| JEWS AGAINST ISRAELI TERRORISM
This book does not oppose and criticize Judaism or Jews, but rather the
racist Zionist ideology and its defenders. All the tragedy that has happened
- and continues to happen - in Palestine is traceable to the application
of the Zionist ideology by its leaders. It is Zionism that causes the
Israeli army to fire rockets on children playing in schoolyards; sprays
bullets on women harvesting their gardens' crops; and makes torture, violence,
and skirmishes daily parts of Palestinian life.
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Author Israel Shahak approaches Jewish history from a different
point of view in his classic work Jewish History, Jewish Religion,
and the Weight of Three Thousand Years.
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Throughout the world today, quite a few intellectuals, politicians, and
historians oppose Zionism. Various Christian and Jewish thinkers and authors
condemn it and the Israeli governments' Zionist policies, as do various
academics in Israeli universities such as the late Israel Shahak or Benjamin
Beit-Hallahmi, who criticize Israeli violence directed against Palestinians
and who maintain that peace can be acheived only when Israel forsakes
its Zionist ideology. Noam Chomsky, himself a Jew, has written many books
and articles that are highly critical of Zionism and the policies of those
countries that support it.
A group of Jewish academics, the self-proclaimed "new
historians," has been exposing the "sacred lies" embedded in official
Israeli policy, and the truths associated with them, since the early 1980s.
Its members, namely, Benny Morris, Ilan Pappe, Avi Shlaim, Tom Segev,
Baruch Kimmerling, Simha Flappan, and Joel Miqdal, are provoking strong
reactions from Jews with Zionist leanings. They deal with the following
"sacred lies": Arabs are racially inferior to Jews, Israel is a small
country trying to survive in a region surrounded by enemies, all Palestinians
are terrorists who want to destroy Israel, and these crazy terrorists
deserve every kind of retaliation. Tom Segev, for example, one of the
most prominent of these "new historians," has this to say of Israel's
"official" history: "Until very recently, we did not have real history
in this country; we had mythology."2 This just criticism,
once offered only by Muslim academics and scholars, is now being expressed
more loudly by many Jewish and Christian academics who are attempting
to evaluate history in an unbiased manner.
These people, having witnessed the horrors of the Zionist ideology, see
it as yet another of the colonialist ideologies founded in nineteenth-century
racism. They give no credence to the myth that Israel is "a small and
lonely country, surrounded by enemies who want to destroy it." To the
contrary: Israel, through its actions, has proven to be a violent country
that follows a policy of oppression and aggression.
Gideon Levy, a writer for Israel's Ha'aretz newspaper, defends the decipherement
of the "sacred lies" in his review of Professor Benny Morris' book Correcting
a Mistake: Jews and Arabs in Palestine/Israel, 1936-1956. After reading
the details of the Zionist terror described in the book, and substantiated
through eyewitness testimony and secret recordings, Levy wrote:
A majority of Israeli children begin learning
Zionist ideology at a very young age. The ideology's racist interpretations
have a very negative effect upon them. |
Oh, we were so good (and did so many bad
things). We were so right (and caused so many injustices). We were so
beautiful (and our actions resulted in so much ugliness). And oh, we were
so innocent and spread so many lies - lies and half-truths that we told
ourselves and the rest of the world. We, who were born afterward, weren't
told the whole truth; they only taught us the good parts, of which there
were many. But, after all, there were also dark chapters which we heard
nothing about.3
Israel Shahak, a Polish-born Jewish chemistry professor
who spent 40 years in Israel and passed away in 2001, criticizes Israel's
Zionist anti-human rights policies. In his book Jewish History, Jewish
Religion, and the Weight of Three Thousand Years, Shahak describes the
extent to which Zionism constitutes a threat to humanity:
In my view, Israel as a Jewish state constitutes a danger not only to
itself and its inhabitants, but to all Jews and to all other peoples and
states in the Middle East and beyond.4
Ilan Pappe, who says of himself "I am the most hated
Israeli in Israel," is a famous Jewish academic who shares the views of
the new historians. When asked in an interview why Israelis fail to notice
the cruelty done to Palestinians, the answer he gives is quite thought-provoking:
It is the fruits of a very long process of indoctrination starting in
the kindergarten, accompanying all Jewish boys and girls throughout their
life. You don't uproot easily such an attitude which was planted there
by a very powerful indoctrination machine, giving a racist perception
of the other, who is described as primitive, almost non-existing, hostile
-- he is hostile, but the explanation given is that
he was born primitive, Islamic, anti-Semite, not that someone has taken
his land.5
But these thinkers, strategists, and writers have more in common than
just their opposition to Zionism. The most important common denominator
between them is that each has been accused of anti-Semitism. Anyone who
has used historical facts and documents about events occuring in Palestine
and then written an article or book criticizing Zionism has been accused
of being anti-Semitic. The latest example is the British television channel
BBC. The crew members who were preparing a documentary about the 1982
massacres in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps, as well as the station
directors who broadcast it, were accused of anti-Semitism by the Israeli
government.
This, actually, is a technique used by Zionists and pro-Zionists for
slandering and neutralizing those who criticize Zionism. Zionists have
even devised a term to slander such Jews: "self-hating Jew." This term
also is used to describe Jews who criticize Israel, aiming to present
them as traitors suffering from some psychological dilemma. Zionists who
make such claims, no doubt, seek to sabotage the work of their opponents.
In fact, such race-based accusations, especially when leveled at Muslims,
are groundless and illogical, for no Muslim, due to his or her beliefs,
can defend any racist thought or viewpoint. Indeed, this is borne out
by history. The Islamic world has never seen anything like the medieval
European practices of the Inquisition, which grew out of religious fanaticism,
and the more recent outbreaks of anti-Semitism (born of racist beliefs)
in the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and Nazi Germany. The clash between
Jews and Muslims in the Middle East, which continues until this day, is
the result of some Jews' adherence to Zionism's racist and anti-religious
ideology, not of the actions of Muslims.
Israeli Soldiers Refusing To Serve in Occupied Territory
Following the 1967 war, Yeshayahu Leibowitz, one of Israel's
leading intellectuals, warned that Israel must withdraw from the Occupied
Territories in order to stop the bloodshed. He wrote that the only way
to avert destruction from the Israelis might be for 500 soldiers stationed
in the Occupied Territories to have the courage to say "we don't want
to serve here" and to withdraw.6
In the days when the al-Aqsa Intifada (starting from September 2000)
and the Israeli retaliation were growing more and more violent, a group
of Israeli soldiers acted upon his proposal. In mid-January 2002, approximately
25 soldiers signed an open letter to the Israeli press reporting that
they were refusing to serve in the Occupied Territories. This refusal
was not without precedent, for during the 1982 invasion of Lebanon, a
smaller group of soldiers had refused to serve in the Israeli army, saying
that they did not want to be part of the genocide being perpetrated against
Lebanese civilians. The actions of these soldiers, later called Yesh Gvul
(There is a Limit), culminated with their imprisonment. Those soldiers
who made their public statement in January 2002 did not face any punitive
sanctions yet, and as of February 2002, their numbers had reached 250.
Moreover, this time they received a great deal of support from peace groups,
non-governmental organizations, religious leaders, and ordinary Israelis
and Palestinians.
In their statement, the soldiers contend that the Israeli army has acted
brutally and mercilessly toward the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories,
that what is happening there violates human dignity, and that, furthermore,
it has nothing to do with defending Israel. They continue: "We shall not
continue to fight beyond the 1967 borders in order to dominate, expel,
starve, and humiliate an entire people." In his statement to an Israeli
newspaper, a signatory named Shuki Sadeh explains how he witnessed Israeli
soldiers open fire on Palestinian children. He explains how he felt at
the time: "What angered me at the time was that our soldiers said: 'Well,
that's another Arab who has disappeared.' "
Ariel Shatil, an artillery master sergeant recalled that while it is
claimed that the Palestinians shoot first and Israelis just respond, in
reality, "We would start shooting and they would fire back." In a brochure
that they prepared to warn their colleagues who continued to serve in
the region, the soldiers stated:
When you take part in extrajudicial killings ("liquidation,"
in the army's terms), when you take part in demolishing residential homes,
when you open fire at unarmed civilian population or residential homes,
when you uproot orchards, when you interdict food supplies or medical
treatment, you are taking part in actions defined in international conventions
(such as the 4th Geneva Convention) and in Israeli law as war crimes.7
A soldier named Asaf Oron, who took a long time to decide not to serve,
reports that he witnessed extremely brutal practices while serving in
the region. He explains what he experienced and what he sees as the solution:
Already on the bus ride to the Gaza strip, the soldiers were competing
with each other: whose "heroic" tales of murderous beatings during the
Intifada were better (in case you missed this point: the beatings were
literally murderous: beating to death)...
As time went by, as the level of insanity, hatred,
and incitement kept rising, as the generals were turning the Israeli Defense
Forces into a terror organization... And then I discovered that I was
not alone … we all believe in God... We believe
that there is no room for the tribal code, that the tribal code simply
camouflages idolatry, an idolatry of a type we should not cooperate with.
Those who let such a form of idol worship take over will end up as burnt
offerings themselves.8
An Excerpt from the Soldiers' Open Letter
We, combat officers and soldiers who have served the State of Israel
for long weeks every year, in spite of the dear cost to our personal lives,
have been on reserve duty all over the Occupied Territories, and were
issued commands and directives that had nothing to do with the security
of our country, and that had the sole purpose of perpetuating our control
over the Palestinian people. We, whose eyes have seen the bloody toll
this Occupation exacts from both sides.
We, who sensed how the commands issued to us in the Territories, destroy
all the values we had absorbed while growing up in this country.
We, who understand now that the price of Occupation is the loss of IDF's
human character and the corruption of the entire Israeli society.
We, who know that the Territories are not Israel, and that all settlements
are bound to be evacuated in the end.
We hereby declare that we shall not continue to fight this War of the
Settlements.
We shall not continue to fight beyond the 1967 borders in order to dominate,
expel, starve and humiliate an entire people.
We hereby declare that we shall continue serving in the Israel Defense
Forces in any mission that serves Israel's defense.
The missions of occupation and oppression do not serve this purpose -
and we shall take no part in them.
Britain's Chief Rabbi Jonathan
Sacks' Views on Israel
One very strong criticism from within the Jewish community
against Israeli policies has come from Prof. Jonathan Sacks, Britain's
Chief Rabbi. In aninterview, published in The Guardian on August
27, 2002, Sacks sternly criticized Israel, arguing that the country
was adopting a stance "incompatible" with the deepest ideals of
Judaism, and that the current conflict with the Palestinians was
"corrupting" Israeli society.
Sacks, who became the chief rabbi of
Britain's Orthodox Jews in 1991, and who has been the leader of
a Jewish community of 280,000 in the country, is known as a loyal
supporter of Israel and a veteran who has worked for the establishment
of peace in the region. "I regard the current situation as nothing
less than tragic. It is forcing Israel into postures that are incompatible
in the long run with our deepest ideals" said Sacks. He added that
"there are things that happen on a daily basis which make me feel
very uncomfortable as a Jew." He went on to say that he was "profoundly
shocked" at the reports of Israeli soldiers smiling while posing
for photographs with the corpses of slain Palestinians.a
The chief Rabbi's denouncement of Israeli savagery
in the name of Judaism reminds us an important fact: It is not permitted
for either a true Muslim or a true Jew to shed innocent blood. All
divine religions forbid violence, war, and unjust murder, and command
peace and the helping to those in need.
Jonathan Sacks also noted that Israelis,
who have lived centuries in dispersion, should very well understand
the plight of Palestinians:
You cannot ignore a command that is repeated 36 times
in the Mosaic books: 'You were exiled in order to know what it feels
like to be an exile.' I regard that as one of the core projects
of a state that is true to Judaic principle. b
In the same interview, Sacks also answered
the questions about a secret meeting he held in 2000 with Abdullah
Javadi-Amoli, one of the highest-ranking clerics of Iran, during
a conference of religious leaders, and noted, interestingly:
We established within minutes a common language, because
we take certain things very seriously: we take faith seriously,
we take texts seriously. It's a particular language that believers
share. c
The chief rabbi Sacks' words are an example of the
peaceful dialogue that must be established between Muslims and Jews
(and, of course, Christians). All three faiths have enjoined justice,
honesty, the rescue of the oppressed, and peace and love. The adherents
of all the three faiths believe in God, love the same prophets;
there should be no hostility between them.
a Jonathan Freedland, "Israel Set On
Tragic Path, Says Chief Rabbi", The Guardian, August27, 2002 
b Jonathan Freedland, "Israel Set On Tragic Path,
Says Chief Rabbi", The Guardian, August27, 2002
c Jonathan Freedland, "Israel Set On Tragic Path,
Says Chief Rabbi", The Guardian, August27, 2002 |
(Top) RADIKAL-Turkish Daily, 18.2.02
PEACE REVOLT IN THE ARMY
The revolt among Israeli soldiers refusing to go to the Occupied
Territories is growing. The country's best-known military family
has joined the ranks of those saying, "The occupation is debasing
us."
The refusal of some Israeli soldiers to serve in the Occupied Territories
resonated in the Western media. Many newspapers and magazines reported
upon their protest. While The Nation approached this issue under
the headline "An Antiwar Movement Grows in Israel," the Houston
Chronicle used one of the soldiers' own words to lead its piece:
"Israeli soldier: My moral objection to occupation." On the web
site that the soldiers have started to bring their voices to the
world, they encourage sincere Jews to avoid violence and animosity,
because these have been forbidden by God. (http://www.seruv.org.il/YahadutEng.asp) |
The Islamic View of the Jews
Every Muslim feels a natural and legitimate response to the Zionist practice
of terror upon Palestinians. However, it is necessary here, as in all
matters, to stand for justice and act without prejudice. Every Muslim
is obligated to prevent the cruel or unjust treatment of innocent Jews,
even as he or she opposes Zionist Jews.
Anti-Semitism, like all forms of racism, is contrary to the morals of
Islam. Muslims should oppose every type of genocide, torture, and cruelty,
and do not discriminate on the basis of religion, race, or ethnicity.
Muslims should not approve of the slightest unjust attack against Jews,
nor against any other race, but rather condemn it. The Qur'an condemns
those who sow discord, treat others cruelly, and murder innocent people.
Thus, legitimate opposition to Zionism must never take the form of blanket
enmity toward Jews.
As we read in the Qur'an, God considers it
a thing of beauty that humanity is composed of many peoples. However,
such racist ideologies as Zionism prevent people of different races,
languages, and religions from living together in peace. |
At the same time, other examples of racism (i.e., toward black Africans)
are also deviations resulting from superstition and various ideologies
outside the divinely revealed religions. Such deviations defend varieties
of thought and social models that contrast starkly with the morals of
the Qur'an. At the root of anti-Semitism are feelings of hatred, violence,
and mercilessness. The Qur'an, on the other hand, teaches humility, love
of others, compassion, and mercy. It commands Muslims to be just, and,
if necessary, forgiving, even to their enemies: "O you who believe! Show
integrity for the sake of God, bearing witness with justice. Do not let
hatred for a people incite you into not being just. Be just. That is closer
to faith. Heed God (alone). God is aware of what you do." (Qur'an, 5:
8) Moreover, "if someone kills another person -
unless it is in retaliation for someone else or for causing corruption
in the earth - it is as if he had murdered all mankind" (Qur'an, 5:32).
For this reason, the murder of even one innocent person is a crime that
cannot be understated.
The reason for different races and peoples on Earth is not to cause strife
or war, but rather to display variety, which is the beauty of God's creation
and a cultural bounty. People's physical differences are of no importance
to God, and all Muslims know very well that the only superiority is that
of godliness. God states this truth in the following verse:
Mankind! We created you from a male and female,
and made you into peoples and tribes so that you might come to know each
other. The noblest among you in God's sight is the one of you who best
performs his duty. God is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (Qur'an, 49:13)
Just as the Qur'an does not distinguish among races and ethnicities,
people of different faiths are encouraged to live in peace and harmony
within the same community. Another basic Qur'anic teaching is that people
should not be sentenced as a group because they belong to a certain race,
people, or religion. There are good and bad people within each community;this
is a fact which the Qur'an points out. For example, after explaining that
part of the People of the Book is rebellious toward God and religion,
God mentions the following exception in the Qur'an:
They are not all the same. There is a community
among the People of the Book who are upright. They recite God's Signs
throughout the night, and they prostrate. They believe in God and the
Last Day, enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and compete in doing
good. They are among the righteous. You will not be denied the reward
for any good thing you do. God is aware of the heedful. (Qur'an, 3:113-115)
As a result, given that Muslims fear God and consider the criteria of
the Qur'an, they cannot harbor hostility toward the Jews on religious
grounds. For this reason, our examination of the clash between the Israelis
and the Palestinians is undertaken with this point in mind. It is not
directed against Jews and Judaism, but against the Zionist ideology that
has steered some of their leaders to form and maintain a racist, violent
government. |
