Pro-Peace, Anti-Apartheid: Clarifications about Smith Students for Justice in Palestine
Published: Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Updated: Wednesday, November 9, 2011 17:11
An article recently published in The Sophian addressed the Smith Student Alliance for Middle East Peace's decision to change its name to Smith Students for Justice in Palestine. While the basic premise of the article was correct – we do wish to rename our organization, above all for the sake of clarity – I would like to take the opportunity to elucidate our goals.
The Smith Student Alliance for Middle East Peace is not espousing a new outlook on the conflict, nor is it in any way changing its commitment to promoting a just and lasting peace in Palestine [and] Israel. Historically, the Alliance has always focused its energies on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and has consistently taken a pro-Palestinian stance; the original founders of the group, fearing that Smith might hesitate to charter a pro-Palestinian group on a predominantly Zionist campus, elected to go with a less controversial name. The issue that the current group holds with this name is the nebulous term "Middle East," which we feel is inappropriately nonspecific and continues the problematic conflation of separate issues amongst distinct national and cultural groups in the region. More information on our relationship with the national umbrella group Students for Justice in Palestine can be found on our Web site, http://smithforpalestine.tumblr.com.
The organization remains a group of advocates for peace in the region, understanding that a genuine peace cannot and will not be reached without addressing the pressing concerns of the Palestinian people in their struggle not only for political sovereignty but for basic human rights. We do not formally endorse any one path to peace – members are free to support a one state solution, a two state solution, or any other road to political and cultural equality for Israelis and Palestinians that strikes them as just and feasible. We want peace, but we are also obligated to call attention to the fact that posturing about a diplomatic "peace process" is useless when Palestinians continue to face evictions, housing demolitions, unjust imprisonment, heavy restriction of movement, limitations on access to food and water, and myriad other injustices symptomatic of institutionalized racial discrimination.
In keeping with our interest in peace in the region, we also agree with Daniele Goldberg's assertion that both the Israel Alliance and our organization should be able to coexist peacefully and hold respectful dialogue with one another. I would caution against an understanding of the conflict that emphasizes a "hold hands and get along" approach, however, as such an assessment is simplistic and idealistic. On the contrary, I believe that respectful dissent, confrontation and conflict are not only healthy and natural but vital to the dialogue surrounding Palestine; this is a situation too urgent and too complex to be whitewashed with empty promises of compromise, even on a small campus like ours.
Finally, I wish to address a comment posted on the article on the Sophian's Web site that apparently seeks to link our organization with a phenomenon of on-campus anti-Semitism. This comment, posted anonymously by someone facetiously calling himself Arafat, is too appalling to ignore. It is a widely held misconception that organizations in support of Palestine are inherently anti-Jewish, when in fact they are simply critical of Israel's policies towards Palestinians regardless of religious or ethnic affiliation. I will not stand to see my organization reduced to such false and atrocious accusations; we are a secular organization that seeks to promote awareness of and activism against Israeli human rights violations as recognized by international law. We are not anti-Jewish, nor even anti-Israeli – we are anti-colonialism and anti-apartheid.
23 comments
So, yes ... I came here today to tell you that the people who suffer most from the UN anti-Israel policy are not the Israelis but all those people who the UN ignores in order to tell its big lie against Israel: we, the victims of Arab/Muslim abuse: women, ethnic minorities, religious minorities, homosexuals, in the Arab/Muslim world. These are the biggest victims of UN Israel hatred.Look at the situation of the Copts in Egypt, the Christians in Iraq, and Nigeria, and Iran, the Hindus and Bahais who suffer from Islamic oppression. The Sikhs. We - a rainbow coalition of victims and targets of Jihadis -- all suffer. We are ignored, we are abandoned. So that the big lie against the Jews can go forward.In 2005, I visited one of the refugee camps in South Sudan. I met a twelve year old girl who told me about her dream. In a dream she wanted to go to school to become a doctor. And then, she wanted to visit Israel. I was shocked. How could this refugee girl who spent most of her life in the North know about Israel? When I asked why she wanted to visit Israel, she said: "This is our people." I was never able to find an answer to my question.On January 9 of 2011 South Sudan became an independent state. For South Sudanese, that means continuation of oppression, brutalization, demonization, Islamization, Arabization and enslavement.In a similar manner, the Arabs continue denying Jews their right for sovereignty in their homeland and the Durban III conference continues denying Israel's legitimacy.As a friend of Israel, I bring you the news that my President, the President of the Republic of South Sudan, Salva Kiir -- publicly stated that the South Sudan embassy in Israel will be built--- not in Tel Aviv, but in Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish people.I also want to assure you that my own new nation, and all of its peoples, will oppose racist forums like the Durban III. We will oppose it by simply telling the truth. Our truth.My Jewish friends taught me something I now want to say with you.AM YISROEL CHAI!The people of Israel live!Thank you"
OoooooooooooAnti-colonialism, eh?Well then you should be against the relentless Islamic aggression and colonialism witnessed currently and throughout history. In news reports from two days ago one finds stories of how all Christians have fled northern Nigeria to avoid persecution from Islamists. In essence turning northern Nigeria into another colony of the caliphate. In Lebanon the Christian population has sunk down to 30% from 60% due to relentless Islamist aggression. Most all the Christian politicians have been assassinated as well. In essence Lebanon is becoming another colony of the caliphate. In Sudan, we all know, all non-Muslims and even Muslims who are not Arab-looking enough have been killed or are being persecuted. Islamists have turned that country into a colony of their caliphate, no? In Egypt the ancient Coptic Christians are slowly but surely being "ethnically cleansed" as that land becomes 100% Muslim...another colony of the caliphate. In Pakistan and Bangladesh - countries that had been Hindu for 5,000 years - what remains of the Hindu population is being eliminated. Meanwhile in India proper the Muslim population is soaring. In Afghanistan, the once thriving Buddhist community is completely gone, replaced by a Muslim colony. In southern Thailand 5,000 Buddhists have been murdered by Islamists who are turning that section of Thailand into a colony of the caliphate.
OoooooooooooYou may not like me. You may not like what I write. And The editors of the Sophian will likely ban my comments from appearing on their site because being politically correct on college campuses is more important than telling the truth or than the First Amendment. But that does NOT mean that you are anymore noble, elegant or fair-minded than I despite your Smith college pedigree.It's interesting to note that Smith College gave credence to the Nazis in the 1930s as did Harvard, the University of Chicago, Columbia and other so called premier institutions of higher education. But we all know this time it's different and that Smith College, its eminent professors, administrative staff and students have learned SO much from the past and are SO far past repeating the mistakes made back then.Yeah, right.Students for Justice in Palestine or whatever you want to call it is nothing more than a superficial moniker for Jew baiting, which is, of course, man's oldest prejudice despite what you might tell yourselves at your enlightening gatherings.
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