Not in our name

Except as an occasional object of charity, Israel practically dropped from sight in American Jewish life soon after the founding of the state (1948). In fact, Israel was not important to American Jews….. Only 1 in 20 American Jews cared to visit Israel before June 1967,” - Dr. Norman Finkelstein in ‘The Holocaust Industry’, p. 18-19

However, since June 1967 - pro-Israel lobby groups, such as B’nai Brith, America-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), Anti-Defamation League (ADL), American Jewish Congress (AJC), and numerous other Jewish and Christian Zionist groups have changed this Jewish indifference towards Israel into America’s political and financial blind support for Israel - which has existed for the next 40 years. However, since Israel’s Nazi-style collective punishment to Lebanese civilians in 2006 and 1.5 million Palestinian inhabitants of Gaza Strip, who were expelled from their native lands by the invading Zionazi terrorists - many Jewish voices (labeled as “Self-hating Jews” by pro-Israel Jewish lobby groups) are being heard in both the US and Canada. Andy Lehrer of the Independent Jewish Voices (UK) has interesting response to the ’self-hating Jew’ label: “This ridiculous. More than 100,000 Jews demonstrated in Tel Aviv against Israel’s attack on Gaza. If all of them are self-hating Jews, then Israel has a serious problem on its hand.”

One of those Jewish groups defying Israeli actions - is Not in Our Name (NION), eight of its members were arrested for sit-in protest at Israel consulate at 180 Bloor Street West on January 7, 2009. The group included Israeli peace activists, film-makers, and the president of Science for Peace.

“Israel purport to represent all Jews worldwide and these atrocities are not committed in our names. There are Jews that do not follow the Israeli line and are sickened by what is happening in Gaza,” - said Cathy Gulkin, film-maker, outside the consulate.

Then there is the Canadian group, Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA), which held several well-attended programs including professor Norman Finkelstein’s lectures to highlight Israel’s crimes against humanity. Personally, I don’t consider that calling Israel ‘an Apartheid state’ is in fact reducing its criminal nature. It’s a European colonial power far worse than South Africa under White rule. The teenager who spent many years along with Nelson Mandela at Robben Island, Achmad Cassiem expressed similar views:

“Both South Africa and Israel are imperialist outposts and upto this date they remain imperialist outposts - South Africa as well as Israel, because they are implementing the policies of superpowers. But Zionist regime is worse than the apartheid regime because the Zionist regime claims that Jews are superior on the basis of Biblical scriptures and they claim the land of Palestine on the basis of scripture - that makes it a more serious issue… At the moment people are trying to buy into this idea that Israel is an apartheid state. I think we must avoid saying that because I know what the intention is, if we accept that idea then it means that Israel - the Zionists and Palestinians can resolve their differences like the differences in South Africa were resolved - through talks and reconciliation. We have been short changed in South Africa because the revolution was aborted. I would advise the Palestinian people please understand if you make maximum sacrifices - make maximum demands.”

Another Jewish group, representing 18-20 different organizations in North America, is Independent Jewish Voices, which condemned Israel’s voilations of human rights in Palestine. Their website has posted two of my articles.

In November 2006, Dr. David Franklin Noble, a Jewish professor at York University (Toronto) sued pro-Israel Jewish lobbying and fundraising groups (Hillel, UJAF, CJC, etc.) for US$25 million. Professor Nobel accused these Jewish organizations trying to harm, silence, and malign him for his investigation in the criminal activities of those groups. Jewish professor Judt was also hunted down by ADL and AJC.

Some of other Jewish academics, who have the moral courage not be scared by pro-Israel Jewish groups - are professor Abbie Bakan (Queen’s University) and professor Michael Mandel (Osgood Hall Law School in Toronto).

There is another organization known as International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network. It’s website has this message: “For the past sixty years, Israel has tried to eliminate Palestinian people by forcing them out of their homes and off their lands, starving them and killing them. The recent blockades and attacks in Gaza are not an exception, but a brutal reminder that killing civilians is a regular part of Israel strategy.”