Originally Posted by
Helen Wiggy
I've read through this thread from start to finish and there have been some interesting points raised, as well as some examples of ignorance and trying to win an argument for the sake of it without being properly acquainted with all the facts which is understandable to do as Israel/Palestine is an extremely complicated space. I have spent a lot of time in Israel, West Bank and Gaza, working with NGOs and, during my time there, I have met with Hamas generals, ordinary Gazans, many of whom hate Hamas but are in no position to oppose them, I've met West Bank Palestinian leaders and citizens, Israeli settlers (the vast majority of whom, to pick up a point made earlier, have American accents and no geographical connection to the land). I have also met many Israeli Jews who are completely opposed to the state of Israel, including ultra-orthodox Jews who believe that the Kingdom of Israel should only exist after the coming of the Mashiach, when the Law would be that of the Torah, not the secular law of post 1948 governments. There are also many Israelis who have refused to do military service. They usually get, I think, about 8 months in prison and find it extremely difficult to find employment within Israel thereafter. There are also those people who did serve in the IDF but then joined organisations like Breaking the Silence to expose some of the things that go on a daily and institutional level.
I notice that one poster has resorted to accusations of 'jew-bashing' although he, ironically, is the only person who has used an antisemitic word in the whole thread. It is important not to conflate anti-zionism with antisemitism and if he wants to read some critiques of Israel, he could start by reading Israeli Jews, Ilan Pappe and Gideon Levy, and American Jews, Norman Finkelstein and Noam Chomsky, among many other Jewish writers and academics.
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