Israel Peace Week this year offered a pro-Israel narrative to counter what zionists allege is anti-Israel propaganda.
The annual week of events Hasbara at York hosts which coincides with Israeli Apartheid Week is Israel Peace Week. Hasbara believes activities like IAW is detrimental to peace and coexistence on campus and beyond.
“We want to promote dialogue on Israel and the Middle East to the students at York University,” says Ariella Daniels, Hasbara president. “The only way we can learn from each other is to provide a safe space to facilitate a discussion on the issues.”
Due to the strike, Hasbara was unable to execute their plans this year.
“Academics are a priority to students and they have a right to make their own decision on crossing picket lines and attending classes,” says Daniels.
“As for CUPE giving a platform for students to make false accusations on Israel, she says, I think it is sad that a union claiming to represent a large population of workers feel the need to marginalize Jewish and Pro-Israel students and faculty.
“Anti-Israel sentiment has nothing to do with the issues regarding the strike. CUPE is using their position for external political agendas, but this is nothing new.”
Daniels returned from a conference hosted by the organization StandWithUs which discussed the threats of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
She had the opportunity to hear from Palestinian activist Bassem Eid who “firmly stands against BDS.”Bassem stated that BDS is a “Prelude to Genocide to Palestinians.”
Many people have expressed concern over the boycott, divestment, sanctions movement which has made considerable gains over the last decade.
Over three hundred students are petitioning York over SAIA’s Israeli Apartheid Week, claiming that one of their guest speakers, Steven Salaita, is anti-Semitic.
“SAIA is lying when they say Palestinians support the boycott movement against Israel,” says Willem Hart, fourth year social science student.
Last year, anti-Israel activists campaigned against Soda Stream for its factory in the disputed territory, adds Hart.
Despite the fact that the Palestinians hired by Soda Stream made the same hourly wage as the employees who commuted from Israel, says Hart, and even despite the fact that the factory had built a mosque on-sight to facilitate the Islamic prayer sessions that went on throughout the day, the factory in the West Bank was still the target of boycotts and condemnations.
Hart says all the boycott accomplished was renewed unemployment and economic insecurity of hundreds of Palestinian workers.
Hart cites a number of Palestinian activists who stand against BDS, such as Bassem Eid, the founder and former director of the Jerusalem-based Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group.
Additionally, Zionist critics say the BDS movement singles out one country for condemnation in the complex Middle East issue.
“It is misguided, because instead of promoting peace, it furthers the conflict,” says Meryle Lee Kates, executive director of StandWithUs.
“BDS uses the language of social justice and human rights to mask its true goals – the elimination of Israel.”
According to Kates, the leaders of the BDS campaign create a hostile environment by marginalizing Jewish and pro-Israel students, attempting to shut down dialogue. This, says Kates, does not allow for civil discourse that students of all races and religions have a right to expect from their institutions of higher learning.
“We believe BDS undermines the establishment of a two-state solution,” she says. “The two-state solution that Palestinian leaders rejected in 2000, 2001 and 2008.”
Those who do not hold the Palestinian leadership accountable are infantilizing them and perpetuating obstacles to peace, adds Kates.
Kates says while BDS activity has increased, many students are increasingly resenting the co-option of their voices by BDS activists.
“Jewish and pro-Israel students are becoming more vocal and united in defense of their communities, their homeland, and the Jewish people’s inalienable right to self-determination.”
Zina Rakhamilova, StandWithUs at York, campus coordinator, says use of the word “apartheid” applied to Israel is completely inaccurate.
“The apartheid in South Africa was institutionalized and legalized segregation based on race,” says Rakhamilova.
Rakhamilova cites Arab citizens of Israel who are members of the supreme court, members of parliament (the Knesset), and leaders of academic institutions.
In fact, Israel is the diametric opposite of South African apartheid’s legal system of oppression and discrimination based on skin color, she adds.
“The leaders of the BDS movement have openly opposed the two-state solution that Israel and most Palestinians seek, and have condemned any aspect of Israeli-Palestinian cooperation.”
“The agenda of this movement does not seek to challenge ideas or foster dialogue – it seeks only to demonize the one state in the Middle East that treats its minorities equally.”
Rakhamilova and Kates challenge BDS activists who, they allege, use the apartheid screen to find ways real ways of helping the Palestinians who are held captive by their corrupt leadership.
“University campuses should be safe places for all students to voice their views,” says Rakhamilova.
“Equating Israel to apartheid South Africa is not only academically dishonest, it is an excuse to demonize the state of Israel and ignore the active terrorist groups that openly call for the destruction of the Jewish state and persecute their own minorities.”
Ryan Moore, Assistant News Editor