I’m still digesting everything that Omar Barghouti, the most prominent BDS leader in the world, said in our interview last Friday. Regardless of your views, I’d recommend listening. If you think Omar is a human rights hero, you should watch the interview because you may find aspects of his strategy and vision with which you disagree. I did. If you think he’s a dangerous anti-Semite, you should DEFINITELY watch the interview, and email me when you’re done to tell me whether you still think so. I think it’s a preposterous charge. But if you disagree, please tell me.
"I’m hoping to have Omar back at some point for a conversation with someone who believes in Jewish statehood and opposes the Palestinian right of return. (I’m no longer that guy.) If you have suggestions, let me know."
How about these otherwise progressive individuals:
- Arthur Waskow
- Michael Lerner
- Ralph Seliger
- Jerome Slater
There's a fellow here in the Bay Area named Mike Harris, a doctor who tells everyone he's a liberal. He heads San Francisco Voice for Israel, wrote a book on "Winning A Debate with an Israel-Hater", and may be most famous for standing on stage before a showing of a movie about Rachel Corrie at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival and telling the audience why the festival should not be showing the movie. On another occasion, I saw Dr. Harris speaking at a BDS debate where he even tried to show what he said was a video of Omar Barghouti, but the moderator wouldn't let him. So that's someone I'd like to see in conversation with Omar one-on-one, even if it's only for the fun of seeing him doing his schtick in front of an unusually well-informed audience, alongside someone he demonizes.
Other people that I'd like to hear in conversation with Omar on their differing opinions on "Jewish statehood" and the Palestinian right of return are Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi, Marco Rubio, George W. Bush, Jane Harman, Hillary Clinton, and John Kerry.
"Often a person finds himself frustrated and feels defeated and hopeless, especially when he realizes that his family is unable to help him , Then he turns to relatives, but he finds no one to help him . Suddenly you find a person with a heart and human feelings offering you help . I am a Muslim, and a Jew (Ephraim) stood by me, who did not let religion be an obstacle to helping a person who aspires to stability. . From this story, I hope that people will work with high human morals"
I spent close to $5000 helping this man and his family, eventually purchasing visas and passports so that they could leave Gaza where for 12 years Hamas tortured and denied them humanitarian assistance. He trusted me so implicitly that he sent me all of the documentation which I obviously cannot publish if I dont want to attend his funeral. My friend could not sign the above dedication. He said that Hamas would not appreciate the friendship between a Palestinian and a Jew. These people are hostages and Ive joined their ranks. Those who take freedom of speech for granted should have these folks in their prayers. BTW I went to Pro Palestinian activists to try to get my friend and his family a humanitarian asylum. They showed me the door. People only care about the Palestinian's human rights when they are being violated by Israel. You can tell that to Omar Barghouti on my behalf.
"mainstream US political discourse has no category called “anti-Palestinian bigotry.” Politicians and pundits debate endlessly what constitutes antisemitism. But rarely is anyone even accused of—let alone held accountable for—being anti-Palestinian."
Omar Barghouti may be the natural person to lead a team -- they could call it the International Nakba Remembrance Alliance -- to formulate a definition of anti-Palestinian bigotry. This definition could include a list of 11 or so examples, and the three stated goals of the BDS movement provide a good starting point:
1. If you oppose ending Israel's occupation and colonization of Arab lands and dismantling the Wall, then you're anti-Palestinian.
2. If you oppose recognizing the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality, then you're anti-Palestinian.
3. If you oppose respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN Resolution 194, then you're anti-Palestinian.
I think it is hard for anyone to disagree that those are three examples of being anti-Palestinian, but as you've noted, in mainstream US political discourse, being anti-Palestinian isn't necessarily bad, and may even be considered good! But the fight against anti-Palestinian bigotry has to start somewhere. Remember that the term "antisemitism" itself was coined in the 19th century by people who argued that antisemitism is good.
And if you have Omar Barghouti on with another guest who accuses him of antisemitism, you can ask Omar if he finds anything anti-Palestinian about the other guest.
Re: your request for a suggestion of someone to join Omar in a future conversation: do you know Daniel Sokatch? He seems so close to opposing Jewish statehood and supporting a right of return but he’s just not there yet, and therefore his advocacy for a “shared society” just sounds disingenuous.
This was extremely interesting, and thanks for holding it. I've not been following BDS, which exists on my campus but isn't all that active, but Omar's discussion was far more reasonable than I'd been led to believe -- entirely reasonable until he got to the bit about how believing anything like a haven for Jews would be short-lived in the future Israel-whatever-it-is of his dreams, and started talking about how suggesting otherwise was simply racist and that the only significant danger to Jews was European Christians. That was a shock until I recalled that this is the usual Haymarket approach -- it's the same agitation, the same "you're standing in the way of my beautiful vision, get out of my way" energy.
In this household, the beautiful vision is that the problem's dumped back in the lap of the UN, which turns as one to look squarely at Canada, and tells it to be reasonable, now, they aren't doing anything with all that land, and that wouldn't it be sensible to mark out a slice of it for the Jews, maybe sort of Edmonton-adjacent, look at the positives involved, and despite grumbles and latent whatever Canada would decide it very much was in its own self-interest to do so, with whatever grudges held too far south and inaudible for the immigrating Israelis to notice, thus setting up a minor showdown for sometime in the 26th century.
Okay, 23rd, after the New Canadians fail to shed the Iron Dome mentality and set up problematic ties with oil people in Alaska. But whatever. And just think how it'd goose US efforts toward a new-carbon-free economy.
"I’m hoping to have Omar back at some point for a conversation with someone who believes in Jewish statehood and opposes the Palestinian right of return. (I’m no longer that guy.) If you have suggestions, let me know."
How about these otherwise progressive individuals:
- Arthur Waskow
- Michael Lerner
- Ralph Seliger
- Jerome Slater
There's a fellow here in the Bay Area named Mike Harris, a doctor who tells everyone he's a liberal. He heads San Francisco Voice for Israel, wrote a book on "Winning A Debate with an Israel-Hater", and may be most famous for standing on stage before a showing of a movie about Rachel Corrie at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival and telling the audience why the festival should not be showing the movie. On another occasion, I saw Dr. Harris speaking at a BDS debate where he even tried to show what he said was a video of Omar Barghouti, but the moderator wouldn't let him. So that's someone I'd like to see in conversation with Omar one-on-one, even if it's only for the fun of seeing him doing his schtick in front of an unusually well-informed audience, alongside someone he demonizes.
Other people that I'd like to hear in conversation with Omar on their differing opinions on "Jewish statehood" and the Palestinian right of return are Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi, Marco Rubio, George W. Bush, Jane Harman, Hillary Clinton, and John Kerry.
"Often a person finds himself frustrated and feels defeated and hopeless, especially when he realizes that his family is unable to help him , Then he turns to relatives, but he finds no one to help him . Suddenly you find a person with a heart and human feelings offering you help . I am a Muslim, and a Jew (Ephraim) stood by me, who did not let religion be an obstacle to helping a person who aspires to stability. . From this story, I hope that people will work with high human morals"
I spent close to $5000 helping this man and his family, eventually purchasing visas and passports so that they could leave Gaza where for 12 years Hamas tortured and denied them humanitarian assistance. He trusted me so implicitly that he sent me all of the documentation which I obviously cannot publish if I dont want to attend his funeral. My friend could not sign the above dedication. He said that Hamas would not appreciate the friendship between a Palestinian and a Jew. These people are hostages and Ive joined their ranks. Those who take freedom of speech for granted should have these folks in their prayers. BTW I went to Pro Palestinian activists to try to get my friend and his family a humanitarian asylum. They showed me the door. People only care about the Palestinian's human rights when they are being violated by Israel. You can tell that to Omar Barghouti on my behalf.
"If you think he’s a dangerous anti-Semite, you should DEFINITELY watch the interview"
This reminds me of a point you made last year in Jewish Currents ( https://mailchi.mp/aed6d09408c3/thursday-newsletter-5862747 ):
"mainstream US political discourse has no category called “anti-Palestinian bigotry.” Politicians and pundits debate endlessly what constitutes antisemitism. But rarely is anyone even accused of—let alone held accountable for—being anti-Palestinian."
Omar Barghouti may be the natural person to lead a team -- they could call it the International Nakba Remembrance Alliance -- to formulate a definition of anti-Palestinian bigotry. This definition could include a list of 11 or so examples, and the three stated goals of the BDS movement provide a good starting point:
1. If you oppose ending Israel's occupation and colonization of Arab lands and dismantling the Wall, then you're anti-Palestinian.
2. If you oppose recognizing the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality, then you're anti-Palestinian.
3. If you oppose respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN Resolution 194, then you're anti-Palestinian.
I think it is hard for anyone to disagree that those are three examples of being anti-Palestinian, but as you've noted, in mainstream US political discourse, being anti-Palestinian isn't necessarily bad, and may even be considered good! But the fight against anti-Palestinian bigotry has to start somewhere. Remember that the term "antisemitism" itself was coined in the 19th century by people who argued that antisemitism is good.
And if you have Omar Barghouti on with another guest who accuses him of antisemitism, you can ask Omar if he finds anything anti-Palestinian about the other guest.
Re: your request for a suggestion of someone to join Omar in a future conversation: do you know Daniel Sokatch? He seems so close to opposing Jewish statehood and supporting a right of return but he’s just not there yet, and therefore his advocacy for a “shared society” just sounds disingenuous.
This was extremely interesting, and thanks for holding it. I've not been following BDS, which exists on my campus but isn't all that active, but Omar's discussion was far more reasonable than I'd been led to believe -- entirely reasonable until he got to the bit about how believing anything like a haven for Jews would be short-lived in the future Israel-whatever-it-is of his dreams, and started talking about how suggesting otherwise was simply racist and that the only significant danger to Jews was European Christians. That was a shock until I recalled that this is the usual Haymarket approach -- it's the same agitation, the same "you're standing in the way of my beautiful vision, get out of my way" energy.
In this household, the beautiful vision is that the problem's dumped back in the lap of the UN, which turns as one to look squarely at Canada, and tells it to be reasonable, now, they aren't doing anything with all that land, and that wouldn't it be sensible to mark out a slice of it for the Jews, maybe sort of Edmonton-adjacent, look at the positives involved, and despite grumbles and latent whatever Canada would decide it very much was in its own self-interest to do so, with whatever grudges held too far south and inaudible for the immigrating Israelis to notice, thus setting up a minor showdown for sometime in the 26th century.
Okay, 23rd, after the New Canadians fail to shed the Iron Dome mentality and set up problematic ties with oil people in Alaska. But whatever. And just think how it'd goose US efforts toward a new-carbon-free economy.