I found the following cartoon on politicalcartoons.com:
The cartoon is in some ways a commentary on the U.N.’s involvement in the conflict. Throughout the entire struggle between Israel and Palestine, the U.N. has often proven ineffective. For example, several resolutions have been passed to further the peacekeeping process, but have not been enforced or in many cases have been clearly ignored. Both the Israelis and the Palestinians have violated international law and the Geneva Accords, and countless times, Israel has claimed that they are merely protecting their territory as the Jewish homeland.
Furthermore, this image largely speaks to the decision of the United States, Canada and Israel to boycott the United Nations conference on racism that is scheduled to take place in April in Geneva. This demonstration is a continuation from a similar conference that was held in Durban, South Africa in 2001 in which a draft document likened Zionism to racism. It was then that the United States and Israel walked out of the conference in protest, claiming that an associating Zionism with racism is in fact anti-Semitic. As a result, the three countries have refused to attend this year’s conference unless no expression of this comparison is promised.
It is clear that this cartoon portrays Israel’s accusations of anti-Semitism as merely an excuse to ward off criticisms for militancy and refuse responsibility for their own actions. Both the Israelis and the Palestinians have suffered from severe discrimination throughout their histories. At what point does a people’s defense of its dignity and demands for just evaluation turn into an attempt to validate their own unjust actions?
Furthermore, this image largely speaks to the decision of the United States, Canada and Israel to boycott the United Nations conference on racism that is scheduled to take place in April in Geneva. This demonstration is a continuation from a similar conference that was held in Durban, South Africa in 2001 in which a draft document likened Zionism to racism. It was then that the United States and Israel walked out of the conference in protest, claiming that an associating Zionism with racism is in fact anti-Semitic. As a result, the three countries have refused to attend this year’s conference unless no expression of this comparison is promised.
It is clear that this cartoon portrays Israel’s accusations of anti-Semitism as merely an excuse to ward off criticisms for militancy and refuse responsibility for their own actions. Both the Israelis and the Palestinians have suffered from severe discrimination throughout their histories. At what point does a people’s defense of its dignity and demands for just evaluation turn into an attempt to validate their own unjust actions?
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I think you ask a very good question, but also very difficult to answer, because the lines between what is okay and what is not when dealing issues of discrimination and racism are so blurry, delicate, and volatile. It is also much more difficult to answer because both sides of this conflict, as you said, have suffered greatly. Both are victims, both are culprits. I don't know if it is possible who is more of a victim and how is more of a culprit. However, I don't think that either would agree that are in the wrong, but no one else wants to say anything, in this instance to call Israel out, because they have been through so much and there is a lot of antisemitism. However, I do think that that anti-Semitism is claimed too much and until both sides wish to stop their aggression against the other, which includes receiving criticism with out defensiveness, it will continued to be overused.
ReplyDeleteI've already commented on your previous post, but I decided to copy it here as well, just in case! :
ReplyDeleteHahahaha! I think that that cartoon is very interesting, indeed!
If you look at it, what would have been the reason for the lack of involvement of the UN and other Powers in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the 1948 war. While doing readings for the class about Israel and Palestine, I kept on asking myself "Why didn't the UN do anything? Why did they keep on proposing resolutions, but not actually doing anything?"
And then it crossed my mind that in 1948, it had been only 3 years after the Second World War and the Holocaust... I do not know how valid that is, I feel that it certainly has at least a grain of truth in it and that it is one of the reasons why Israel has been able to get to the stage of occupying Palestine completely.
I agree that the fact that the UN had been in effect for so little time when Israel was established is likely part of the reason why the international body has been so ineffective in moderating the conflict. I think, however, that we also must examine the influence of the United States in the United Nations and how this position of power has shaped the process for peace.
ReplyDeleteThe United States has always held a huge amount of command in the U.N. and as an Israeli ally, it is possible that they have worked to sway the direction of intervention in their favor. Furthermore, most of the action that the U.N. has taken has only been in the form of resolutions, which don't need the approval of the Security Council, of which the United States is a part of and requires all members to unanimously approve the action proposed. The Security Council is also the only body that can approve military action or intervention so resolutions are often not enforced.
I think what happened during the Holocaust is absolutely awful. However, I do not think that this can be used as a reason to not critisize the actions of the Israelis. I don't know if zionism could be attributed to racism, because it is so much centered around the realization of a Jewish state, not the destruction of an Arab state (that is more of a second thought, and necessary consequence). I don't think it's fair for the Israeli's to claim that any critique against their actions is anti-semitism. I think this actually undermines what happened during the World Wars by claiming that these comments are comparable to the injustices that were carried out during World War II. It's tricky though because comments can lead to bigger issues of discrimination, but in this case Israel has the power and isn't really in danger of being hurt to the degree that it can hurt the Palestinians.
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