[Peace-discuss] Letter in DI, and Armenian Genocide

[David Green]

Below is my letter in today's DI, as well as the
article I'm responding to from last Friday. I would
also like to note that both yesterday's and today's
issues contained letters from Turkish students denying
the Armenian genocide, in response to a news story
last week on the observance of the 90th anniversary of
that genocide. It will be interesting, of course, to
see the response of the Jewish leadership to these
denials--no less reprehsnsible than denial of the
holocuast. But both the U.S. and Israeli governments
have supported the Turkish government's denial for
years, and one expects Jewish leadership to fall in
line, albeit with silent consent.

The Daily Illini - Opinions 
Issue: 5/3/05  

Letter: Language of force

In December 1948, seven months after Israel's
independence, the Jewish philosopher Hannah Arendt
wrote that "there is the imminent danger, through
their need and willingness to accept any power in the
Mediterranean basin which might assure their
existence, Jewish interests will clash with those of
all other Mediterranean peoples; so that, instead of
one 'tragic conflict' we shall face as many insoluble
conflicts as there are Mediterranean nations." 

Arendt was prescient in that Israel's "freedom" is now
wholly dependent on military and economic support from
the U.S., and is inevitably tied to American
interests, primary of which is control of oil. Our
nation's support for Israel's territorial ambitions
both enforce Palestinian dispossession and promote
cynical Israeli alliances with authoritarian regimes
that serve U.S. hegemony in the region: Iran under the
Shah, Turkey in its oppression of the Kurds, Egypt and
Saudi Arabia.

Subsequent to Israel's 1967 conquest of greater
Palestine, the Jewish critic and historian Isaac
Deutscher lamented that "the 'miracle' of Israel's
victory have solved none of the problems that confront
Israel and the Arab states. They have (instead)
aggravated all the old issues and created new, more
dangerous ones. They have not increased Israel's
security, but have rendered it more vulnerable. This
'six day wonder' will be seen one day to have been a
disaster in the first instance for Israel itself."

Deutscher had well-founded concerns about Jewish
nationalism that is the root of occupation, religious
fanaticism, relentless settlement and dispossession,
and the denial of Palestinian human rights. Deutscher
concluded that "the 'friends' of Israel (during the
1967 war) have abetted Israel in a ruinous course."
Thus the ambiguous nature of Israel's freedom has been
determined by its leaders' historical willingness to
ensure that freedom not with the promotion of justice,
but with the language of force.

David Green

University employee 
 
The Daily Illini - Opinions 
Issue: 4/29/05 
 

Letter: Celebrating freedom
By David Johnson 

Next Wednesday, hundreds will gather on the Quad to
celebrate Israel's Independence Day, known in Hebrew
as Yom Ha'atzmaut. But why? What's special about the
founding of Israel? Why aren't there huge picnic
parties on the Quad celebrating say, Mongolia or
Ghana? 

To be sure, many of the people celebrating Yom
Ha'atzmaut are Jewish, a large constituency here at
the University. Israel is, both in the Hebrew meaning
of its name and the function of its existence, a
homeland for Jewish people. It was born primarily of
worldwide anti-Semitism, which peaked in the Nazi
Holocaust that took place just a few years before
Israel's founding. Thus, Israel represents a safe
haven, a life preserver to any Jews who face
discrimination. This has led to the fact that relative
to the size of its population, Israel is the greatest
immigrant-absorbing nation in the world.

Thus, Israel is a critical symbol of hope for Jews
around the world. But American Jews have it great.
Jews face little to no discrimination in the United
States. So why the attachment to Israel? Why take a
whole day for a public celebration?

The biggest reason is simple: solidarity. Perhaps we
have family members who survived thanks to Israel.
Perhaps we've spent time in Israel and realize our
important connection to the land and people. Maybe we
enjoy the culture. Or perhaps, we're simply aware of
our good fortune and understanding of the hardships of
the others; a few minor flips in the course of history
could have landed us in Israel, fighting for our
lives. American Jews live in sheltered comfort, while
Israeli Jews must serve in the military to protect
their country from the perpetual onslaught of violence
it has faced since its birth.

But Israel isn't just about Jews or anti-Semitism. It
is a symbol of freedom and ingenuity. Israel has a 20
percent minority, composed of Muslims, Christians,
Baha'i, and Druze. And all citizens are equal before a
court of law and have full democratic representation,
meaning Israel is a multi-ethnic democracy that should
serve as a model to the rest of the Middle East. 

The creativity and productivity of Israel have
enriched all of our lives, Jewish or not. If you use a
Motorola cell phone, chances are the chips were
designed in Israel. If you use a computer with an
Intel Centrino processor, MMX technology, or Windows
NT, you're using Israeli products. An Israeli
high-tech startup company made ICQ, the technology
behind AOL Instant Messenger. Speaking of high-tech,
Israel has the most companies listed on the tech-heavy
NASDAQ exchange after the United States and Canada,
and has the largest total number of high-tech startups
after only the United States. And the medical and
biotechnology advances from Israel are too numerous to
list. Pretty impressive for a country that by most
measures is smaller than the Chicago area.

This incredible productivity has propelled a war-torn
Middle Eastern nation with few natural resources to a
per capita product nearly equal to the United
Kingdom's. This should garner pride and respect from
anyone. Ultimately, these things paint a picture of
the important bond between the United States and
Israel. Both are nations that prosper from
immigration. Both value creativity. And most
importantly, both value ideals such as freedom and
equality. So come to the Quad Wednesday and celebrate.
No politics, just music, food, and fun.

Of course, it is hard to speak of Israeli history
without talking about the Palestinian people.
Palestinians have suffered for over 50 years; first,
living in land controlled by Egypt and Jordan and
secondly, left in limbo after the 1967 Arab-Israeli
war. More recently, Palestinians have suffered as
Israel has tried to take steps to protect its own
population from terrorism. But there's reason for
hope. This year, Palestinians held their first
democratic election. The connection between peace,
prosperity and democratic freedom mean we're at a
turning point. Freedom and peace would benefit
everyone in the region, so it is everyone's hope. This
bright future summarizes Israel; on Wednesday,
Altgeld's bells will play Israel's national anthem,
Ha'Tikvah: "The Hope."