Standing Against Israel
I’m a bad Jew.
I don’t say this because I’m not observant. (Although I’m not.) I don’t say this because I haven’t been to services in years. (Although I haven’t.) I don’t say this because I don’t keep kosher. (Although I don’t.)
I’m a bad Jew because I dislike Israel. Indeed, I oppose the very fact of its existence.
Israel has been on my mind a lot this past week, first because of the flotilla raid near Gaza, but also because of a post at From the Rib?. Specifically:
I believe that Jews should be able to be Jewish without needing to be tied to Israel; Israel does need the support of the international Jewish community and cannot be abandoned, but a connection to Judaism should not only be based on a connection to Israel. While learning about Israel is one important way to establish a Jewish identity, why can’t there be other ways? What ever happened to cultural Judaism based on Jewish literature, plays, and heritage? What happened to having a unique Jewish culture? (Emphasis added)
Yes, being Jewish should not depend on one’s attitude toward or connection with Israel. But I disagree that Israel cannot (or should not) be abandoned.
I don’t know enough about the creation of Israel – or the current state of Israeli-Palestinian relations – to comment intelligently on who took land from who, or who provoked who, or when, or how, or why. Without a doubt, both sides have committed absolutely criminal acts of violence, and both sides have legitimate claims to land in the Middle East.
Hell. Yes.
My objection to Israel goes deeper: I reject the validity and wisdom of a religious state, period. I realize that Israel is a very Western, relatively democratic country, but I don’t really care. The Right of Return, no public transit on the Sabbath, and marriage laws are all examples where Israel has placed the Judaism over equal, non-religious, protection under the law.
And so I feel additionally alienated from the Jewish community (in addition to all the religious reasons I feel alienated…) because disliking Israel is not a popular position to take. The title of this post is an inversion of the very common Stand With Israel slogan, because Israeli support is often considered synonymous with Judaism and Jewish identity.
Of course, I realize reality is more complicated than ideology. My dislike of Israel won’t negate its existence, and doesn’t actually offer any constructive criticism on how Israel can proceed moving forward. Likewise, as much as I dislike Israel, I don’t particularly wish to see it drenched in bloodshed, either through guerrilla warfare conducted by Palestinians, a(nother) conventional war with Israel’s neighbors, or a nuclear war with Iran.
So what’s my sage advice? It’s not going to be popular, but I think Israel should get all the Jewish settlements the fuck out of the West Bank, relinquish its claims on the West Bank and Gaza, and call it a day. (I know, I know, easier said than done.) But Israel’s objections to doing so seem just as week as the US’s push to war with Iraq: It’s something they’ve already decided on (or, in this case, against) and won’t budge an inch.
And the violence continues.
Themocracy
As a fellow non jew jew I have to say that I whole hearty agree with what you said
I 100% agree with you and have always felt this way towards the creation of the state and the never ending violence. The recent attack near Gaza not helping to improve my opinion. But it is a very touchy subject. And I never feel comfortable voicing my opinion about it, I’m glad to know that we stand on the same side though.
As another Jew weighing in, I wouldn’t say I am “against” Israel per se, but I am *certainly* for secularization of Israeli government and complete Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza. And ideally, the normalization of relations between Israel and a stable, internationally-recognized state of Palestine. Not that I think that has much chance of happening in my lifetime, but…
the summarized (and very funnily-written) history of Israel & its impact on the ME. enjoy! (also, I agree with what you said. some fucked-up shit going down over there.)
http://bedlamsbard.livejournal.com/521478.html
Aaahahahahaah! That’s hilarious! Thanks for sharing.
This just came out of a conversation with a friend of mine, and I thought I’d share…
I love the drinking game idea.
But as a fellow Jew (ish), raised very religious and always taught to “stand strong for Israel” (remember those bracelets??), I agree with you. It’s not the country itself that bothers me, it’s the fact that it is made to hold a heirarchical structure of religion. Jews first, then other monotheistic religions that call it a holy land, and then finally, everyone else, and it seems that those “everyone else” and even most of the people who aren’t Jewish just DON’T MATTER! That sort of shit would never fly here, is the first thing that comes to mind, but then I have to check myself saying that I’m seeing this from a completely Western standpoint. But at the same time, get religion out of government, make everybody equal, and I think I’d have a bit more support.
I think you’re right, that it’s tricky to evaluate (or, to be blunt, judge) a culture with different values based on one’s own background. At the same time, I do think my Western values of personal/religious equality, individual freedom, and so on are (objectively) “better” when evaluated by the (admittedly subjective) ranking of “What system provides the most freedom and happiness to the most people?”
At some point, I’m willing to say that moral relativism goes too far, and that respecting the culture of someone else can get in the way of calling out racism/sexism/homophobia/etc.