An open letter to Rabbi Arik Ascherman, Rabbis for Human Rights
RHR is a somewhat well known Israeli organization supposedly fighting for human rights. Recently they published a somewhat nasty letter condemning the Presbyterians for beginning a divestment process against companies involved in the brutal Israeli occupation. This is my response to that letter.
Dear Rabbi Ascherman,
You probably do not remember me, but we stood side by side at a protest near Budrus last spring. I had volunteered as a human rights activist with the ISM at the time, and it was an absolute honor to have met you and I know that your organization does much good work.
I am however writing because I am tremendously disappointed by your organization’s response to the divestment campaign being waged in the US, starting with the Presbyterian church’s divestment. Words cannot begin to describe my disappointment when I saw your organization’s statement on the Presbyterian Divestment.
I am an American citizen of jewish descent who is tremendously angry on many levels at the policy of your government. I think we both agree that the occupation is morally wrong on many different levels. However what really troubles me is my own complicity as an American tax payer, in what your government chooses to do. It makes me even more upset to know that your government claims to commit the crimes that it commits, in my name, in order to supposedly make me safer as a Jewish person.
I understand that most of your lashing out at the Presbyterians was on a religious level, and while much of it sounded like the usual ’sky is falling, anti-semitism is back’ noise that I hear so often from Jewish organizations all around (why talk of anti-semitism when the issue is racism, period?) what worried me was that your letter had zero affirmation of the basic validity of the divestment movement.
Furthermore, any suggestion that the occupied people and their occupiers should be judged equally, is *wrong*. It is not up to the Palestinians to do *anything* to end the occupation — that is the sole responsibility of your government. To suggest that the two sides be judged equally is to suggest that there is a level playing field between a bulldozer and an ant. That is a bizarre, sick, morally corrupt argument and I was quite disappointed, albeit sadly not too surprised, to see your organization support.
There is no equal treatment to be had here because the responsibility between the occupier and the occupied people is very different. It is not up to the occupied people to take *any* steps to end their illegal occupation, since as you well know, under international law that legal responsibility lies solely and squarely on the shoulders of the Israeli government. Let’s get that straight, once and for all.
Further, it is the moral responsibility of any shareholder, whether it be a church, a business, or an individual, to ensure that they invest their money in socially conscious and responsible organizations. It is the only way we can hold such corporations accountable, and it is both the legal and moral responsibility of being a responsible shareholder.
Surely no one suggests that Caterpillar equipment is only used for demolishing Palestinian homes. Surely the same equipment is also used to build homes (both Israeli and Palestinian), and surely that equipment is used for many good works. However as owners of a company (ie shareholders) there is a clear moral responsibility to ensure that the equipment is not used for morally wrong purposes.
I would dare to guess that if there was a company that was selling explosives to suicide bombers, you would be quick to demand that it cease to do so. Why do you then protest when a demand is made to do just that against companies that sell equipment used to kill innocent Palestinian civilians? Particularly when your soldier turns into a terrorist, and uses a Caterpillar D-9 bulldozer to murder not only Palestinians, but also an American citizen, I think demanding Caterpillar cease and decist from supporting such terrorist activities against a civilian population is only a very small gesture.
The fact of the matter is that the divestment movement in the United States is growing. The fact is that you cannot stop it — any and all actions you take to stop it will fail. You may only hope that the actions of your government do not result in all-out boycott and ultimately sanctions against Israel. Your one and only option is to do all you can to change the racist, illegal, brutal, immoral policies of your government that are causing this movement.
What you need to recognize is that if you fail to change the policies of your government, there will be a tremendous growth in the already growing sanction movement not only in the EU but in the US. It is not divestment, but ultimately sanctions, that truly threaten the wellbeing of Israeli citizens. It is in your best interest to change the policies that create the support for such a movement, before it is too late.
I also want to remind you that it is the very actions of the ISraeli government that are fueling the rising racism against jews (anti- semitism is the term I believe you utilize to describe that racism, probably in order to qualify it as being more wrong than racism against arabs or others). If you want to stop that racism, you need to deal with the root causes of it.
Don’t waste your time fighting the divestment movement, as that fight is morally bankrupt. You will fail. I urge you to use your energies to change the root causes of that movement — the illegal occupation, the racist policies against non-jews both within 1948 Israel and outside. It is only if you succeed in dealing with these problems that there will be peace.
South African Apartheid fell. Israeli Apartheid will fall too. Don’t be afraid of change and those who promote progress. Don’t fight it. Embrace them, for they will bring justice and lasting peace.
I look forward to your response, and hopefully to opening a fruitful dialogue.
With much respect and warmest regards,
Vladislav Davidzon
PS Please note that this is an open letter, cross-posted on my website at www.curiouscactus.com and to various mailing lists.
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