Pro-Palestine activists like Peter have no one but themselves to blame if the correct equation of anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism makes it "excruciatingly difficult to advocate for Palestinian rights."
From day one "Palestinian rights" has been weaponized by its alleged supporters to mean "death to Israel." The phrase "Pro-Palestinian" has long been conflated with the bigoted assertions that Jewish rights are racism, that Jews have no right to statehood or self-determination, that Jews are "imperialists" and "colonizers" in their own homeland, that Jewish history is a lie, and that any peace with Israel is "normalization" and a betrayal of the Palestinian people. Equating anti-Zionism and Palestinian rights was a huge mistake that Palestine advocates have been making for decades and show no sign of stopping.
Imagine if people who allegedly supported Palestinian rights united as a movement and said as a group "We want peace between the Jewish state of Israel and the Arab state of Palestine in the form of a two state solution. We respect the Jewish people's right of self-determination in their homeland and all we want is self-determination for Palestinians in their own state of Palestine. We reject anti-Zionism and all efforts to undermine the Jewish character of Israel as well as the Arab character of Palestine." This attitude would be embraced in Germany, in the US, and all over the world. What an absolute tragedy that beliefs like those would never ever be allowed in the modern day pro-Palestinian movement. What a waste. Your movement could easily be part of the solution, if it chooses to, but instead insists on being part of the problem.
Well Beinart, you can't say you weren't warned. As "cancel culture" and its affiliate slogans like "hate speech isn't free speech" and "speech is violence" have gained mainstream acceptance among the left, both conservatives and liberals (like those who wrote the Harper's Letter) warned about the problems they posed for free speech. These critics pointed out that things like "hate speech" is very difficult to define, racism and bigotry can be subjective, and normalizing cancellations for wrongthink will eventually be used against the left by the right. In response to these very understandable concerns, the left sneered at their critics and accused them of being just a bunch of racists who want to be able to say racial slurs or make fun of minorities without consequence. "Screw free speech!" They declared, "We have to protect the feelings of minorities!" And the pro-Palestine activist class, having hitched themselves very firmly to the far left, went right along with the ride.
Oh how the tables have turned! Germany took one look at the pro-Palestine national movement, saw the rampant anti-Semitism there, and has acted accordingly. What? Did you think there wouldn't be any consequences for crashing Holocaust memorials, harassing Holocaust survivors, chasing politicians into bathrooms, and beating up Jews in the street? It's very convenient for pro-Palestinians like Beinart to rediscover their commitment to free speech, now that THEY have a minority group they want the freedom to racially abuse. And now what are you going to do? Run to the far left and tell them "never mind, we were wrong, speech isn't violence?"
We told you that free speech is a value that protects us all, you did not listen, and now you're being hoisted on your own petard. It couldn't happen to more deserving people.
PS: what's "anti-Palestinianism?" Is that a word you just made up to silence your movement's critics? Naughty naughty!
Peace is readily achievable between Israel and Palestine when Palestinians 1) accept Israel’s right to exist; 2) agree to a state of their own next to Israel; and 3) agree to a “right of return” to a new state of Palestine and not to Israel. For over 70 years there have been numerous formal and informal efforts to achieve a two state peace, but all have ended with Palestinian rejection.
But times are changing. Arab countries refuse to be held hostage by Palestinian intransigence and are normalizing relations with Israel. The latest, and the BIG one, Saudi Arabia, is now in serious talks with Israel about normalization.
Your activism should be aimed at the corrupt and criminal Palestinian leaders who continue to teach children to ‘drive the Jews into the sea.’ Hopefully one day they will instead choose peace so that both peoples can thrive.
Your activism should be aimed at the apartheid Zionist leaders of Israel who refuse to accept the political and human equality of Palestinian and Ethiopian Jewish people who continue to practise violent, racist and repressive policies against them.
Define 'apartheid'. Does it apply to the 20% Arab-Israeli population that can vote, attend university, become doctors, serve in Parliament, and when polled about whether they would become Palestinian citizens should a state of Palestine be created, 95%+ say they would stay Israeli?
OK, here's Oxfam statement on the Palestine-Israel situation. Does this reflect your views as well?
What is Oxfam's position on the conflict?
"We want to see a just and lasting agreement between Israelis and Palestinians that will bring an end to the occupation, and peace, security and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians alike. Oxfam calls for a comprehensive negotiated solution based on international law and we support the two-state solution called for by the international community. We condemn violence against civilians on all sides and believe that both Israelis and Palestinians deserve to live in dignity without fear of violence or oppression.
I was wrong about Oxfam's position and I thank you for correcting me. It is sad that such a respected and experienced NGO has failed to understand the situation of Palestinian people in Israel and in the Occupied Territories as being apartheid in practice. However:
"The illegal Israeli blockade has been in place for more than a decade. The consequences are huge and the humanitarian needs enormous: It has devastated Gaza’s economy, left most people unable to leave Gaza, have access to food, water, essential services such as healthcare and education, and cut Palestinians off from each other."
I would, then, refer you to the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories:
"B’Tselem rejects the perception of Israel as a democracy (inside the Green Line) that simultaneously upholds a temporary military occupation (beyond it). B’Tselem reached the conclusion that the bar for defining the Israeli regime as an apartheid regime has been met after considering the accumulation of policies and laws that Israel devised to entrench its control over Palestinians."
"Israel’s system of institutionalised segregation and discrimination against Palestinians, as a racial group, in all areas under its control amounts to a system of apartheid, and a serious violation of Israel’s human rights obligations."
Human Rights Watch ('A Threshold Crossed: Israeli Authorities and the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecution'):
"... in most aspects of life, Israeli authorities methodically privilege Jewish Israelis and discriminate against Palestinians. Laws, policies, and statements by leading Israeli officials make plain that the objective of maintaining Jewish Israeli control over demographics, political power, and land has long guided government policy. In pursuit of this goal, authorities have dispossessed, confined, forcibly separated, and subjugated Palestinians by virtue of their identity to varying degrees of intensity. In certain areas, as described in this report, these deprivations are so severe that they amount to the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution."
Michael Lynk, the UN Special Rapporteur for the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967:
"There is today in the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967 a deeply discriminatory dual legal and political system, that privileges the 700,000 Israeli Jewish settlers living in the 300 illegal Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank."
I won't bother going through the sordid anti-Israel, biased history of each of those organizations (yes, including Israeli Btselem -- like Peter Beinart proclaiming himself a devout Jew yet doing everything he can to undermine Israel).
As for Israel (and Egypt's) lockdown on Gaza -- are you kidding? What would you do with a homicidal leadership that proclaims their intention to destroy Israel every announcement; took the opportunity when Israel left in 2005 to begin a missile-launching campaign at Israeli population centers rather than working toward living in peace next to Israel, and keeps its population in poverty while they live in wealthy enclaves? This is who you support?
Whether its under the PA or Hamas leaders, I agree that it's the average Palestinian getting the raw deal. But that is not Israel's doing. When a next generation Palestinian leader comes to power and decides, as much of the Arab world is now doing, that living in peace and prosperty next to Israel is better than being in a state of war, there will be peace. And the Palestinian people will thrive.
Recently heard an interview with a really smart sounding Jewish Candidate in Pennsylvania ( Philly?,) And a Haaretz interviewer. When this candidate described the efforts by AiPAC to delegitimize his campaign because he believes in some Justice for the Palestinians, I felt sick to my stomach. AiPAC represents everything to me that is wrong with Extreme Right Wing Powerful Jews in the U.S. and in turn the intransigence of the current Israeli Body Politic.
Absolutely Not. Nothing to do with the Odious Protocols. This is a factual comment that is an Internicine issue. It is simply an issue of one small wealthy powerful group of humans who identify as Jewish attempting to use their influence to silence their co religionists ( who are in a majority numerically)
“The “Hijacking Memory” conference—which features a remarkable array of speakers from Israel-Palestine, North America, and across Europe—constitutes a response to all this. It’s based on the insistence that the struggle against antisemitism must be part of a broader struggle for the rights and dignity of all people, Palestinians included.”
Beautifully poignant statement; through the lens of human rights, it could not appear more self evident.
Pro-Palestine activists like Peter have no one but themselves to blame if the correct equation of anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism makes it "excruciatingly difficult to advocate for Palestinian rights."
From day one "Palestinian rights" has been weaponized by its alleged supporters to mean "death to Israel." The phrase "Pro-Palestinian" has long been conflated with the bigoted assertions that Jewish rights are racism, that Jews have no right to statehood or self-determination, that Jews are "imperialists" and "colonizers" in their own homeland, that Jewish history is a lie, and that any peace with Israel is "normalization" and a betrayal of the Palestinian people. Equating anti-Zionism and Palestinian rights was a huge mistake that Palestine advocates have been making for decades and show no sign of stopping.
Imagine if people who allegedly supported Palestinian rights united as a movement and said as a group "We want peace between the Jewish state of Israel and the Arab state of Palestine in the form of a two state solution. We respect the Jewish people's right of self-determination in their homeland and all we want is self-determination for Palestinians in their own state of Palestine. We reject anti-Zionism and all efforts to undermine the Jewish character of Israel as well as the Arab character of Palestine." This attitude would be embraced in Germany, in the US, and all over the world. What an absolute tragedy that beliefs like those would never ever be allowed in the modern day pro-Palestinian movement. What a waste. Your movement could easily be part of the solution, if it chooses to, but instead insists on being part of the problem.
Well Beinart, you can't say you weren't warned. As "cancel culture" and its affiliate slogans like "hate speech isn't free speech" and "speech is violence" have gained mainstream acceptance among the left, both conservatives and liberals (like those who wrote the Harper's Letter) warned about the problems they posed for free speech. These critics pointed out that things like "hate speech" is very difficult to define, racism and bigotry can be subjective, and normalizing cancellations for wrongthink will eventually be used against the left by the right. In response to these very understandable concerns, the left sneered at their critics and accused them of being just a bunch of racists who want to be able to say racial slurs or make fun of minorities without consequence. "Screw free speech!" They declared, "We have to protect the feelings of minorities!" And the pro-Palestine activist class, having hitched themselves very firmly to the far left, went right along with the ride.
Oh how the tables have turned! Germany took one look at the pro-Palestine national movement, saw the rampant anti-Semitism there, and has acted accordingly. What? Did you think there wouldn't be any consequences for crashing Holocaust memorials, harassing Holocaust survivors, chasing politicians into bathrooms, and beating up Jews in the street? It's very convenient for pro-Palestinians like Beinart to rediscover their commitment to free speech, now that THEY have a minority group they want the freedom to racially abuse. And now what are you going to do? Run to the far left and tell them "never mind, we were wrong, speech isn't violence?"
We told you that free speech is a value that protects us all, you did not listen, and now you're being hoisted on your own petard. It couldn't happen to more deserving people.
PS: what's "anti-Palestinianism?" Is that a word you just made up to silence your movement's critics? Naughty naughty!
Peace is readily achievable between Israel and Palestine when Palestinians 1) accept Israel’s right to exist; 2) agree to a state of their own next to Israel; and 3) agree to a “right of return” to a new state of Palestine and not to Israel. For over 70 years there have been numerous formal and informal efforts to achieve a two state peace, but all have ended with Palestinian rejection.
But times are changing. Arab countries refuse to be held hostage by Palestinian intransigence and are normalizing relations with Israel. The latest, and the BIG one, Saudi Arabia, is now in serious talks with Israel about normalization.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-and-saudi-arabia-said-in-us-brokered-talks-to-improve-relations/
Your activism should be aimed at the corrupt and criminal Palestinian leaders who continue to teach children to ‘drive the Jews into the sea.’ Hopefully one day they will instead choose peace so that both peoples can thrive.
Your activism should be aimed at the apartheid Zionist leaders of Israel who refuse to accept the political and human equality of Palestinian and Ethiopian Jewish people who continue to practise violent, racist and repressive policies against them.
Define 'apartheid'. Does it apply to the 20% Arab-Israeli population that can vote, attend university, become doctors, serve in Parliament, and when polled about whether they would become Palestinian citizens should a state of Palestine be created, 95%+ say they would stay Israeli?
I refer you to the numerous well-researched studies by human rights groups and Oxfam.
OK, here's Oxfam statement on the Palestine-Israel situation. Does this reflect your views as well?
What is Oxfam's position on the conflict?
"We want to see a just and lasting agreement between Israelis and Palestinians that will bring an end to the occupation, and peace, security and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians alike. Oxfam calls for a comprehensive negotiated solution based on international law and we support the two-state solution called for by the international community. We condemn violence against civilians on all sides and believe that both Israelis and Palestinians deserve to live in dignity without fear of violence or oppression.
I was wrong about Oxfam's position and I thank you for correcting me. It is sad that such a respected and experienced NGO has failed to understand the situation of Palestinian people in Israel and in the Occupied Territories as being apartheid in practice. However:
"The illegal Israeli blockade has been in place for more than a decade. The consequences are huge and the humanitarian needs enormous: It has devastated Gaza’s economy, left most people unable to leave Gaza, have access to food, water, essential services such as healthcare and education, and cut Palestinians off from each other."
https://www.oxfam.org/en/what-we-do/countries/occupied-palestinian-territory-and-israel
I would, then, refer you to the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories:
"B’Tselem rejects the perception of Israel as a democracy (inside the Green Line) that simultaneously upholds a temporary military occupation (beyond it). B’Tselem reached the conclusion that the bar for defining the Israeli regime as an apartheid regime has been met after considering the accumulation of policies and laws that Israel devised to entrench its control over Palestinians."
https://www.btselem.org/apartheid
Amnesty InternationaL
"Israel’s system of institutionalised segregation and discrimination against Palestinians, as a racial group, in all areas under its control amounts to a system of apartheid, and a serious violation of Israel’s human rights obligations."
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/02/israels-apartheid-against-palestinians-a-cruel-system-of-domination-and-a-crime-against-humanity/
Human Rights Watch ('A Threshold Crossed: Israeli Authorities and the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecution'):
"... in most aspects of life, Israeli authorities methodically privilege Jewish Israelis and discriminate against Palestinians. Laws, policies, and statements by leading Israeli officials make plain that the objective of maintaining Jewish Israeli control over demographics, political power, and land has long guided government policy. In pursuit of this goal, authorities have dispossessed, confined, forcibly separated, and subjugated Palestinians by virtue of their identity to varying degrees of intensity. In certain areas, as described in this report, these deprivations are so severe that they amount to the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution."
https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/media_2021/04/israel_palestine0421_web_0.pdf
Michael Lynk, the UN Special Rapporteur for the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967:
"There is today in the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967 a deeply discriminatory dual legal and political system, that privileges the 700,000 Israeli Jewish settlers living in the 300 illegal Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank."
https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/03/1114702
I won't bother going through the sordid anti-Israel, biased history of each of those organizations (yes, including Israeli Btselem -- like Peter Beinart proclaiming himself a devout Jew yet doing everything he can to undermine Israel).
As for Israel (and Egypt's) lockdown on Gaza -- are you kidding? What would you do with a homicidal leadership that proclaims their intention to destroy Israel every announcement; took the opportunity when Israel left in 2005 to begin a missile-launching campaign at Israeli population centers rather than working toward living in peace next to Israel, and keeps its population in poverty while they live in wealthy enclaves? This is who you support?
Whether its under the PA or Hamas leaders, I agree that it's the average Palestinian getting the raw deal. But that is not Israel's doing. When a next generation Palestinian leader comes to power and decides, as much of the Arab world is now doing, that living in peace and prosperty next to Israel is better than being in a state of war, there will be peace. And the Palestinian people will thrive.
Recently heard an interview with a really smart sounding Jewish Candidate in Pennsylvania ( Philly?,) And a Haaretz interviewer. When this candidate described the efforts by AiPAC to delegitimize his campaign because he believes in some Justice for the Palestinians, I felt sick to my stomach. AiPAC represents everything to me that is wrong with Extreme Right Wing Powerful Jews in the U.S. and in turn the intransigence of the current Israeli Body Politic.
Peter, any thoughts on the "Extreme Right Wing Powerful Jews in the U.S."? Is that a rebrand of the Elders of Zion?
Absolutely Not. Nothing to do with the Odious Protocols. This is a factual comment that is an Internicine issue. It is simply an issue of one small wealthy powerful group of humans who identify as Jewish attempting to use their influence to silence their co religionists ( who are in a majority numerically)
“The “Hijacking Memory” conference—which features a remarkable array of speakers from Israel-Palestine, North America, and across Europe—constitutes a response to all this. It’s based on the insistence that the struggle against antisemitism must be part of a broader struggle for the rights and dignity of all people, Palestinians included.”
Beautifully poignant statement; through the lens of human rights, it could not appear more self evident.
So you're saying that we should All Lives Matter anti-Semitism? An interesting take.