Free Palestine

On May 21, two Israeli embassy employees, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, were murdered in Washington, D.C. by an assailant who shouted “Free Palestine.” He told police, “I did it for Gaza. I did it for Palestine.” On May 31, six pro-Israel Coloradans peacefully demonstrating to draw attention to the hostages held by Hamas were attacked with firebombs by an attacker who shouted, “Free Palestine.” In his statement to the FBI, he reportedly told them he wanted to “kill Zionists.” These violent attacks by two misguided individuals, one with a history of mental illness, are reprehensible and must be denounced by everyone, especially by the movement for Palestinian liberation. Killing these two young people and sending twelve elderly people to the hospital with burns, some severe and life-threatening, helps exactly zero Palestinians and risks setting back the Palestinian cause. It does nothing to stop the violence in Gaza. Instead, it unfortunately strengthens the erroneous public perception that the pro-Palestinian movement as a whole is violent, and that its proponents hate Jews and want to cause them harm. In fact, the evidence shows the exact opposite. The Palestinian solidarity movement is nonviolent and peaceful. Jews who oppose Israel are a deeply respected, integral part of the movement. They enjoy strong friendships and collaboration with their counterparts in the movement, and offer critical, visionary leadership. As expected, the Zionist establishment in this country – the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Jewish Federations, etc. – as well as mainstream media, have exploited these tragically misguided assaults. The Trump regime has capitalized on the violence to fuel their authoritarian crackdown on those who speak out in behalf of Palestine, threatening ramped-up arrests, detentions, and deportations.

As we have repeatedly stated, antisemitism is hatred of Jews merely because they are Jews. It is vile racism, and everyone should be vigilant to stamp it out, as with Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab bigotry, and all forms of racist prejudice and discrimination. We have reiterated that there is a fundamental misunderstanding at the root of the public conversation about antisemitism: the dangerous conflation of anti-Zionism with antisemitism. Antisemitism is real, but principled anti-Zionism and constructive criticism of the ethno-state of Israel has nothing to do with antisemitism. To pretend anti-Zionism or criticism of Israel is the same thing as hatred of Jews is false and irresponsible. These are two very different things. A growing number of Americans, including many Jews, are furious about 600+ days of Israel’s mass murder, apocalyptic destruction, and the deliberate starvation of children in Gaza. Anti-Zionist Jews are adamant: “Not in Our Name!” Our joint movement calls for permanent ceasefire, massive and unimpeded humanitarian aid, release of all captives on both sides, an end to U.S. military aid to Israel, the reconstruction of Gaza, and a viable plan for a shared future for Israeli Jews and Palestinians. We denounce political Zionism - the 19th c. supremacist, ethno-nationalist movement at the root of this appalling violence. We call for boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel. None of that has anything to do with hating Jewish individuals because of their personal identity as Jews. Rather it is directed at trying to stop the horrific suffering Israel is inflicting on Palestinians in Gaza.

A word about the phrase “Free Palestine” itself. It is a chant that is often heard at anti-genocide rallies. It is malicious to smear the whole Palestinian solidarity movement with the tragic violence of two attacks, such that anyone who utters these words is deemed to be “antisemitic,” and presumed to hate Jews and want to cause them harm. The chant certainly does not mean that. To suggest that it does, Is empirically false. The phrase expresses the yearning of the long-oppressed Palestinian people for freedom from apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and genocide. The phrase “Free Palestine” also excites the imagination to envision a time to come in the future when Palestine will be free, when Palestinians will live in security, dignity, and peace. Inshallah, as we say…”God willing.” The phrase “Free Palestine” will continue to be used as long as Palestine is not free!