My letter to the Washington Post RE Shibley Telhami's EXCELLENT op-ed "How Israel’s Jewishness is overtaking its democracy"

Discrimination is treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing is perceived to belong to rather than on individual merit.

RE How Israel’s Jewishness is overtaking its democracy By Shibley Telhami
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/03/08/how-israels-jewishness-is-overtaking-its-democracy/?postshare=7211457441647491&tid=ss_tw

[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 (& America ...etc...)]

Dear Editor,

Kudos to Shibley Telhami for writing such a frankly honest, well researched, carefully thought out, sensible and compassionate op-ed "How Israel’s Jewishness is overtaking its democracy" ... and Kudos to the Washington Post for publishing it.

We are warned by Telhami that right now in Israel "79 percent of all Jews, including 69 percent of Hilonim (secular Jews) say that Jews deserve “preferential treatment” in Israel — so much for the notion of democracy with full equal rights for all citizens."

From afar, preferential treatment might sound and seem relatively harmless at first glance, but please look at the horrific ramifications and the very real plight and suffering of countless Palestinian men, women, and children as numerous "pro-Israel" pundits, politicians, religious leaders, propagandists, and apologists worldwide camouflage Israel's misguided quest to oppress and impoverish the native non-Jewish population of the Holy Land as a struggle for "Jewish" freedom and security. 

The ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict has been galvanizing bigotry, extremism, escalating violence and despair- making the entire region much less safe, much less secure, and much less free as Islamists follow Israel's myopic lead of scorning respect for universal human rights and the rule of fair and just laws. 
 
In 1946, horrified by the Nazi Holocaust, " world leaders decided to complement the UN Charter with a road map to guarantee the rights of every individual everywhere." This carefully thought out international Bill of Rights became The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.  Article 27 of the universal declaration wisely states with visionary hope that " Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits."

Communities and countries that value peace and progress value every child (regardless of supposed race or religion), investing emotionally, intellectually and financially in providing opportunities for all to flourish. Religion should be a personal private matter: Every individual has their own personal idea of what God is and/or isn't. We might employ prayers, rituals and traditions shared by others, but to be Jewish, or Muslim, or Christian, or Buddhist, or Hindu, or whatever is to be a unique individual with a unique life story still unfolding. 

A just and lasting peace and security for all people, regardless of their supposed race or religion, is in every one's best interest: Ending the Israel-Palestine conflict with a fully secular two state solution based on FULL respect for international law and universal human rights to free both Israel and Palestine from the chaos and cruelty of the current situation is the best way forward.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES
The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you