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?

Agreed.

I know what Zionism is, thanks. Do you know what condescending is? Or how about occupation, do you know what that means?

You need to be realistic and whilst you have no obligation to tell them what you are doing with your time off perhaps tell your manager you are off to Israel but to the general office, if asked just say you are off to a wedding. Don't lie, you have nothing to be ashamed of, I think more questions will be raised about your safety than anything else.

My main concern for you, would be your personal safety and things are escalating quickly and its sad to say there is a potential that your return will be delayed etc. So forewarned is forearmed.

As to the drilling at immigration, I know you didn't raise this but its for your own good, they want to make sure that the right people get on the flight which is all for the protection of the people on the flight and in-country.

Go, enjoy and be safe.

Well I haven't.

What I do see and hear a lot online and in real life...is people criticising the Israeli government then adding on something anti semetic, like referencing the holocaust or insinuating that we control the world etc. Then when they're called out, become very irate and declare that all they did is criticise the Israeli government.

It’s slightly concerning how common the use of the word “genocide” has been here. There is not a genocide in Gaza. It is inappropriate to misuse words like that because it detracts from the horror of actual genocides. War is awful and I’m sure there is lots of suffering in Gaza. But war is not the same thing as genocide.

So do tell us then?

Yes I understand both those terms.
I find the blanket condemnation of Zionism both simplistic and racist. I wonder if you’re referring to the illegal Jewish settlements or just Israel in general when you talk about occupation?

Just don’t say Northern Cyprus!

Also a lot of allegations of “throwing around accusations of antisemitism”. Not just mentioning, not just pointing out but chucking them about like weapons. I wonder if any other group which raises an objection to bigotry or discrimination is spoken about in this way?

Israel has not been found to be committing genocide. Objectively that hasn't been established. It is concerning that people so comfortably make the assertion in the context of the grave harm it does to any eventually resolution.

I once heard someone say that to be a Zionist meant you must support the illegal settlements. So yes, someone's definition of Zionism, particularly if they're demonising it, is very important.

Face them down - you have nothing to be ashamed of. The level of anti-semitism and Jew hatred around at the moment is appalling.

If you are attacked or have negative comments, I’d see that as workplace bullying.

Have you somehow missed South Africa's case against Israel before the International Court of Justice in The Hague?

in case you've missed their excoriating judgment against Israel, here it is -

https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20231228-app-01-00-en.pdf

And by the way, the word 'genocide' appears 358 times in the judgment

Oh or the whole “the UN decreed in the 70s that Zionism is racism” thing, with never an attempt to look at why that happened or the serious consequences.
I don’t aim to be patronising but it does bother me a lot when people pretend complicated things are straightforward.

It's not really their business is it?

I've been Tehran, Damascus, Baghdad and Kabul in the last ten years. No one lynched me for it (yet). It's not like I joined Hamas, ISIS, the Taliban etc.

Regardless of your political opinions on Israel/Gaza you can travel to a country without supporting any of the acts committed either by terror groups residing in it or the Government that rules it. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool.

So where wouyyou go. A lot of countries are involved in problematic activities. Australia doesn’t have a great record on genocide and neither does Germany. And would you travel anywhere that shelters the murderous scum of Hamas?

No, I’m aware of that thank you. No need to provide links.
Has Israel been found guilty of genocide? Is it now facing international retribution for proven genocide? If the answers are no and no, then what you originally said was inaccurate.

This is the sort of action that is needed, from more countries. I fear that by the time anything is done/there is anl meaningful and effective, all Palestinian territories will have been destroyed. Far too many people have been killed and displaced already. I have to admit I don't keep up with the news as much because seeing what the Israeli government is getting away with, and the support they have, even if not a lot, is upsetting.

It is the genocide people don’t like. Rightly so

Pull the other one. It’s got bells on it.

Deff clear elements in genoc8dial ambitions in specific areas. To drive out or massacre the res8dent population. That is what has been agreed legally. Seriously, I would tell my colleagues to see which ones would voice anything to me. It's just laughable that you would be so self-righteous to take 9ffence to attend a wedding. And China's point is spot on. Absoulpuye hyppracy dangerously stupid. It is the mental weakness of the l9hic that is terrifying. Can people not disseminate between people and a tyrant?

Speak for yourself! I very much hope most human beings feel a certain type of way

What are you talking about? Saying things repeatedly doesn't make them true.

Go and support your friend. Don't let your horrible colleagues bully you into lying. Your friend is presumably more important than some randoms that you work with.

🙄