that they are not criticizing Jews, it is the conduct of the Jewish state that is objectionable. I'm sure some non-/anti-Zionist Jews will attend and make that point. Anti-Zionism is a great tradition in Jewish life.
Below are three execs of the student group, on their birthright trip to Israel nearly two years ago. I wonder how they really feel about Herzl's teaching about antisemitism in the west. Do they feel unsafe in the west? Do they want to move to Israel? Do they ever want to extend the freedom we have in the U.S. to the Palestinians under Israel's thumb?
(Phil Weiss)
