Letters/Discussion Forums
JVJP’s innuendo that all Israelis are racist, completely false
That the CSO are alleged to have roughed up some members of Jewish Volices for a Just Peace (JVJP) is indeed disturbing, more so, given that the CSO was the recipient of an award at the SAJBD conference where these allegations were made. If these allegations are in fact substantiated, those members of the CSO and whoever ordered them to act in this manner, need to be severely censured.
Allan Wolman
One, however, needs to address JVJP’s allegations about racism and “especially Israeli Jews” where they quote two ministers and one former minister for making disparaging remarks. Remarks selectively quoted may or may not, have been taken out of context, but there are racists in Israel as there are in many countries including our own.
Reading the letter published in last WEEK’S Jewish Report, one gets the impression that the entire [Israeli] nation are racists. Nothing could be further from the truth and those intelligent members of this organisation know this full well but paint a vastly different picture for nefarious reasons.
Notwithstanding diverging views, JVJP tries to discredit those who are not fully supportive of their narrative and taint our entire community with a right-wing bigoted brush, where in fact thousands of local Jews who support Israel do not agree with that government’s policy and are highly critical of many things there. Are these people racists?
JVJP will never miss an opportunity to malign the Zionist enterprise with accusations of stealing Palestinian land.
Was the Alsace not stolen from France by Germany and then re-stolen by the French from Germany? Was half of Poland not stolen by the Russians? Was the creation of Lebanon, Syria and Jordan not stolen at the expense of other peoples?
One can quote any number of “stolen” land issues throughout history but we can’t turn the clock back and decisions made by well-meaning powers at the time were just that: well meaning – and history will prove that in the establishment of the Jewish state it was not only well-meaning but justified and legitimate.
In a JVJP handout recently some questions they pose together with their answers are most interesting:
A question: “Do you think that Jews need their own homeland, especially after the Holocaust”
Answer: “We acknowledge the tremendous fear resulting from being a minority, particularly one that has a long history of persecution. Democratic practice is the most sustainable defence of any Jewish community. Jews and the continuation of Jewish culture are best safeguarded by a democratic constitution and environment”
Yes, indeed, in a perfect world “Jewish culture would be best safeguarded by a democratic constitution and environment”. Please JVJP, direct us to that perfect world!
Another question: What is JVJP’s position on a one-state solution in Israel/Palestine?
Answer: JVJP holds no position on this. We are open to discussing the value of all nonviolent options for resolving the crisis.
Perhaps JVJP will give us their opinion on a two-state solution?
Alan Wolman
Rosebank, Johannesburg