Noah Habeeb: Critics of Students for Justice in Palestine ignore crucial facts

Tufts University

Motto	Pax et Lux (Latin)
Motto in English	Peace and Light

Pax et Lux (Latin)

Peace and Light

[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

http://www.tuftsdaily.com/op-ed/op-ed-critics-of-sjp-ignore-crucial-facts-1.2862005?pagereq=1#.UzUzgSRRb7k

Op-Ed | Critics of SJP ignore crucial facts

By Noah Habeeb

Published: Thursday, March 27, 2014

   Just when you thought it was over, here’s a new opinion on Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW). I, too, came back from spring break expecting the discussion to have dissipated, only to find yet another criticism of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) in the op-ed section of the Daily. First, let me be clear that I am not a member of SJP. I find that their tactics during IAW are an example of activists preaching to the choir. The demonstrations and events only seem to resonate with those inclined toward their cause, while students who are uninformed or neutral tend to be put-off by IAW. Having said that, the many op-eds published in the Daily are evidence alone that IAW resulted in campus dialogue. To claim that SJP has inhibited such discussions is, in my view, inaccurate.

    Even more worrisome, however, is the persistent claim that the application of the term “apartheid” to Palestine is offensive to those who “really” endured apartheid, namely black South Africans. While not popular in American political discourse, the apartheid analogy is given more credence in other parts of the world. The portrayal of Israeli Apartheid as a fringe argument that is offensive to those who were victims of “actual apartheid” is a great inaccuracy. Certainly, there are some South Africans who might object to the comparison, but many prominent leaders and groups have expressed solidarity with Palestine.

    As noted in Haaretz two weeks ago, Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu said, “I have witnessed the systemic humiliation of Palestinian men, women and children by members of the Israeli security forces ... their humiliation is familiar to all black South Africans who were corralled and harassed and insulted and assaulted by the security forces of the apartheid government.”

    He’s not the only one. The African National Congress, the political party of Nelson Mandela and the current ruling party of South Africa, issued a press release titled “ANC in solidarity with the people of Palestine — supporting Israeli Apartheid Week.” It read in part, “The ANC is proud to join the over 75 South African organizations, trade unions, civil society groups, schools, universities, religious communities, NGOs and other formations in participating in this year’s 10th International Israeli Apartheid Week.”

    In addition... READ MORE