E-mail Story
Print Friendly Front Page 
opinion guest_columns
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Palestinian's Message Not Anti-Semitic or Divisive
By Danya Mustafa
UNM Freshman and Coalition for Peace and Justice in the Middle East co-President
In recent weeks, the Directors of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico and University of New Mexico Hillel co-wrote a letter to two UNM departments discouraging them from sponsoring Palestinian American Ali Abunimah's appearance this Sunday at UNM. Along with several other campus and community groups, Abunimah's talk is also sponsored by the UNM student organization Coalition for Peace and Justice in the Middle East.
The coalition's goal in having Abunimah speak on our campus is to broaden the Israel-Palestine discussion to include the human rights of everyone in the region, not to suppress that discussion — as the Jewish Federation and Hillel seem eager to do. For the record, the mission of the Coalition for Peace and Justice in the Middle East is "to educate, advocate and collaborate for peace, justice, and the human rights of all people."
Federation and Hillel authors write: "Abunimah is a representative of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, a global movement intent on destroying Israel and her credibility in the world... according to the Anti-Defamation League, 'BDS is about the three 'D's: Demonization, Delegitimization, and applying a Double Standard.' This movement is disinterested in peace, the exchange of ideas or legitimate dialogue.... This is all anti-Semitism in its clearest, most noxious form"
Who is guilty of the three D's? Not once has Hillel or the Jewish Federation engaged the Coalition for Peace and Justice in the Middle East in public dialogue about this issue. Instead, their supporters write nasty letters to the editor and on Internet blogs attacking campus and community members critical of Israeli policies. They employ character assassination and ad hominem attacks to stifle dialogue and constructive debate.
In contrast, the coalition is bringing Ali Abunimah to our campus in order to unite all sides of the Israel-Palestine issue through dialogue about peaceful resolutions to this ongoing conflict. BDS is not about demonizing, delegitimizing and applying a double standard nor is it a strategy intended to punish the Jewish or Israeli people.
Boycot, Divestment and Sanctions is a nonviolent movement that advocates the boycott, divestment and sanctioning of a country that for too long has been violating international law and dispossessing the Palestinian people of their land, their civil rights and, for so many, their lives. Similar to strategies that helped put an end to South African apartheid, the overriding purpose of the BDS movement is to encourage Israel's government to end its illegal occupation and make peace. Implicit in the BDS philosophy is the understanding that a lasting peace can only come about when all people, Israeli and Palestinian, are seen as equals with their rights fully respected.
The Jewish Federation's and Hillel's false and tired accusations must be brought to light once and for all. Instead of demonizing any who disagree with Israel's oppression of the Palestinian people — a strategy that can only perpetuate conflict — the coalition invites federation and Hillel members to step out from behind their self-imposed separation wall and dialogue with us publicly.
The Jewish Federation and Hillel might not agree with our invitation to Ali Abunimah, but know this: Abunimah's talk, "From New Mexico to Palestine: The Global Struggle for Human Rights and Equality" (nothing outrageous or out of the ordinary reflected in this title), will go forward as planned. We will not back down and we will not give in to your misleading ways. The coalition will not let one letter or a million letters get in the way of this event.
The Coalition for Peace and Justice in the Middle East and its many sponsors will unambiguously communicate to every single person in the room that denouncing Israel's inhumane policies is not a crime, nor is it anti-Semitic. We will take this opportunity to educate and raise awareness on the UNM campus and in the larger Albuquerque community about the Israel-Palestine issue and the BDS campaign.
Abunimah personally invites Jewish Federation and Hillel members to attend his talk on Sunday and "to ask me any questions they want." Join in the dialogue!
This opinion column was co-signed by Margaret Leicester, UNM graduate student and Coalition for Peace and Justice in the Middle East co-founder and Richard Forer, Albuquerque community activist.
You also can send comments via our comment form
|
|
