Critique isn’t anti-Semetic

Joseph Harari’s letter of May 23 (“Self-inflicted status”) has many fallacies. He says slander when he reads another writer’s repugnance of the Israeli military abuses of children. It is not slander. If Mr. Harari had seen the documentary “Imprisoning a Generation,” he would know it is true.

Calling these facts anti-Semitic is another way of shutting down dialogue we need. Americans are not told the truth and when somebody tells it, they are called anti-Semitic. The state of Israel perpetrates human rights abuses on Palestinian children and adults every day and yet our government supports it with billions of dollars. Criticizing the government of Israel is not criticizing Judaism or Jews. Supporting human rights for all citizens – Jewish and non-Jewish – is not anti-Semitic.

The letter further states that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. If democracy means equality of rights, Israel is not a democracy. Non-Jewish citizens of Israel are excluded from many services granted automatically to Jewish citizens.

Over 50 Israeli laws have been enacted discriminating against non-Jews, creating an apartheid system worse than that once seen in South Africa.

In 1948, Zionist Jews forced Palestinians from their homeland and have never given them the possibility of return, instead creating a military occupation which has continued to this day, despite international protest from all countries except for the U.S.

Linda Greene

Spokane