Letter to the Editor: Response to the AIPAC Editorial
We believe that the Exonian’s recent editorial coverage of U.S. policy regarding Israel and Palestine lacks historical context and unintentionally invokes anti-Semitic tropes.
We support The Exonian’s right to free speech, students’ interest in discussing U.S. foreign policy and questioning the role of lobbyists in American politics. With an issue as complex as Israeli, Palestinian and U.S. relations, however, avoiding oversimplification and stereotypical language on all sides is vital to a productive conversation.
Sweeping generalizations about Jews and Zionists (supporters of a Jewish homeland) can be painful because they invoke ancient anti-Semitic tropes. Widespread conspiracy theories about a Jewish plan for world domination caused state-sponsored violence such as pogroms in Eastern Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These theories were also partially responsible for the Holocaust, considering the Nazis gained support by claiming that the Jewish shadow government infiltrated the German Weimar Republic. Unfortunately, these anti-Semitic fictions still have an audience today. As a result, hate crimes against Jews are on the rise.
According to the FBI, in 2017, over 50 percent of religious-based hate crimes were against Jews. The recent attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018 is a painful reminder of how these conspiracy theories still thrive. We are concerned that sometimes anti-Semitic language unintentionally seeps into criticism of Israel, highlighting the need for nuance and accuracy.
Multiple perspectives on Israel exist within the American Jewish community. According to an American Jewish Committee (AJC) 2018 poll, 34 percent of American Jews support President Donald Trump’s policy towards Israel, while many others don’t.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) does generally support Israel’s policies regarding Palestinians. On the other hand, there are several predominantly Jewish organizations which offer alternative solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For example, the advocacy group JStreet supports a two-state solution and restoring US aid to Palestine. Another predominantly Jewish organization, IfNotNow, works to end Israel’s occupation of Palestine. It is inaccurate to suggest that AIPAC represents all Jews or all Zionists. It is also erroneous to suggest that one group has sole control over US foreign policy, which has been shaped by a variety of historical factors and political considerations.
We, the undersigned, promote efforts to avoid perpetuating stereotypes of all kinds on campus by avoiding generalizations and oversimplification. History teaches us that a fair assessment of all factors is the only way to come closer to the truth and civility.
Eve Southworth, History Department
Aykut Kilinc, PhD., History Department
Rabbi Jennifer Marx Asch, Instructor, Religion Department and Adviser, Exeter Jewish Community