The Los Angeles Times editorial board has finally had enough. Enough of what, you ask?
Enough of exemplary American citizens being falsely smeared for the crime of being Muslim or the temerity to be critical of Israel. It’s had enough of so-called ‘pro-Israel’ groups trying to sabotage the professional lives and personal aspirations of upstanding Americans by slanderously tarring them with the “anti-Semite” label.
The Times has expressed this opinion beautifully in an op-ed congratulating, and defending, the first Muslim student ever to serve on the University of California Board of Regents, whose resume is impressive:
Congratulations to Sadia Saifuddin, who will be the first Muslim to serve as student representative to the University of California Board of Regents. Her resume for the post is a strong one: Since arriving at Berkeley, she has worked to increase the amount of financial aid available to students, to secure funding for the UC Berkeley Food Pantry and, as head of the student Senate’s finance committee, to allocate money to student groups.
But there’s one glitch. She is also a critic of Israel. Like many people, she opposes the occupation of the West Bank, the continued building of settlements and what she sees as the mistreatment of Palestinians. Earlier this year, she cosponsored a nonbinding resolution in the student Senate calling on the UC system to divest from companies that do business with the Israeli military.
The Times goes on to detail how Saifuddin, because of her progressive political views, has been attacked by numerous ‘pro-Israel’ groups, who attempted to reverse her appointment. Conservative activist David Horowitz wrote in an open letter, “If she were confirmed, it would set a dangerous precedent to encourage anti-Semitism on campus, which is already a big problem in the UC system.”
Here is how the Times responded:
Oh, for goodness’ sake, will this never stop? There’s no indication that Saifuddin is an anti-Semite, despite her criticism of Israel, her involvement with the Muslim Students Assn. or her condemnation of anti-Islamic “hate speech.” On the board, she says, she hopes to focus on financial aid reform and “bringing students together.”
We are finally reaching a point in which attempts by American ‘pro-Israel’ groups to slander Muslims (and Jews) who critique Israel are being called out for what they are: extremist and tiresome.
Last week, New York Jet Oday Aboushi – the first Palestinian American to be drafted in the NFL – was wrongly smeared as anti-Semitic by a host of publications (including Yahoo! Sports), which wondered aloud whether the Jets or the NFL should allow him to play. In response, Dave Zirin wrote a forceful defense of Aboushi in The Nation that went viral.
Right-leaning ‘pro-Israel’ groups have diluted and cheapened a very real prejudice that exists: anti-Semitism. The term has been so misused that all it really means at this stage, when flung by right-wingers, is this: I don’t agree with your politics.
As one who has also been smeared as anti-Semitic in print, I echo the Times‘ when it asks, “Will this never stop?”
Fortunately, growing pushback in America against such smears indicates that it may stop, or slow to a crawl, sooner rather than later.
Follow David Harris-Gershon on Twitter @David_EHG
Come off it David. She is an advocate of BDS. BDS is a blueprint for the extermination of Israel. What does that make her. Bnai Briths woman of the year?
Why is it to all of you Israel firsters,that any tIme any one is not in support of Israel and its crimes 100% against the Palestinians,then she or he is for The distruction of Israel and all the Jews? You all have this issue in your defenses ,as if Israel could never do wrong and all the world is out to get her. There is something terribly wrong with this.
This response by Bill continues the unfortunate practice of confusing “Israel” with “the Jews.” There are many Jews, both inside and outside of Israel, which vehemently disagree with the current Israeli policy toward the Palestinians.
At the moment they are still small in number inside Israel, but they’re growing. Outside they’re gaining strength daily. Much of the BDS movement is made up of Jews who believe that Israel’s policy toward the Palestinians is immoral and that it flies in the face of Jewish history, traditions and values.
Moreover, some Israelis are coming to believe that BDS is not “a blueprint for the extermination of Israel,” as Bill asserts; on the contrary, they see such sanctions are the only way to make Israel come to its senses. There was an article to this effect in Ha’aretz recently.
Which brings us full circle — back to the LA Times op-ed. Enough already with the lame anti-semitism charge. Reserve such a charge for the real anti-semites, not those who have political differences with the Israeli political leadership.
Palestinians are not being “abused”. They are not victims. I guess the intellectuals of Tikkun understand this is is a conflict over territory. But that might be a bit nuanced for you.
As for BDS, well you might consider going beyond boycotting a few fruits and vegetables. There might juts be a computer chip in your laptop or Smartphone that was manufactured in Israel.
Gene, how many angels dance on the head of a pin. I know you, you don’t hate Jews. Just the existence of Israel. Too cute by half my friend. Post holocaust Israel is the central enterprise of the Jewish people. If your for the extermination of that. Which BDS is. What does that make you.
You have profaned me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live.
It is as legitimate for a California student to have political opinions about Israel/Palestine with which Zionists disagree as to have opinions with which Palestinian nationalists disagree. Neither set of opinions should be a qualification or disqualification for being a student Regent in California. As for BDS, a similar policy did not end the existence of the Republic of South Africa, though it might have helped some in ending apartheid there; scholars differ. Moreover, some BDS supporters oppose the existence of Israel as a Jewish-only state because they think Israel cannot be simultaneously Jewish and democratic and place greater value on democracy. Other BDS supporters want a two-state solution, without affecting the status of Arab Israeli citizens inside the Green Line but anticipating that Jews would continue to be the majority in Israel, and hoping that there can be an Israel that is both Jewish and democratic. No doubt there are other shades of BDS I don’t know about. Let’s please stop telling others that we know what they believe better than they know themselves.
Israel is not an apartheid state. Try and finally get over that falsehood. let’s not get around it, BDS is about the elimination of israel. I suggest you try and understand the conflict is not between oppressor and oppressed, it is 2 people fighting over the same piece of real estate. Those 2 sides have to come to an agreement. Treating both sides equal for their missteps goes a long way. Demonizing Israel for defending its citizens does not. BDS does just.
Now if you still want to focus on BDS. I suggest you apply it to China for its Tibet policy.
It is about time, as this was abused and over used ! The weak souls, thought that intimidation, slander and labeling people would cover up for any and all ,of what Israel and the Zionists were doing under the cover of victim hood, in dispossessing the Palestinians and abusing them. That has taken place for quite a while . Some racists unfortunately thought that they can play that card for ever. It is about time, as Avram Burg said; The Holocaust is over, and we need to rise up from its ashes. Crying Wolf, all the times, is a very simple story ,that we all learned in Kinder Gardens, but some people seem to choose to forget its message.
Missed opportunities by Palestinians. There are too many to count. There was the rejection of partition and invasion of Israel by surrounding Arab countries, President Abbas even acknowledged the missed opportunity.There is was an opportunity to turn the West Bank and Gaza into a Palestinian state prio to 1967. Jordan annexed the West Bank instead. There was Camp David in 2000. What a wasted opportunity?
There are narratives about Israel and Jews in the Arab world and in the far leftist movement that will make you cringe. Why, Monir even thinks the civil war in Syria is an israeli conspiracy. When Morsi was overthrown in Eygpt, the Muslim Brotherhood issued a statement that a jew had ben installed as president. Demonizing Jews and Israel is not the path to peace.
Now the Monir’s of the world whine about injustice. The only injustice I see in the last 65 years has come from Palestinian and Arab leadership. Monir has gullible little friend who will suck up his whining like a sponge without looking at him/her with a critical eye.
Monir, if you want to put the Holocaust behind us, i suggest you put Nakhba behind you.
Dan ,you seem to lack at least two things, Logic and integrity . So, when you recover one of them at least, I will address your living in fear mongering, racism, hate and looking backward for an eternal vicious cycle of killing.
Monir, your voice here is the voice of anti Semitism as evidenced by your past false accusation that Israel is behind the uprising against Assad in Syria
Israel was and still is dancing of joy at the illegal war against the people of Syria, fully supported by the US, Saudi ,Qatar and Israel as the major players. Just because Israel almost always does its dirty deeds in hiding innocent the dark, does not make her innocent of such acts. Your denial as to keep it under the radar, does not label me of your false accusation ,as you and few others are still here to disseminate false information, redirect the subjects of discussion and promote Hasbara s lies. So, go figure who is calling the kettle black! Your anti Semitism has lost its use, go make up new false accusations to hide behind. The facts are out there for all to see.By the way, all Arabs are Semites ,you idiot.
Well at least you’re consistant.After the recent military coup in Egypt. the Muslim Brotherhood accused the military of inserting Jew into the presidency. Now they are accusing Zionists of destabilizing the Arab world. I see a patent here. You and your Arab brothers cannot resolve internal problems peacefully, so you have to scapegoat Jews. It reminds me of drug addicts who are unable to own their problems., I guess recovery takes long time.
This is what Syrians are doing to themselves. I hate to tell ya, Israel has nothing t do with it.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2380913/Syria-Homs-aerial-pictures-scale-destruction.html