Harvard law professor and longtime Israel advocate Alan Dershowitz published an article in anticipation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s first trip to the United States since his party’s re-election last October. The title? Rabbis should not protest Israel at the UN. Since the Israeli elections, there have been intense protests and bitter arguments around Likud’s judicial reforms. Much of those anti-reform protests have been focused on Netanyahu, both in Israel and in the States. Unfortunately, according to the Times of Israel, this included around 2,000 people who, “rallied …against…Netanyahu outside UN headquarters in New York City, as he delivered a speech to the General Assembly.”
As has always been our policy, the Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel (IBSI) does not publicly critique or opine on matters of internal Israeli affairs. Israel is a sovereign nation and Israelis alone are qualified to criticize, even vilify their elected officials. Also, there is arguably no other nation more scrutinized (to the point of misrepresentation and demonization) than Israel. IBSI refuses to provide quotes or talking points for the countless anti-Zionist, antisemitic venues out there.
Israel’s struggle for the judicial, religious, and cultural direction of the Jewish State is a family struggle. It is a marital fight. Only an unwise person would interject him or herself into it. Thousands of Israeli and American Jewish Netanyahu-protesters gathering outside the United Nations headquarters in New York City is akin to taking the family fight outside to the local park — a very dangerous, anti-Zionist, Jew-hating, pro-BDS park. It was a terrible look and, I fear, a harbinger. The U.N. is the premier international organization that has demonized Israel for decades, often at the expense of countless African lives. Quoting Dershowitz’s article:
It would be different if the protests took place in front of the Israeli embassy or consulate or even in front of the hotel where Netanyahu is staying, as some are scheduled to take place. But the UN is the central locus of hatred against Israel, which is condemned by the General Assembly and other bodies more frequently than all the other nations of the world combined.
The nation-state of the Jewish people is accused — and convicted — of apartheid, genocide, ethnic cleansing, and being undemocratic, while other nations that are actually guilty of these crimes and sins are given a pass. Now these rabbis will be giving credibility to those blood libels against Israel by falsely claiming that the proposed judicial reforms will end democracy in Israel. I do not recall them protesting at the UN against the Palestinian leader for claiming that Hitler murdered Jews because they were money lenders, or Iranian Holocaust deniers, or the many anti-democratic Arab and Muslim leaders. Their anger is directed only at the one nation that is singled out for double standard condemnation by the UN.
As IBSI has stated many times in writings, lectures, and videos, the false apartheid claim is both a blood libel against Israel and a disrespect to Black South Africans who suffered under the real apartheid regime. We do this both in alliance with Israel and for the dignity of the South Africans (living and deceased) in the anti-apartheid struggle. Further, many of the “anti-democratic Arab and Muslim leaders” Dershowitz referenced are overseeing the enslavement and/or religious genocide of millions of Africans in places like Libya, Mauritania, Qatar, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia. As for Iran, its role as the world’s No. 1 state sponsor of terrorism is most evident on the African continent — the new eye of (the) global terrorism storm. Again, the United Nations is generally uninterested in these human rights issues. Its singular focus is Israel even to the degree that there is a perpetual Council of Inquiry against Israel.
Israelis and American Jews protesting the Prime Minister of Israel at the U.N. will be seen as Israel being protested at the U.N. — “giving credibility to those (antisemitic) blood libels.” Likewise, Israeli pilots appearing on CBS’ 60 Minutes inferring that the current government lacks the moral authority necessary to inspire confidence to, “shoot bombs and missiles into houses knowing they might be killing children” is ripe Al Jazeera, Black Lives Matter material. These hint at the very pro-BDS slanders IBSI debunks in its advocacy throughout the Black community and beyond. Israel’s enemies will not employ nuance or give broad explanations about these volatile claims. They’ll just copy and paste. These will be the talking points at the next Apartheid Week/Month on college campuses around the world.
Last year, IBSI did a joint event at Florida International University with Mort Klein and the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA). The theme was entitled Building Bridges to Fight Racism, Antisemitism, and All Forms of Hate. After nearly an hour of discussion between Mort and me, the moderator took questions from the audience of about 100 people. The first question was from a Jewish man (and, I believe an Israeli citizen) who began by reading a quote by Thomas Friedman of the New York Times. While I don’t remember the exact quote, it seemed to contain references to Netanyahu being a fascist and members of his cabinet being racists. Immediately, another Jewish man rose to challenge the first man, and the two began a spirited (very Israeli) debate. The moderator was unable to regain control. After a few moments, I interrupted the men who politely paused, and told them that while I respected the importance of their discussion, this was not the venue for it. To demonstrate, I then asked the audience two questions: 1) How many of you are Jewish or Israeli? Maybe three others raised their hands. 2) How many of you understand or care about what these men are saying? No one raised his/her hand.
My point for this story? While over 90% of the people did not understand or care about the argument, 100% of them heard fascist, racist, and other pejoratives associated with Israel, not with Likud. Members of Students for Justice in Palestine would consider that an effective campus event.
In conclusion, neither I nor IBSI is attempting to tell Israelis and Jewish Americans how to protest the Israeli government. What we are doing is pointing out that those protests have left the confines of the house and have spilled over into the proverbial park, and the public attacks on the Jewish State will be used as an excuse to further more Jew-hatred in the U.S. It’s already happening. And after the issue of judicial reform is finally resolved, this bell will not be unrung. IBSI is actively preparing for that inevitability.
Superb article. I wish people in my community of central coastal California would read and comprehend what you are saying instead of having a session promoting Israel protests in their sukkah!