While reading the pieces that have appeared in the Charlatan over the past few years that discuss Israel, I was struck by two serious problems with how we often approach this weighty topic on our campus: the stubborn blindness to antisemitism on the part of Israel’s critics, and the conspicuous absence of the word “Holocaust” on all sides of the debate. Unless we can remedy these deficiencies in how we communicate, then Jews will continue to feel targeted and an open, productive discourse on Israel will never occur.
One particularly contentious issue in this paper has been Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW), which promotes divestment from companies that operate in Israel and its territories. Some Jewish students have written that this event creates an antisemitic environment on campus, while others have responded that criticizing Israel and discriminating against Jews are very different things.
It is true that criticism of Israel is not necessarily antisemitic. As a Jew, I am ashamed of the kinds of heavy-handed actions that Israel has taken against those that it considers to be its enemies, especially under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
However, discrimination exists wherever one minority group is treated differently than other groups. Yes, it is true that Israeli policies warrant criticism. But it is also true that literally every other government in that region engages in gross violations of human rights on a regular and ongoing basis.
We must ask why Israel receives special attention. There is no Saudi Oppression Week, or Iranian Intolerance Week, or Turkish Airstrikes Week on campus. There is, however, an Israeli Apartheid Week. This qualifies as one group being treated differently than other groups. Antisemitism is still very real, and anyone unwilling to admit this is either ignorant or ignoble.
Another deficiency in the way that we talk about Israel is a lack of historical vision. The state of Israel was created in 1948, largely as a reaction to the infamous crimes committed by the Nazis during the Second World War, as well as to the persecution that Jews have faced for centuries in the Middle East, Africa, Russia, and Europe.
Though Zionism is often perceived as a nefarious ideology, I have yet to find another answer to the question of how Jews can feel safe in a world that has raped, tortured, and murdered our ancestors since biblical times.
Israel represents a safe haven to Jews all around the world. Yet organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah, which provoke much of Israel’s militancy, explicitly list the destruction of the Jewish state as one of their defining aspirations. A significant minority of Middle Eastern Muslims share this aspiration. All Israeli governments must carry this burden. Ignoring this fact results in an oversimplified understanding of Israeli politics.
People are right to criticize Israel’s policies. People are also right to point out that at Carleton, this criticism attracts more zealous support than criticism of other oppressive governments. As a result of my conversations with other Jews, I have been convinced that many Jewish people would be more willing to criticize Israel if they were not intimidated by what they see as a unique hostility towards Israel on the so-called political left.
Until campaigns like IAW give way to more balanced movements that seek to bring attention to all oppression instead of making Israel the lone poster child of a much bigger issue, Jews at Carleton and around the world will continue to feel afraid. And let us never forget that aggression, like the violence perpetrated by Israel against Palestinians, is usually rooted in fear.
