Criticism of AIPAC, Israeli Policy not anti-semitism

It’s like watching the movie Groundhog Day when Bill Murray keeps waking up and reliving the same day over and over again.

You can almost set your clock to the accusations and barrage of claims of anti-Semitism when someone challenges AIPAC or Israel’s policy towards the Palestinians and the occupation of their land. Anti-Semite, Hamas, Islamic Radical, Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda, Iran and the Taliban.

And, of course, the ever-so-popular smears of assumed associations of terrorism by no less than ten degrees of separation in any direction is actually a very strategic approach to silencing the critics of Israel.

They create so much media noise and claims of anti-Semitism that the individuals or groups advocating for Palestinian rights have to answer questions like, “Do you condemn Hamas?” or “Do you think Israel has a right to exist?” instead of addressing the concerns of apartheid in occupied Palestine.

The Palestinian/Israeli conflict is probably one of the most spoken-about issues for the 1.5 billion plus Muslims and 15 million plus Jews around the globe. The recent election of two American Muslim congresswomen has amplified the voices of American Muslims that oppose Israeli policy as it relates to this conflict.

Now, the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) has taken the world stage as a tool for those fighting for Palestinian rights to pressure the state of Israel to end its illegal occupation of Palestine and allow Palestinians the right to return and selfdetermination. Again, like clockwork, accusations and a flood of claims of anti-Semitism, BDS is a tool to fight a government behavior not a religion.

Americans have every right to criticize any government including our own. AIPAC and Israel are no different and they are open to criticism just like any other political action committee or country.

Nezar Hamze

Sunrise