Today marks the first day of U of T’s most controversial annual event. Every year, Israeli Apartheid Week brings accusation, from all sides, of racism and hate-mongering. It can be a tense and divisive time on campus, and emotions run high.
But just because the subject matter is sensitive does not mean that students should shy away from engagement. Indeed, criticism of Israel will always be a deeply personal matter for many of those who support the Jewish state. Because Zionists believe that Israel is synonymous with the Jewish faith, any criticism of the nation is seen as a criticism of its people. Inevitably, the charge of anti-Semitism is raised, and advocates for Palestinians are quickly labelled “Israel-haters” or worse. Many are reluctant to speak against the nation lest they be labelled racist.
But criticism of Israel must not be silenced by spurious charges of anti- Semitism. We should not take for granted that Israel—especially as it exists today—is a natural manifestation of Jewish destiny, as many Zionists assert. Certainly, disparaging Israel’s policies is not the same as disparaging Jews as a whole, and calling Israel an apartheid state, while the fact is debatable, does not amount to anti-Semitism. In the academic environment of our university, students must be able to critically examine the Jewish state without having to defend themselves from charges motivated by hate.
By the same token, Students Against Israeli Apartheid, the organizers of this week’s events, must stick to the issue at hand. The issue is this: 4.4 million Palestinian refugees are suffering, and this suffering must end. The problems facing Palestinians must be examined honestly, and this includes discussing the ways that Palestinian leaders have failed their people. Hopefully, Israeli Apartheid Week will be a time to work towards ending their misery, rather than fomenting anger and frustration through useless polemics.
For this reason, the inclusion of Ward Churchill as one of the event’s keynote speakers must be seen as a troubling sign. Churchill, a former professor who is long on indignant outrage but short on academic credibility, continues his very public fight against his 2007 dismissal from the University of Colorado, Boulder for academic misconduct. He will no doubt draw attention away from the real issues, as Israel’s defenders likely find it all too easy to discredit this week’s events on the basis of his inclusion.
If Israeli Apartheid Week is to make a positive difference, it will be in opportunities for problem-solving, not just expressing anger at injustice. It is incontrovertible that the current situation, in which millions live in abject poverty, is untenable. Simply blaming Israel without working towards real solutions will not change this reality, any more than calling Israel’s critics haters will make the problems go away.
