I worked in Gaza and The West Bank as a Jewish Woman AMA

[Wflwer]

I worked with an education charity making the journey to Gaza once in 2019 and to The West Bank in 2018 and 2022.
I speak Hebrew and Arabic and we were groups of educators working in schools (group were about 5/6 teachers ranging from primary to secondary educators from Europe)

it is a mixed bag to say the least! Family wise I was not raised a Zionist and although I attended a Jewish School at my parents request I was removed from classes or events regarding Israel. I have attended protests with lots of my Jewish friends though and others within my community which is nice.

an Israeli group we worked with while in the West Bank have mixed views however a big acknowledgment amongst those that would like to speak out against the government discuss a fear of doing so especially after a university lecturer is looking at treason charges for doing so.

Why?

What is your definition of Zionism?

Really interesting thread, what kind of response do you get from Israelis when they hear about the work you do/your opinions?

Thanks for the thread. What drew you to this work?

I think it’s probably a misunderstanding to assume that Israelis don’t hold the same/similar views as OP

That is a horribly offensive slur and I am reporting it.

I have attended a number of protests in London (some with baby in tow) and fully believe in a ceasefire along with a lasting solution for Palestinians including the right to return and a demilitarised Israel.

And what about the Israeli hostages?

If Israel was demilitarised where does that leave terrorists like Hamas. Should they also not relinquish all weapons?

Where are all the Israelis meant to go if there is a right of return and from what date do you envisage that to be from?

It’s a Jewish Nationalist Movement for a Jewish homeland in what is defined as biblical or ancient Israel.

I have mentioned hostages previously and the fact that return of hostages are included in all ceasefire talks therefore asking for a ceasefire is also asking for the return of hostages - there are mutual.

the idea that Hamas and other groups have come from nothing is incredible, there is a reason Palestinians living in the diaspora are not an issue for Jewish people and pose no threat to Jewish people across the world. The occupation and humiliation of Palestinians living in Palestine is the reason these groups thrive. I see you mention Hamas but have not brought up extremist settlers who have killed civilians in the West Bank?

What do you mean where are they meant to go? Did white people have to leave South Africa when apartheid ended? No. The idea that Palestinians returning to the land they are from (including some who have been born there then ethnically cleansed) means everyone else has to leave in a colonisation mindset - shockingly people can return places and experience their connection to a place peacefully.

I work for an organisation that works to develop SEN provisions across the world however I work in a division that deals with countries with SEN students who have a low percentage in access to education and educational resources.

I was previously a teacher and left education to pursue better SEN access for students in the UK and fell into this!

Thank you for your thread OP. These issues are never easy to discuss.

Can you explain why you are anti Zionist? What alternatives would you espouse?

Thank you very much for the thread. I was aware that Palestinians had one of the highest level of literacy in the world. I understand why now.

It is a mixed bag. There is a huge victim mentality which is understandable when your ancestors have had atrocities committed against them purely for their religion, but there comes a point when you are no longer a victim and you need to be aware of your own actions.
you cannot group all Israelis in with the government though and it is an incredibly right wing government currently in power which is a mainstream government as well.

Where are all the Israelis meant to go if there is a right of return and from what date do you envisage that to be from?

That is not the Palestinian people’s problem.

Whether you think it's their problem or not is irrelevant. Where should they go?

Why are you anti Zionist? Serious question.

My grandmother was older when she had my dad and lived to a very good age so I grew up around her - a bold Eastern European woman to say the least! She talked about Zionism from the perspective of before the holocaust about it being a “fringe movement” like it was talked about but it was outside of the norm really and when she talked about it post holocaust she described it as just plain antisemitism from everywhere else.
That resonates with me today when I hear Joe Biden say Jewish people need Israel to be safe because America has the largest Jewish population in the world and they should not need to go somewhere else so they can be safe that is antisemitic. Zionism removed “the Jewish problem” from western nations and pushed Jewish people towards Israel for safety at the expense of people who had nothing to do with Nazi-ism or the holocaust.
My dad was raised like this and my mother wasn’t my mother was a staunch Zionist as were her parents who still currently reside in Israel and I have never met them - my mother listened to my grandmother and father and although slowly swayed her opinion. So my siblings and I were raised that way.

Thank you OP, that’s interesting.

Do you think a two state solution is possible or even desirable?

There is a huge victim mentality which is understandable when your ancestors have had atrocities committed against them purely for their religion, but there comes a point when you are no longer a victim and you need to be aware of your own actions.

This 'victimhood' you refer to is far less than it used to be as the older generation of Holocaust survivors and their children are dying out. Younger Jewish people do not have this 'sense of victimhood' in fact I know nobody of any age who has this.

However, antisemitism is all around us and, as you admit, you suffered it yourself. How do you suggest Jews in the diaspora cope with increasing Jew hatred? Far too many people are hiding their antisemitism behind antizionism. They do not know the difference.

I agree which is why I think we need to establish that criticism of Israel is not antisemitism so it cannot be hidden behind.
I believe addressing it through education and I think we see this in the younger generations who are taught very openly about religion in school I think education of Judaism should be about Judaism and it’s religious practices rather than the likes of the holocaust which should still be taught but I think there is a lack of education and resources about actual Judaism and the beliefs and different types of Jewish people (Ethiopian, Yemeni etc)

When I discuss victim hood I think it is lesser in younger Jews in the diaspora but not in Israel.

'Zionism removed “the Jewish problem” from western nations and pushed Jewish people towards Israel for safety at the expense of people who had nothing to do with Nazi-ism or the holocaust.' An incredibly narrow sighted view imho. Jews in the diaspora were fully assimilated during the 20th century in most places, albeit with some antisemitism e.g not allowed to join golf clubs in the UK or USA etc. Hence the immense shock to German Jews when Hitler rose to power.

How sad that you've never met your Israeli grandparents. Perhaps your views might alter somewhat if you had a relationship with them.

Honestly - possible no desirable yes.

before visiting I would have said it the other way around, after watching the way in which the IDF conducts itself on a regular day to day basis no war no conflict etc I don’t understand how people have an expectation that Palestinians should live side by side comfortably with people who behave that way with little to no remorse. Even just down to closing off roads for Arabs meaning they have to walk miles in another route or welding front doors shut in Hebron so that Palestinians can’t access that street.

i think Palestinians desire the solution now for freedom and to be rid of occupation and to live a comfortable and normal life but I think without huge international pressure it’s not going to happen.

I have spoken to them - they are disgusting people I would not want to be associated with based on the things they have said to me and about me including about my grandmother who is a holocaust survivor whilst neither of them nor their lineage were in the holocaust as they were British Jews (this includes telling my grandmother that she never should have had my father and uncle and that there was a reason her 3 young children were killed in the holocaust because she was not a true Jew) as well as their actions.