I can't stand how so many politicians and political observers are calling the demonstrations in support of Palestinians on college campuses "pro-Hamas." That's utterly wrong. It's equally wrong to call criticism of how Israel has been conducting its war in Gaza "anti-semitic."
Back in my college days, I took part in protests against the Vietnam War. The response from conservatives back then was Love it or leave it. Meaning, either love the United States Vietnam War policy, or leave this country.
It turned out that we protesters have been vindicated by history. The Vietnam War was pursued under false pretenses and caused huge numbers of needless deaths among both combatants and civilians.
The same vindication is true of the war in Gaza. While Israel was justified in responding to the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack by Hamas militants, the Israel Defense Force has killed tens of thousands of innocent people -- women and children -- in over-the-top retaliation for what Hamas did.
Thus the demonstrations in support of Palestinians are absolutely justified. If I was in college now, I'd be taking part in them. Yet there's a disturbing amount of talk among people who should know better, such as some Jewish Democratic politicians, about criticism of Israel being anti-semitic.
That's ridiculous.
Sure, Israel was founded as a Jewish country. But there's a lot of diversity among Israeli citizens, many of whom are Palestinians. Considering that criticism of Israel amounts to anti-semitism is as wrong as considering that criticism of the United States is anti-Christian, just because most Americans are Christian.
Israel doesn't get a free pass on criticism because of the Holocaust and past discrimination against Jews. Currently Israel is run by a right-wing government led by a prime minister accused of several crimes who has tried to pass laws that would protect him from prosecution.
Israel refuses to consider a two-state solution to the Palestinian problem. Israeli settlers are routinely murdering Palestinians in the West Bank. The Israeli military has been accused of war crimes because of the needless deaths of so many residents of Gaza from attacks on civilians.
If Israel wasn't a Jewish nation, it would be extremely difficult for anyone, conservative or liberal, religious or atheist, to defend the horrendous way Israel has pursued its war against Hamas.
But since evangelical Christians in this country view Israel as protecting the Holy Land for the second coming of Jesus, whereas Palestinians are mostly heathen Muslims, there's a reflexive tendency to defend indefensible actions by Israel.
Hamas acted badly on October 7.
Israel has been acting badly in its response to that attack.
Palestinians have been treated badly by Israel.
Each of these things is true. I'm confident that the vast majority of demonstrators on college campuses agree with those three statements. They are entirely justified in calling for urgent actions to alleviate the plight of innocent Palestinians.
If a few people go overboard and make anti-semitic insults, that's unfortunate. But that's the way free speech works. The blathering of a few extremists shouldn't distract from the justness of the cause being sought for: Palestinian rights.
Here's some posts on X that caught my eye today.
Comments