Gaza

[flexibeast]

i basically agree with Rabbi Michael Lerner's position on Israel and Gaza. Consequently, neither of the Gaza-related protests held in Melbourne today were protests i would want to be associated with:

• One involved not only the burning of the Israeli flag, but the destruction and burning of a Star of David. Failing to distinguish between Judaism and the Israeli government / military smacks of traditional anti-Jewish nonsense, and is just as ludicrous as holding all Palestinians responsible for the actions of Hamas. Not even all Zionists support the what the Israeli government is doing: see, for example, this entry on Richard Silverstein's blog.


• The other involved supporting the actions of the Israeli government, even though it is a completely disproportionate response to the actions of Hamas; even though it is a shameful continuation of the Israeli government's policy of punishing the entire Palestinian population for the actions of a minority, as per the long-running siege of Gaza. By such logic, every resident of Israel should be similarly punished for the actions of the rabid so-called 'settlers' in the West Bank.

No, thanks - i'm looking for perspectives which are more likely to bring an end to the conflict in Israel and Palestine, not prolong and exacerbate it.

eumelia has been writing about current events here and here.