"In response to letter to the editor by Edward Alexander, March 6"
Published in the "DAILY UW"
University of Washignton (Seattle, Washingotn)
March 13, 2009
On the Web at:
http://dailyuw.com/2009/3/13/free-speech-friday-mar-13-2009/
In his editorial “Israel Apartheid Week”, Edward Alexander dodges important questions about Palestine-Israel and the nature of Zionism, which is the ideological basis for the state of Israel.
Israel does not equate Jewish identity. Zionism is the belief that historic Palestine should become a homeland exclusively for Jews. There are many Jews who do not support Israeli apartheid. There are many Zionists who are not Jewish. Being a Zionist means supporting the demolition of Palestinian homes while families are still inside, keeping Palestinians imprisoned indefinitely without charge in Israeli jails and the construction of armed, gated, Jewish-only neighborhoods on stolen land.
Anti-Zionists call for an end to the state of Israel because it is defined by racial hierarchy. When anti-Zionists say that Israel must fall, we do not mean that Jews living in historic Palestine must be driven out. Rather, a new democratic government must be formed in all of historic Palestine in which every citizen, Jewish, Palestinian or other, has equal power.
The issue is intertwined with our struggles here, not only because our tax dollars support Israeli apartheid, but because we too are fighting for democracy and against white supremacy. The Demilitarize UW Coalition is demanding that UW divest from businesses that profit from Israeli apartheid.
We must take democratic control of our university to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Afrose Ahmed,
Demilitarize UW Coalition member
_______________________________
