The situation in Palestine/Israel, while it has many elements in common with other conflicts, is also different from most in that the powerful group can easily see itself as the victim, as Jews have been for so much of our history. Progress toward reconciliation has been consistently stalled by rhetoric and name-calling. As Jews working for a future where Palestinians and Israeli Jews live together, in mutual respect, peace and security, as well against the effects of institutionalized bigotry of all kinds, it is high time that we took the fight against anti-Semitism from those who use it to legitimate policies and actions that oppress others and use it to stifle legitimate debate over issues that touch millions of lives. We do this by confronting anti-Semitism where it really exists, whatever the source, and by confronting with equal vigor those, whether Jewish or not, who would dishonor the millions of people and centuries of persecution of Jews by cynically manipulating this issue for their own ends to defend policies which are antithetical to the justice and universal equality that is necessary for Jews and all other historical victims of oppression to exist in peace and security.

Mitchell Plitnick
Newsletter Editor
A Jewish Voice for Peace: http://www.JewishVoiceforPeace.org

Please also see:
Alfred M. Lilienthal Addresses Charges of Rising Anti-Semitism
2002-10-31 | WASHINGTON, D.C.
http://www.unobserver.com/index.php?pagina=layout5.php&id=476&blz=1
or under the title “Charges of Anti-Semitism” in our International Law section.

Please also visit the website of Gush Shalom:
http://www.gush-shalom.org/english

Please contiue for News of the activities of A Jewish Voice for Peace and Sunday’s Anti-War Demonstrations.