A conference advocating the demise of Israel through the return of Palestinian refugees may take place in Tel Aviv at the end of September. An equivalent conference about Jewish refugees could never happen in Baghdad, reflects Lyn Julius in The Times of Israel.
From the Eretz Israel Museum the conference may still be moved to another, albeit less symbolic venue. If the event takes place, the organisers reap the publicity.
If it is cancelled, the organisers will have pulled off a stunt to draw attention to their cause and make Israel look bad. They will milk an outright cancellation for all its worth as an assault on freedom of speech unworthy of a democracy.
It’s a win-win situation. If the speakers coming from abroad are deemed personae non gratae and banned from entering the country at Ben Gurion airport, Zochrot will relish the attention. The media will have a field day condemning the fascist, apartheid Zionists. ‘Silly NGOs’ on the fringes of public opinion can yet wreak a great deal of havoc.
Israeli institutions would be well advised to learn from this episode and do their homework next time a ‘silly NGO’ seeks permission to hire out their premises, albeit for private events. Meanwhile, the question remains as to how so many well-meaning churches and international NGOs have been hoodwinked into supporting an event advocating the destruction of a UN member state. Zochrot acknowledges funding from, among others, Misereor,Christian Aid, Finn Church Aid, Broederlijk Delen, AFSC, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Mennonite Central Committee, Trocaire, St. Het Solidariteitsfonds, Oxfam GB and private donors*.
While wringing their hands about depopulated Sheikh Munis, these bodies and Zochrot remain ignorant, silent and unmoved by another, forgotten tragedy: the cleansing of scores of Arab cities of their substantial Jewish populations simply for being Jews. There are almost no Jews living in Baghdad, Cairo, Alexandria, Tripoli, Rabat, Damascus and Tunis today. Most exchanged places with the Palestinian refugees.
Imagine for a moment if a Zochrot-style conference were held in Baghdad, where Jews, who numbered 80,000, were once the largest single ethnic group. On second thoughts, don’t. It would not be a pretty sight: the Jews would be run out of the city and would be lucky to escape with their lives.
*Update: NGO Monitor has published a report on the funding of the Zochrot conference. It reveals that both Oxfam and the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation have denied sponsoring the conference. Read article in full
I'll say it once, and I'll say it a thousand times......WE ARE OUR OWN WORST ENEMIES!
ReplyDeleteDon't be so pessimistic (syrianjew).
ReplyDeletei wish these people were not given so much publicity. If we don't talk about them no one will raise their ears questioningly; what? Who and why will just fade into oblivion!
sultana
From your keyboard to the Almighty's ear, Sultana. The organizers are already being caught out for misrepresenting who is supporting the event.
ReplyDeleteI'll translate your sentence into ARabic
ReplyDeletemein bo-ék le bab el sama!
I see that as a Syrian Jew you have the same expressions as us Egyptian Jews!
sultana