Israel/Palestine
Related: About this forumGroups that demonize Israel place themselves outside the tent
U.C. Berkeley's Jewish Student Union's decision to deny membership to J Street U created controversy. Opponents of the decision claim that J Street is pro-Israel, no Jewish group should be excluded, and that any exclusion is undemocratic and alienates students.
Yet those who oppose J Street's inclusion have good cause for concern. Consider some of the groups and speakers that J Street has brought to U.S. campuses:
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• J Street U promotes the NIF-funded Sheikh Jarrah Solidarity Movement. The Jewish Agency describes the SJSM as "opposing the idea of Israel as a Jewish homeland and promoting an anti-Zionist agenda." The group collaborates with the anti-Israel global BDS movement, and defames Israel as a "fascist state." They talk about victories over "cowardly Zionists who are perpetrating an apartheid state and ethnic cleansing in Jerusalem," and urge liquidation of the Jewish Agency and the Jewish National Fund.
• J Street U also presents the NIF-funded B'Tselem, which is quoted 56 times in the Goldstone report. The chair of B'Tselem's board, Oren Yiftachel, has called for "effective sanctions" against Israel during the war against Hamas in Gaza, and supported the Palestinian "right of return," which means the destruction of the Jewish state. Their CEO, Jessica Montell, justifies calling Israel an apartheid state. She said: "I think the word apartheid is useful for mobilizing people because of its emotional power." SJP lists B'teselem on its website as an advocacy group.
What's common to J Street U events is not a balanced, thoughtful discussion of Israel - it is the defamation of Israel, spreading of falsehoods and one-sided attacks.
Alan Dershowitz says: "J Street has harmed Israel more than any American organization" and its pro-Israel claims constitute "fraud in advertising" and "it has made a generation of Jews ashamed to be pro-Israel, and has made it politically correct among young people to single out Israel to a double standard and for fault."
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http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/63850/groups-that-demonize-israel-place-themselves-outside-the-tent/
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azurnoir
(45,850 posts)Last edited Mon Jan 16, 2012, 05:15 PM - Edit history (1)
Jeffery Goldberg had something to say about this decision
J Street draws many Jews who are troubled by aspects of Israeli policy but are nevertheless sympathetic to the ideals of Zionism. Would the Berkeley Jewish Student Union prefer that they join anti-Zionist organizations? That seems to be the message. I grew up in a Zionist socialist youth movement, Hashomer Hatzair, that was far to the left of where J Street is today. But no one tried to ban our participation in community-wide events. Quite the contrary: The big tent was seen as a good thing. But not anymore, even at Berkeley.
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/12/j-street-banned-at-berkeley-yes-berkeley/249638/
as to his question IMO it would suit UC Berekley;s Jewish student Union just fine if J-Street joined an 'anti-zionist' group
perhaps this is a reaction to their lawsuit being dismissed
A federal court dismissed a lawsuit filed by two Jewish students against the University of California, Berkeley, alleging that the school did not protect them from anti-Semitic attacks.
U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg ruled late last week that there was no evidence that university officials violated the Jewish students' rights, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
The plaintiffs said that they and other Jews were harassed during the annual Apartheid Week event at the university held by Muslim student groups to protest Israeli policies. Seeborg ruled that the conduct of the Muslim students fell under the category of "pure political speech," which is constitutionally protected, according to the newspaper.
The complaint alleged that the Students for Justice in Palestine and the Muslim Student Association, another pro-Palestinian group on campus, harass and attack Jewish students, and that the university knows about it and has not taken sufficient steps to protect its Jewish students.
http://www.jta.org/news/article/2011/12/26/3090902/lawsuit-alleging-anti-semitism-at-uc-berkeley-dismissed
vminfla
(1,367 posts)Thank you for demonstrating that intolerance has no place in a civil society. That even Berkeley recognizes that there are limits by suspending MSU and now this is delightful. A democratic election was held and the message of J Stree was rejected by the majority.
shira
(30,109 posts)Since it's "rightwing", feel free to just ignore the argument altogether rather than attempting to argue that, on the contrary, J-Street does not promote groups that demonize Israel, and therefore J-Street is honestly pro-Israel.
azurnoir
(45,850 posts)but thank you for your comment it illustrates my point
shira
(30,109 posts)The substance being that groups who demonize Israel are not pro-Israel.
azurnoir
(45,850 posts)speaks volumes
Response to shira (Original post)
Donald Ian Rankin This message was self-deleted by its author.
Donald Ian Rankin
(13,598 posts)Groups like J Street are trying to square the circle, I think - most Israelis and their supporters increasingly view the idea that the occupation should end as treason.
One only has to look at the views of the pro-Israel posters here on DU - nearly all of whom support continuing the occupation - to see that.
We need to recognise that there is no serious will for peace in Israel, and no real hope of such developing, and concentrate on measures designed to put pressure on Israel to make peace against its will. "Israel-bashing" has become a dirty word, but it's the only hope for a Palestinian state.
Israelis believe that they can simultaneously have prosperity, good relations with the West and the status of a liberal democracy, and a greater Israel. Sadly, I think they're right, but we have a duty to the Palestinians to try to prevent it.
