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Talking Points about Israel/Palestine
Recently I met with a group of Americans on an alternative
tour of the Holy Land. They asked me for advice on talking about what they’d
seen, when they returned home. Here’s what I told them.
- Talk from your own experience.
Don’t pretend to know what you don’t know. Admit you don’t have
"the answer." (No one does.) Talk about what you’ve seen and
heard.
- Talk about the facts on the ground.
Avoid opinions, speculating about the future, and debates about what really
happened in the past. Bring the discussion back to what is happening now.
- Criticizing the state of Israel is not anti-Semitism.
You can criticize the American government without being anti-American, and you
can criticize churches without being anti-Christian. The same holds true of
Israel and Judaism. But don’t argue, if someone accuses you of being
anti-Semitic. Steer the discussion back to the facts on the ground.
- Don’t debate divestment.
Selective divestment of corporations selling Israel equipment, which will be
used to maintain its occupation of Palestinian land, is a tactic to bring
pressure on the Israeli government. Whether it will work or not, or is the
best strategy, is debatable and speculative. Acknowledge that concerned, good
people differ on this, and return to the facts.
- Rely on Israeli criticism of the Israeli government.
Criticism of the Israeli government by Jewish Israelis can’t be
anti-Semitic. Web sites where you can find such materials include:
www.btselem.org B’Tselem:
The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories
www.icahd.org Israel
Committee Against House Demolitions
www.theparentscircle.org
The Parents Circle – Families Forum (Israelis and Palestinians, who have
lost loved ones due to the violent conflict)
www.rhr.israel.net
Rabbis for Human Rights
- Acknowledge Israeli as well as Palestinian suffering.
The suffering of both peoples will only end with a just peace, which requires
ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands as well as ending terrorist
attacks on Israelis.
- With Jews especially, quote rabbis.
Rabbis for Human Rights has excellent statements, some of which I have
collected at www.christian-bible.com/rhr/statements.htm.
These rabbis say they are aware of or have good reason to believe that Israel’s
human rights violations include:
- denial of access to medical care for the injured, the
seriously ill, and women in labor
- demolition of homes
- disruption of the supply of water, food and medicines
from large portions of the
civilian population.
- looting and wanton destruction of property
- torture of detainees
- shooting and, in some cases, killing innocent civilians
and medical workers
(sometimes simply for violating a 24 hour curfew)
Bob Traer, 20 February 2005
I am writing as a participant in the Ecumenical
Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel, which is sponsored by the World
Council of Churches. The views expressed above are my own and do not necessarily
represent the World Council of Churches. If you wish to publish or disseminate
this letter beyond personal friends, please contact the EAPPI Communications
Officer (eappi-co@jrol.com) for
permission to do so. Thank you.
For other Letters from Jerusalem, go to http://christian-bible.com/Ethics/lj.letters.2005.htm.
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