AIBU to worry about telling colleagues that I’m going to Israel?

[Doubtfulso]

I’ve got a close friends wedding in Israel in 2 months and I am a bridesmaid. She is Israeli and so of course having her wedding in her home country.

I need to book the time off work now, and I work in the kind of company where everyone asks where you’re going or where you’ve been when you book leave.

there’s a lot of anger and strong feelings against Israel at the moment, and I’m worried that colleagues will turn against me or start treating me different when they know that I’m going to Israel.

would I be unreasonable to lie and tell them I’m going somewhere else, or should I be honest?

If people bring up politics at work, I would decline to engage. If they persist, contact HR.

you likely are going to get a people concerned for your safety. I’m guessing you have done your due diligence on this and decided that this trip is acceptable. I would have some standard boiler plate ready. Something about watching government travel advisories.

Very telling that you keep avoiding the question

I’m sorry that you think I’m picking at your points. My view is that conflict comes about through misunderstanding and lack of information. I think it’s responsible to be as knowledgeable as you can be before discussing a complex and sensitive topic. Otherwise, what’s the point?

Would you have gone to a friend’s wedding in apartheid-era South Africa?

I was literally quoting from the judgment, verbatim. Which is why I put it in quotation marks.

That’s kind of the basis of Zionism though. So if you’re opposed to Zionism… what are you actually against?

Are people afraid to tell their colleagues when they go to Turkey (which has been genociding Kurds for years) or Morocco which is occupying Western Sahara? They are popular holiday destinations.

I don’t think it’s as controversial as you think. Most people can distinguish betwee a terrible government and the people who live there that may or may not support their government. I have travelled to a few countries with awful governments (and tried to avoid spending money that would go to those governments) and just got a few funny looks from colleagues and questions about why I would choose to go there. I wouldn’t judge you even though I don’t support the Israeli government at all and do believe they are carrying out genocide.

Definitely check if your travel insurance is valid if there is a foreign office warning.

You can't answer the question posed! Well let me help you out. Zionism is the right of the Jewish people to a state of their own where they can be free from rampant antisemitism in the diaspora. Judging by what has happened since 7 October last year that home is needed even more than it has been for a hundred years.

No, that is false. As is evidenced by the fact that you haven't provided a reference.

The poster said they'd judge someone for being a zionist.That's what zionism is.

One was deleted, although there is a poster currently adamant she's opposed to Zionism aka the existence of a Jewish state aka the state of Israel.

I agree with @RedHotWings. Not worth the risk of disclosing and no-one else's business.

Tbh if I was in your situation, I would probably say I was going to Cyprus, and then be very vague about any and all information I shared. You shouldn’t have to lie, but unfortunately there are many many many people with a one-sided viewpoint who believe only they are correct. Telling the truth could unfortunately lead to “cold shoulders”, different behaviours towards you etc etc. Very unprofessional but that’s what many people are like. If you are truthful, be prepared for this. I hope you are able to visit safely and have a wonderful time with your friend. Obviously keep checking the foreign office website!

I’m afraid I would be cautious about what you say.
You shouldn’t have to be but there are so many people who will make a negative judgement about this.
We spent a month in Israel prior to October 7th and I was so shocked and saddened by the negative reaction of people including close friends.
Not so close now.
( Guardian reading Scots if that makes a difference)
I realised then that antisemitism was more prevalent that I’d realised.
Heaven knows what their reaction would be now.

Apologies. You just seem so cross.

But of course nobody can force you to learn anything you don’t want to.

If Israel is to be treated as if it is already committing genocide, what political incentives are there to continue trying to minimise civilian deaths? Obviously the moral obligation will be unchanged, but I don’t think politicians anywhere are consistently motivated by morality over political advantage. Every time they warn people to leave areas before targeting the terrorist infrastructure underneath, provide vaccinations or allow Gazans into Israel for medical treatment, it’s evidence this isn’t a genocide. UNRWA provided the electricity for Hamas’s server room (!) and even they have been unable to find evidence of genocide for almost a year now. By pretending this is already a genocide, I’m concerned you’re making a real genocide more likely. Because I wouldn’t trust Netanyahu to do the right thing if he’s already paid the price, he may as well do the crime and actually kill all of the Palestinians. It would be awful and I desperately hope the people around him could prevent it, but the world’s conduct seems to be making it more likely.

Again, I don't need to learn anything. The fact that you see yourself as an authority to tell others what they need an education in speaks volumes about you.

And I'm not cross. Nice try.

Paragraph 135

i thought it enough to give a link to the judgment and had assumed - seemingly incorrectly - that you might be able to press control + find to access the verbatim quote.

But please, feel free to make up things and say I've fabricated an ICJ judgement .

OP - as previously observed, I would just say you're spending time with family. Discretion is the better part of valour

The Guardian is renowned for its antisemitic stance, thanks in the main to their editor.

It is a state which is guilty of genocide and war crimes, and it is not anti semitic to say that.

It’s an odd stance to oppose something that you explicitly admit you don’t want to learn about but each to their own I suppose.

What document?

Everybody can learn. I'm 76 years old and still learning. You should try it.