The first time I was called a “self-hating Jew” was almost 15 years ago by someone I considered a close friend. It stung and I felt confused. Why does supporting Palestinian rights make me self-hating? And what does that have to do with my Judaism? Israel/Palestine seemed like a clear-cut situation to me. How could taking a country away from the people who had been there for centuries be right? 15 years later I have never felt stronger in my stance as a self-loving anti-Zionist Jew.
The groundbreaking Amnesty International report on Israeli apartheid would not have been possible without Palestinian resistance, including the BDS campaign and the Great March of Return in Gaza. In attacking Amnesty, the ADL makes no attempt to substantively refute any of its arguments. Thus the Amnesty report contributes to an important shift in public mainstream discussion of Palestine that would have been unthinkable not that long ago. A line has been crossed, and moving forward, Israel’s attempt to whitewash itself as a “Jewish and democratic” state will likely be accepted by no one other than its enablers.
On Jan 28 about 30 activists showed up at the office of Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) to protest the congressman’s “lack of support for
Palestine.” The California Democrat has not signed onto the McCollum bill aimed at protecting Palestinian children and has publicly opposed the BDS movement.
The Illinois Investment Policy Board was created in 2015 under the guidance of pro-Israel ideologues to prevent the state pension from investing in companies that boycott Israel. However newly obtained emails show that board members see themselves having an even broader mission — “protecting Israeli sovereignty” in the West Bank.
Texas congressional candidate Greg Casar has rescinded his endorsement request to Austin DSA due to his opposition to BDS and his support for aid to Israel.
The case for boycotting Israel is plausible and should be taken seriously – not smeared by specious or misleading criticisms.
The elites are finally not afraid to take on the Palestinian issue as shown by an overwhelming vote to condemn Israeli “apartheid,” passed by the convention of Washington, D.C., Episcopalians last week. “We will not make people happy with this resolution, but that doesn’t mean it’s not the right thing to do,” said Rev. Michelle Morgan, rector of St. Mark’s Church, Capitol Hill.
Amnesty International is the latest human rights organization to declare Israel an apartheid state, calling for an end to the “system of oppression and domination” it imposes on the millions of Palestinians living under its rule.
Artists and companies continue to drop out of the Sydney Festival over its sponsorship deal with the Israeli government. The annual festival is a major arts event in the city attracting approximately 500,000 visitors a year. According to BDS Australia, 100 individuals and organizations have withdrawn, disrupting more than 40% of the scheduled events.
Chile’s new president, Gabriel Boric, supports BDS and has promised to take an aggressive stance in defense of Palestinian human rights. But will he be able to shift Chilean foreign policy?