WOMEN FOR PALESTINE MELBOURNE - AUSTRALIA http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/brian_klug/2007/02/hold_jewish_voices.html
Who speaks for Jews in Britain? By Brian Klug The Guardian (commentisfree) 5 February 2007 If there is one thing on which Jews can agree, it is this: it's good to argue. Jewish culture has thrived on argument - frank, sincere disagreement - ever since Moses disputed with God. But today an oppressive and unhealthy atmosphere is leading many Jews to feel uncertain about speaking out on Israel and Zionism. People are anxious about contravening an unwritten law on what you can and cannot discuss, may or may not assert. It is a climate that raises fundamental questions: about freedom of expression, Jewish identity, representation, and the part that concerned Jews in Britain can play in assisting Israelis and Palestinians to find their way to a better future. As the situation in the Middle East deteriorates yearly, more and more Jews watch with dismay from afar. Dismay turns to anguish when innocent civilians - Palestinians and Israelis - suffer injury and death because of the continuing conflict. Anguish turns to outrage when the human rights of a population under occupation are repeatedly violated in the name of the Jewish people. No one has the authority to speak for the Jewish people. Yet during Israel's war with Lebanon last summer, Ehud Olmert, the prime minister, told an American audience: "I believe that this is a war that is fought by all the Jews."(1) His belief is not based on evidence: it is an article of faith, a corollary of the doctrine that Israel represents Jewry as a whole - in Britain included. This is a fallacy; and, moreover, a dangerous one, since it tars all Jews with the same brush. Yet this misconception is reinforced here by those who, claiming to speak for British Jews collectively or allowing that impression to go unchallenged, only ever reflect one position on the Middle East. On its own account, the Board of Deputies of British Jews (2) (which calls itself "the voice of British Jewry") devotes much of the time and resources of its international division to "the defence of Israel". When a "solidarity rally" was held in London last July in the midst of the conflict with Lebanon, it was the board that organised it. (3) All of which suggests that British Jewry, speaking with one voice, stands solidly behind the Israeli government and its military operations. Two things are wrong with this suggestion. First, it's false. Jews were deeply divided over Israel's campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon last year. Certainly, there were those who shared the sentiment of the chief rabbi, Sir Jonathan Sacks, who, addressing the rally, said: "Israel, you make us proud." (4) Others felt roughly the opposite emotion. Second, the board has no business taking a partisan position on the Middle East. Let groups such as the Zionist Federation or perhaps the Israeli embassy organise solidarity rallies. The role of the board is to promote the welfare of British Jews in all their variety, not to defend Israel. Similarly, the chief rabbi is entitled, ex officio, to bring a religious perspective to political matters, but it is not his role to act as political spokesman for his flock. Faced with this state of affairs, a group of Jews in Britain has come together to launch Independent Jewish Voices (IJV).(5) We come from a variety of backgrounds and walks of life. Some of us are religious, some not. A number feel a strong attachment to Israel as Jews, others feel none. We do not all share the same vision for the Middle East. We are a network of individuals, not a movement or political party. But we are united by certain fundamental commitments. These are set out in our launch statement, published today on the Guardian's Comment is Free website and in advertisements placed in the Jewish Chronicle and the Times. They include: putting human rights first; giving equal priority to Palestinians and Israelis in their quest for a peaceful and secure future; and repudiating all forms of racism aimed at Jews, Arabs, Muslims or whomever. We believe that these commitments - not ethnic or group loyalties - define the limits of legitimate debate. We invite like-minded Jews in Britain to add their names to the list of IJV signatories. Jews abroad who are confronted with the same climate are taking similar steps to make their voices heard. The Alliance of Concerned Jewish Canadians has been formed to promote "an alternative public Jewish voice" on Israeli policies. Last July "concerned South African Jews" appealed to "all who share our commitment to a common humanity" to call for Israel to stop its bombardment of Lebanon. In the past few years, Jewish groups speaking out against Israel's violations of human rights have proliferated, notably in the United States, but especially in Israel itself. We are not setting ourselves up as an alternative to the Board of Deputies or any other body. But we challenge the standard concept of "the Jewish community" as a collective entity for which the board is the secular voice and the chief rabbi the religious voice. This system was developed in another era - though it is being used today as a template for other minorities. It pictures "the Jewish community" as a single bloc that, whatever its internal complexity, presents a common face to the outside world via its ambassadors. There is an affinity between our initiative and the New Generation Network (6) which was launched in the Guardian last November. A diverse group of Britons questioned the idea that the pie of British society (or that portion consisting of "minorities") can be divided into neat ethnic or religious slices: discrete "communities" with authoritative "leaders". For many of us, this model is suffocating and goes against the grain of our experience. Among other things, it places a premium on keeping disagreement "in the family". For Jews, this ethos is especially stifling if the subject is Zionism or Israel. Some people, rightly condemning demonisation of the Jewish state, do not hesitate to demonise fellow Jews who, when expressing their views on these subjects in public, cross an invisible line of acceptability. We reject any attempt to suppress legitimate public debate and we abhor the culture of vilification. The slur of "traitor" or "self-hating Jew" is especially noxious. For, if we feel compelled to protest against injustice to Palestinians, this is partly because of the lessons of our own history: the Jewish experience of marginalisation and persecution. Furthermore, when the language of human rights is spoken, many of us (secular and religious) hear the voices of those Hebrew prophets, rabbis, writers, activists and other Jewish figures down the centuries for whom Judaism means nothing if it does not mean social justice. So, when we speak out against Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, or the bombing of Lebanon, or discrimination against Palestinians within Israel itself, we are not turning against our Jewish identity; we are turning to it. Some of us, recalling that nearly 40 years have passed since Israel's occupation began, hear a resonance. This was the length of time the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, near the end of which Moses gave them a directive: "Justice, justice shall you pursue" (Deuteronomy 16:20). It is a compass bearing for all humanity, especially when we are trying to find our way - or help others to find theirs - to a better future. (1) http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3287851,00.html (2) http://www.bod.org.uk/ (3) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5206954.stm (4) http://www.chiefrabbi.org/speeches/JFS_Israel_Rally_23July2006.pdf (5) http://www.ijv.org.uk/ (6) http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/new_generation_network/2006/11/why_we_need_a_new_discourse_on.html *** http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=19261 While Palestinians are distracted by meeting in Mecca, Israeli forces surround Al Aqsa Mosque and conduct excavations Maan News Date: 06 / 02 / 2007 Time: 10:00 Jerusalem - Ma'an - The Israeli occupation forces closed the gates to the Al Aqsa Mosque and the old city of Jerusalem and deployed troops intensively in the streets and the area of Magharba (Moroccan or 'Dung') Gate on Tuesday morning. Ma'an's correspondent reported that the Israeli forces began the operation in the early hours of Tuesday morning, in an attempt to prevent Palestinians from entering the mosque. The Israeli forces deployed hundreds of policemen and soldiers in the area of the old city and prevented Palestinians from approaching the area or entering the old city, and the students from going to their schools inside the city. The higher Fatwa Council expressed worries that the Israeli authorities will demolish part of the Magharba gate, taking advantage of the internal strife between Fatah and Hamas and the Palestinian focus on the meeting in Mecca on Tuesday, as a distraction, while they execute plans to bulldoze Palestinian areas in east Jerusalem and continue to judaize Jerusalem. Palestine Supreme Judge Sheikh Tayseer Tamimi called on Palestinians to go to the mosque in order to protect it from Israeli bulldozers. He also called upon Arab and Muslim countries to immediately move to defend the mosque. He told Al Jazeera satellite channel that the "Israelis are threatening the mosque and endangering it." Tamimi added that Israel is taking advantage of the internal strife in the Palestinian territories to execute plans in the holy city of Jerusalem. Israeli bulldozers have started demolishing a wooden fence and two rooms near the Wailing Wall after days of excavating a new tunnel under the holy Al Aqsa Mosque. Ma'an's reporter said that the Israeli police force was deployed intensively in the old city as a precautionary measure. The Israeli police said that the work is intended to support a stairwell that leads to Al Magharba gate, which was weathered by a snow storm two years ago. The Israeli forces prevented all Palestinians under the age of 45 from entering the old city or the mosque to avoid any confrontation between angered Palestinians and the Israeli forces. According to the Islamic Waqf administration, two halls beneath the mosque will threaten the mosque's foundations, if they are removed. Excavation director in the Israeli authority of excavations, told Al Jazeera satellite channel that the excavations are not in the mosque and will not threaten it, he said it is a simple maintenance operation. Imam of the Al Aqsa Mosque, Dr Yousef Salama, called upon Arabs and Muslims throughout the world to "protect the mosque from the threat to its foundations and Israeli plans to demolish it and build an alleged temple." Salama warned of the consequences of this act, saying that "almost a billion-and-a-half Muslims in this world are watching Israeli acts and their hearts and eyes are looking at the holy mosque." He condemned Israeli aggressions against the mosque and said that "Israel has decided to demolish the mosque, even the Israeli daily newspaper, Haaretz, said that the settlers finished making a golden lantern in 2001 to put in the temple after it is built on the ruins of the mosque." Salama added that "the relationship between Muslims and the mosque should be based on a strong faith," he called on Arabs and Muslims to go out into the streets to demonstrate against Israeli acts in the city . *** From: Karin Pally To: Women in Black-LA Sent: Monday, February 05, 2007 10:55 PM Subject: WIB vigil to boycott the Israel Philharmonic Tues. Feb. 6th Our vigil Monday was wonderful. We had about 60 people with candles and great signs. ANSWER was there and so was a new group, Campaign to End Israeli Apartheid along with the Middle East Fellowship. If you missed tonight's vigil you can come join us Tuesday night, if you were there tonight, come back and join us again. WOMEN IN BLACK-LOS ANGELES INVITES YOU TO JOIN US SILENT CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR A BOYCOTT OF THE ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC AT ITS TWO LOS ANGELES PERFORMANCES WHEN: TUESDAY, 6:30 to 8 PM FEBRUARY 6, 2007 WHERE: DISNEY HALL (First Street and Grand, downtown L. A.) WHY: Oppose Israeli Apartheid in Palestine and call for an end to Israel's occupation of Palestine See our letters to the Israel and L.A. Philharmonic Orchestras on our website at http://www.wib-la.org/ Our letter to the Israel Philharmonic asking them to publicly oppose Israel's occupation of Palestine was signed by 800 supporters worldwide. Contact us at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or at (323) 993-3322 Endorsed by the ANSWER Coalition, the Campaign to End Israeli Apartheid and Middle East Fellowship, Southern California Why Boycott the Israel Philharmonic? Palestinian and international civil society have asked supporters worldwide to begin cultural and economic boycotts, along with divestment and sanction campaigns. These methods were a crucial part of the successful struggle to end Apartheid in South Africa. The Israel Philharmonic's conductor, Zubin Mehta, calls it "Israel's flagship." On its website, the Orchestra talks about its role in playing for Israel's soldiers in the field and in celebrating Israel's military victories. So the Orchestra, which is supported by the Israeli government, sees itself as an instrument of its government's policies. Those policies have imposed an Apartheid system on the Palestinians living in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. This system is maintained by a brutal military occupation. Within Israel, Palestinian citizens of Israel face deeply discriminatory laws and practices. We oppose Israeli Apartheid and oppose Israel's Occupation of Palestine. Just as the international community imposed a cultural, sports and economic boycott of South African in order to end Apartheid there, we call for a similar boycott to end Israeli Apartheid. Don't miss this unique opportunity to demonstrate your opposition to Israel's occupation of Palestine. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! 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