Ignorance contributes to legacy of persecution

Ignorance contributes to legacy of persecution

Abdallah’s viewpoint misrepresented Jews, their role in Middle
East

By Kelly Baxter

Provocative, ignorant rhetoric was found in Maryam Abdallah’s
viewpoint promoting a rally against oppression in Viewpoint last
Friday ("Oppression is alive and well at home, afar," Feb. 16).

The fabricated statement that Ethiopian blood disposed of in
Israel was blood gathered in Ethiopia for humanitarian reasons to
be shipped to Israel (as stated in Abdallah’s article) is a
misconstrued fact. There was no rejection of "black blood" based on
racial prejudice. Research showed Ethiopians are 43 times more
likely to carry the HIV virus than the rest of the Israeli
population (0.86 percent of Ethiopian immigrants carry the virus,
compared with 0.02 percent of other Israelis tested).

Furthermore, Prime Minister Shimon Peres stated, "I was very
surprised (upon learning of the destruction of Ethiopian blood
donations), and felt insulted just as you (Ethiopians) did. I want
to apologize for what has happened, in my own name and in the name
of the government," after learning of the problem. He also
announced that an investigation into the matter would be
initiated.

As for the matter that Zionism is racism, and that there is a
continuing presence of oppression in Israel, here are some thinking
points:

1) Israel has moved ahead aggressively to implement the peace
accords. This is rare in history; more common is the type of
stalling and prevarication by the Palestinians (not fulfilling
their promise to change the charter calling for the destruction of
Israel) and the Syrians – Egypt, Jordan, and the Palestinian
Liberation Organization can do it, why not Assad?

2) Since the signing of the Declaration of Principles on Sept.
13, 1995, many more Jews have been killed by Palestinians, than
Palestinians by Jews.

3) To discuss the "Occupation" is a retrospective … it is
rapidly coming to an end as Israel turns over authority and land to
the Palestinians. To discuss the past rather than the future is to
impede progress. The past should not be forgotten, rather it should
teach us how to move forward in a constructive manner. To discuss
the past without looking at the present and to the future, is to
distort the picture by decontextualizing the issue.

4) A challenge for Israel will be to normalize relations with
Arab Israelis and close the gaps that exist in society today. We
would not want to backslide and begin treating Palestinians in
Israel the way they are treated in Kuwait, Syria, Libya or Lebanon,
nor for that matter, the way Christians are treated in Egypt or
Sudan, or the way that Shiites are treated in some of the Gulf
States.

We should also remember that in her history, Israel assisted
with development in third world countries until Arab countries
forced them to terminate the programs and break off diplomatic
relations in 1967 and again in 1973. Today, in light of the peace
accords, Israel’s expertise is eagerly sought and gladly provided
throughout the developing world, including Muslim nations.

Finally, there were periods in history when Muslims treated Jews
quite well. In those periods, relations between the two – and
culture in general – flourished. When the billion-strong Muslim
world begins to demonstrate that it accepts Jews for what they are
and where they are, one can expect that relations will flourish
again.

As long as Jews are not welcome in Arab and Muslim countries,
and as long as they are discriminated against in legal terms,
subject to both humiliation and rejection (a condition in some but
not all of the Muslim world), Jews will find it hard to overcome
the historical legacy of persecution and affect a true
rapprochement. As long as that is the case, the path for
Palestinians in Israel will be that much longer and more
difficult.

Baxter is vice president and financial commissioner of the
Jewish Student Union. She is a fourth-year Jewish Studies
student.Comments to [email protected]