We have recently been informed that the Ontario section of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE Ontario) has initiated a boycott and divestment act against Israel. This decision caused much protest around the world, attached is my open letter to the President of the organization. You will find many other posts with different anecdotes across the net.
To: Mr. Sid Ryan, CUPE Ontario president
Subject: campaign against Israeli “apartheid wall”
I was shocked and uphold by your chapter's decision to begin a boycott mission against Israel, condemning it's actions as apartheid. I would first like to emphasize that I too, like most of Israelis (according to recent polls and elections) am against the occupation of the Palestinian territories, and support seeking a solution that will bring peace to our region. None-the-less, your decision to start this campaign is out of place, and is a political act impersonating as a humanitarian.
First of all, you should note that your chapter is the only organization in the world, outside some Arab countries (which also condemn Israel's and the USA's rights to exist, along the way), to support such an act. It is second only to a single organization in Great Britain. You may have been convinced that this is a great common goal by some anti-Israeli Palestinian group, but this is wrong. Your chapter has either been tricked into solitude solidarity with political cause, or you personally decided to use the organization you head as a political tool. Either of which is not acceptable by any means.
Second, the definition of Israel's actions as "apartheid" are nothing more then propaganda aimed to cause the listener to attach Israel with south Africa, while the situation is very different. In south Africa, immigrants from Europe took over the lands and started an apartheid regime. In Israel, there is no difference between an Arab and a Jew. Some of my fellow classmates are Arab. Some of my Lecturers are Arab. They are fully incorporated in Israel as equal citizens, and they see no reason to leave it or boycott it. Some of them state that Israel should act more strongly against the Palestinians if it wants respect from them. Some state that Israel should be destroyed – but they are still not thrown from their positions, as freedom of academia exists in Israel.
Well, what about the west bank you say? What about the wall?
Let me ask you – does the USA have a wall between it and Iraq? Why are you grinning? It is a silly question as the USA has the entire North Atlantic ocean and several continents separating it from Iraq, where terrorists are constantly trying to hurt Americans. And yet, the USA does not allow people from Iraq or other Arab countries into the USA without extreme security checks, and if there was a border between the USA and Iraq, would the USA not build a wall there? Probably not. They would probably position automated cannons to shoot down anyone approaching. But Israel should not do this. When Israel keeps citizens of enemy countries outside Israel by a wall, it is apartheid. Why should they be given rights to incorporate in Israel? They have their own regime, they have their own industries and educational system. They have their own police force powered by Israel provided weapons. Yes, they are under occupation, but the only reason is that their leaders have failed to reach a settlement – leaders who do not agree with the existence of Israel by religion, not politics, meaning they cannot change their mind. Leaders who offered Israel 20 years of peace (not peace, only a temporary cease-fire), for the full return of all occupied territories (including those where Israelis have been living for three generations) and the right of return for all refugees into Israel, an eternal blow to it's Jewish identity, and effectively it's termination – Just imagine a decision of Canada to allow 10 million Arabs into Ontario. Will your life remain the same?
Third, and most importantly – The decision to act against Israel alone is shameful for your organization. Being stationed in Canada, I would assume that the first self-determination organization you would support should be Front de Libération du Québec (Quebec Liberation Front). Afterwards, I would expect you to demand that the USA return it's lands to the native Americans, or at least pull out it's troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, and open their gates to Mexicans. Then I would expect you to call Russia to release it's claws from Chechnya, and Great Britain to leave Gibraltar. This should happen Immediately as Great Britain frees the occupied Ireland to the hands of the IRA to rule it (IRA, unlike Palestinians elected Hamas, did not kill hundreds of civilians with intent). Afterwards, Muslim Sudan should stop massacring millions of Christians in the south and Darfur, and Indonesia should release east Timor. Japan should release Okinawa, China release Tibet, and Turkey release from prison the elected leaders (!) of the Kurd minority group. When these and other dozens apartheids, occupations and massacres are acted against around the world, then, and only then, would it be not hypocritical to act against the occupation imposed on Israel.
Until then, this decision reeks of plain Antisemitism, and I would suggest your organization focus on it's missions and recover some self esteem by reversing it.
Thank you,
Neko
