As a proud Jew, Zionist, and staunch supporter of the existence of the nation of Israel who is not afraid to voice his opinion, I meet a lot of opposition in this world. Sometimes people are reasonable and willing to talk about things calmly, but most of the time I am met with emotionally charged rhetoric, violent threats, anger, belligerence, and accusations based on hatred and misunderstanding. So here is my best attempt to set the record straight - why I believe in Israel's right to exist in peace and why I defend my position vehemently.
Israel exists so that the Jewish people of the world can have a homeland. There is no other nation in the world that Jews can call their home. Conversely, there are dozens of predominantly Christian, Muslim, Hindu, etc. countries in the world. Throughout the history of the Jewish people, and even before they "became" the Jews (as slaves in Egypt, for example), the Jews have been persecuted and killed. In every generation, in every era, there have been those who sought to destroy the Jewish people and eradicate them from being. This hatred of the Jews (which I refer to as anti-Semitism, for lack of a better term), is irrational, racist, and just as bad as any form of discrimination or prejudice that exists. Furthermore, it is persistent. It has persisted throughout history and continues to persist today.
The Holocaust happened only 60 years ago. This is a relatively recent event in world history - less than a century ago. The world sat back and did nothing while 6 million Jews, not to mention countless other minorities, were exterminated by the Nazis. And the world said "never again."
But the Jewish people have learned from the Holocaust that "never again" means we can never again wait for the world to intervene and come to our aid. Never again can we afford to allow anyone to discriminate against us for being Jews, because passivity breeds tolerance for intolerance, and this only leads to escalations of hatred. Never again will we march like lambs to the slaughter or wait for the hang-men to tighten the nooses around our necks.
And this is why Israel exists: to make sure that the Jews have a way to fight back when those who seek our destruction begin to emerge from the shadows. And since Israel is the metaphorical and material symbol for Jewish unity, strength, and the right to exist, it is also the target of the world's anti-Semites.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not claiming that all who criticize Israel or oppose Israeli policies are racist or anti-Semitic. In fact I think it's the responsibility of all Israeli citizens to scrutinize and criticize their government and its policies. But I am asserting that much of the anti-Israel and anti-Zionist rhetoric in the world, much of the hatred of Israel and its policies are nothing more than veiled anti-Semitism; the same anti-Semitism that has plagued the Jewish people for thousands of years.
To those whose hatred of Israel is motivated by anti-Semitism, I have nothing to say other than that we are here to stay, so you better get used to it. Israel and the Jewish people will never be eliminated, and we will never cease to fight for our God-given rights as human beings; the rights to live, be free, and find peace in the world. I pray that you find some peace in your hearts and realize that your hatred towards us reflects your hatred of your own self, and that you someday overcome this burden.
And to the rest of the world, who hate Israel for every other reason in the book: because of its military campaigns, because of its intolerance of terrorism, because of its refusal to let the death of its people go unnoticed, because of its values, beliefs, and unyielding resolve and commitment to its purpose at any cost, tell me this:
What would you do if you were Israel?
How can you reason with those who deny your right to exist?
How do you create a conversation of peace with those who would rather kill you than accept you?
How can you be diplomatic when every concession you make leads to greater bloodshed?
How would you deall with a world that would rather accuse you of being wrong than work for the common goal of lasting peace?
How can you reason with those who do not utilize the faculty of reason?
I tell you this, world: Israel cannot afford to wait for things to get worse. Israel cannot afford to maintain a status quo of living under constant attack and fear of destruction. Nor should it.
When one's basic rights to life are not being met, one must pursue a dialogue to attain those rights. And where that dialogue is ineffective or impossible, one must pursue legal means to attain those rights. And where the law is too limited, powerless to act, or ineffective itself, the use of force to stand up for one's rights is justified.
This is why I support Israel and will defend that great nation and all it stands for until the day I die. This is why I stand for what I stand for. And I will not kneel before anyone in this matter.
With prayers of peace in Israel and the entire world,
-Daniel Farb
Proud Jew, Zionist, and lover of Israel
(January, 2009)
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