To build an effective movement for Palestine we need every ally
JVL Introduction
This essay by Judith Levine raises difficult questions for the solidarity movement: where does writing or action cross the line from being reasonable discourse about the acceptable forms of solidarity to “normalisation” or even, “empathy for a colonizing, genocidal power”.
Levine gives two examples. First is an essay by British-Israeli author and translator Joanna Chen published on Guernica magazine’s website, in which Chen expressed her personal reactions to October 7 and after, her attempts to maintain a recognition of the humanity of those on both sides.
It was condemned largely for what it didn’t say, for not being explicit about the imbalance of power. There is no doubt it left lots out but does this require its cancellation? Guernica’s former co-publisher called it “a hand-wringing apologia for Zionism” and it was taken down from the website [the article has been reposted here].
The second example is Pacbi’s call for a boycott of the Israeli grassroots organization Standing Together [discussed on this website earlier] which it accused of seeking “to whitewash Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza”.
Levine disagrees strongly with both these positions, arguing that they reflect a difficulty “in dealing with Israeli humanity” or, as Chen put it, in how to “tread the line of empathy, to feel passion for both sides”.
For Levine, building the movement that is needed means embracing every ally and listening to them speak. She sees some in the solidarity movement as not open to this, something she fears will weaken the movement we need.
RK
This article was originally published by the Guardian on Tue 19 Mar 2024. Read the original here.
To build an effective movement for Palestine we need every ally
What the parallel spats over a Guernica magazine essay retraction and the boycott of Standing Together teach us about how to build a movement
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From “Al Jazeera” 20 March …
I’ve juxtaposed the last part of this article to the beginning of my quote. The Professor writing it urges the IMPORTANCE of us speaking up against the destruction of the Palestinians and of Gaza. It’s easy to feel what we do is pointless. He says it does matter.
“there are unrelenting efforts to silence and censor journalists, academics, politicians and activists standing with Palestine – efforts to ensure heart-wrenching images of pain and suffering from Gaza stop making their way to our screens.
And this is exactly why it is our collective responsibility to insert “Palestine” and “Palestinians” everywhere – every article, every artwork, every discussion. Our only chance of stopping this genocide is to learn from history, and continue speaking about Palestine.”
The rest of this quote only gives a few of the examples listed of the silencing of protests. Interestingly, often those so silenced are starting legal actions to defend their rights.
“Censorship has always been a necessary complement of genocide. With the ongoing genocide in Gaza, efforts to silence those who have sought to raise the alarm have taken a variety of forms …
Last December, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation sacked presenter Antoinette Lattouf for re-sharing the Human Rights Watch post “Israel was using starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza”.,. She is suing the ABC for unfair dismissal.
… An Israeli teacher was fired from his job, arrested, and placed in solitary confinement for criticising the actions of Israel’s military … the Hebrew University of Jerusalem suspended Law Professor Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian ..for criticising Israel’s war on Gaza and Zionism in general ….
… the University of Arizona “temporarily replaced” Assistant Professor Rebecca Lopez and Community Liaison Rebecca Zapien for facilitating a classroom discussion on Israel’s war on Gaza. Pro-Israel groups claimed their lecture was “biased, antisemitic, blatantly false and terrorism-supporting”. Two teachers at a Los Angeles-area school were placed on leave after posting on social media about a lesson they taught on “the genocide in Palestine”.
Politicians and civil servants …, are not immune to censorship.
…Ofer Cassif, a member of Israel’s Knesset … announced his intention to join South Africa in its legal proceedings against Israel brought under the UN Genocide Convention. …85 Israeli members of parliament (out of 120) accused him of “treason” and signed a petition to expel him from the Knesset.
… Sarah Jama, a member of the Provincial Parliament of Ontario, was forced to apologise for a statement she made …[calling]for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and an end to Israel’s occupation and apartheid. Jama’s apology came after Ontario Premier Doug Ford called for her resignation.
A manager of organisational performance and equity for the city of Evanston, Illinois .. was fired after [expressing] sympathies for Palestinians in Gaza on social media. Liam Bird filed a federal lawsuit against his former employer. The lawsuit also claims that senior city officials “‘choreographed’ public outrage
Chen did the usual White wash of EVERYTHING that led to Oct7th. The fact it was ONE act of RETALIATION after years of violence that had escalated to DAILY violence against Palestinians by Israel. “Trying to have empathy” for both sides is like having empathy for Germans who either killed or aided the killers of Jews.
I recently was present at a Zoom meeting with a representative of Standing Together. The subject on which he spoke most expansively and most emotively by far was what it was like being a (Jewish) Israeli on October 7th.
He talked of the need for empathy but didn’t convey any sense of the enormity of Palestinian loss and suffering since 1948. He mentioned the notion of justice a couple of times, but didn’t seem to recognise that the deficit is overwhelmingly on the Palestinian side.
When I asked him whether he would agree with something Khaled Mish’al said in 2008, that what was needed from Israel to show that it was serious about pursuing peace was “to admit that it has wronged the Palestinian people, oppressed them and taken their land, and consequently to recognise their rights,” he was evasive and said only that one can’t trust anything Khaled Mish’al says.
There were many slave owners who had empathy for their slaves and treated them “humanely”, but at the same time did not think slavery in itself was inhumane!
I am wondering if all of the readers critiquing Chen have read her article? I did so just now, and found it truthful and thoughtful. I’m now going to read Guernica magazine to see how I feel about their more usual articles. As regards Standing Together, I thought JVL had always been sympathetic. And when the Parents Circle came to London they were hosted by Independent Jewish Voices. To my/our surprise a member of the Board of Deputies was in the audience, and stood up to describe the terrible effects of the Occupation. I’m not sure how long he was allowed to remain in the Bod BTW! But these are the kind of bridges we may need to build. I can’t do it personally, not having any emotional links to Israel myself, but I can honour those who make the effort: among them some members of Jews for Justice for Palestinians and even JVL’s Education Group. Imo zero tolerance is always a bad option, and open (including forceful) debate is one part of Jewish tradition which has an absolute value for me. By pushing people away we push them to the right. Discuss!
I’ve now read a number of essays in the Commentary section of Guernica magazine. The reports and commentary on refugees , migrants, racism, international issues are good but brief (and sometimes dare I say it, don’t go as deep as they might). There is also a real preponderance of essays about fashion; quite a lot about popular culture generally, but mainly clothes. I’m from a different generation and background and I always welcome new magazines and new voices. But I really don’t see on the basis of my sample reading that Guernica magazine’s veto merits the kind of heavy political endorsement that JVL members are giving it in the Comments section. We don’t do ‘takfir’ here, do we?