"Israel Ripe for Criticism"
As published in the Daily Record on December 13, 2002 , by Aref Assaf
www.dailyrecord.com
Dear Editor:
Regarding your editorial in today's issue of the Daily Record," Marketing of
Hate," I believe you are confused about the definition of anti-Semitism and
Anti-Israel.
I agree with you wholeheartedly that attacks, verbal or otherwise, on Jews must
be condemned and persecuted racist and hateful as anti-Jewish. I have witnessed
similar anti-Arab and anti-Muslim hate speech and have suffered its ugly face
even if camouflaged as free speech. But criticism of Israel and its policy
towards the Palestinians people, its illegal occupation of Arab lands, its
defiance of tens of UN Resolutions, the 4th Geneva Convention, all are
legitimate and morally correct criticisms. After all, we have given Israel over
$115 billions not only to build its army, wage war, build illegal settlements on
Arab lands, but to destroy Arab Palestine, expel millions of its rightful
owners. You must be truthful and say that Israel, just as other countries,
should not be immune from criticism. After all, why cannot we ask where our
money is going and how it is it being spent and above all what benefits have we
received in return?
Please do not confuse legitimate criticism of Israel's polices with
anti-Semitism. This would make you an agent of AIPAC that has used this tactics
to silence any questioning of Israel's foreign policy. AIPAC has masterfully
succeeded in blurring the distinction between criticism of Israel and attacks on
the Jewish people. They're not the same- just as criticizing America's foreign
policy is not to be construed anti-Americanism.
Aref Assaf
Denville, NJ
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