Page 37 - Jewish News_March 2021

COMMENTARY March 2021 37A

High time to stop treating Israel differently

By David Harris, CEO of American Jewish Committee (AJC), December 28, 2020
in numbers, to make sure they did not he recent spate of annual an- Think about it. The leadership of liberal democracy in the Middle East is bashing Israel – the Committee on
oppose the United Nations partition ti-Israel resolutions at the UN is Iran, together with Iran-funded proxies treated in this blatantly biased manner the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights
plan in 1948. Ta telling reminder that Israel is in Lebanon and Gaza, has repeatedly because that’s the way it works – the of the Palestinian People; the Special
Conditions have changed in the last treated according to a totally different called for wiping Israel off the map. Is bad guys circle the wagons to protect Committee to Investigate Israeli Prac-
72 years. Goodman is of the opinion standard than all other countries in the there any other country facing such a one another and, at the same time, gang tices Affecting the Human Rights of
that the new “smart” secular Judaism international system. stated goal of genocidal destruction? up on Israel, creating an automatic ma- the Palestinian People; and the Divi-
will propel Israel into a more pluralis- Of course, Israel deserves attention Meanwhile, a majority of UN member jority against it. sion for Palestinian Rights in the UN’s
tic society. He is optimistic of the out-and scrutiny, as does every other na- states continues to conduct business as Seventh, Israel is the only coun- Department of Political Affairs.
come. He sees the shift on the horizon.tion. But it also merits equal treatment usual with Tehran, as if this threat to try condemned by name at the World Ninth, Israel is the only country
Goodman is certain that such a – nothing more, nothing less. another nation was either welcome or Health Organization as a “violator” of annually targeted by double-digit UN
change in Israel is not a threat to Ju- First, Israel is the only state whose somehow irrelevant. health rights. General Assembly resolutions and
daism. Israel is a Jewish state. Israelis capital city, Jerusalem, with which the Fourth, the UN has two agencies This canard happens despite the countless measures in other UN bod-
speak Hebrew, their friends are Jew-Jewish people have been umbilically dealing with refugees. One, the United fact that Israel has achieved one of the ies, such as the Human Rights Council.
ish, their children and grandchildren linked for more than 3,000 years, is not Nations High Commissioner for Ref- world’s highest life expectancy rates Indeed, astonishingly, every year
will marry someone Jewish and the recognized by almost all other coun- ugees (UNHCR), focuses on all the for all its citizens, Jewish and non-Jew- Israel is pretty much on the receiving
rhythms of Jewish life are controlled tries, with the notable exception of the world’s refugee populations, except for ish alike; is among the very first med- end of more such efforts than the oth-
by the Jewish calendar. Judaism is in United States and a handful of others. the Palestinians. The other, the United ical responders to humanitarian crises er 192 UN member states combined.
Helping the Injured Since 1990
the very air that is breathed. Jewish Imagine the absurdity of this. For- Nations Relief and Works Agency for wherever they may occur; and is daily No one can seriously argue that this is
continuity as Jews is not in doubt. This eign diplomats live in Tel Aviv while Palestine (UNRWA), handles only the advancing the frontiers of medicine remotely warranted, but it’s a reality
enables Judaism to be dynamic without conducting virtually all their business Palestinians. for everyone, including in response to because in every UN body except the
SARASOTA
fear for its future. in Jerusalem, an hour’s drive away, But the difference goes beyond the Covid-19, something that can’t be said Security Council, where each of the
308 Cocoanut Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34236
Goodman leaves us with the con-where the prime minister’s office, the anomaly of two structures, two bureau- for too many other nations. five permanent members has a veto,
M. David Shapiro
Eighth, Israel is the only country
it’s all about majority voting.
clusion that Israelis “are not as divided Knesset (Parliament), the Supreme cracies and two budgets. In fact, they toll free 1.800.954.4014 | office 941.954.4000 | fax 941.955.3632
Board Certified Civil
as our politics suggest…. Most Israelis Court and the Ministry of Foreign have two strikingly different mandates. that’s the continuous target of three When close to two-thirds of the
Trial Attorney
BRADENTON
agree on most issues… We are not po-Affairs are all located. UNHCR seeks to resettle refugees; standing UN bodies established, staffed world’s nations belong to the Non-
Florida Supreme Court
5283 Office Park Boulevard, Bradenton, FL 34203
larized… on two massive issues... right In fact, look at listings of world UNRWA does not. When, in 1951, and funded solely for the purpose of Aligned Movement, and when member
Certified Mediator
office 941.751.0555
versus left, secular versus religious.” cities, including places of birth in pass- John Blanford, UNRWA’s then-direc- advancing the Palestinian cause and continued on next page
DShapiro@GetMeJustice.com
“And that’s because most Israelis ports (with the exception again of the tor, proposed resettling up to 250,000
love Judaism… but don’t like the rab-U.S.), and you’ll see something strik- refugees in nearby Arab countries,
binate.” ing – Paris, France; Tokyo, Japan; Pre- those countries reacted with rage and
“And they do not want to (have) a toria, South Africa; Lima, Peru; and refused, leading to his departure. The
hapir
o
vid S
M. Da
military regime (occupying) the West Jerusalem, sans country – orphaned, if message got through. No UN official M. David Shapiro
Bank (but) they don’t want… a with-you will. since has pushed for resettlement.
drawal (which puts them) where they Second, Israel is the only UN Moreover, the UNRWA and UN- • • B oar d C er tified Civil T rial A tt orney
Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney
are threatened by the Palestinians.” member state whose very right to exist HCR definitions of a refugee differ
F
eme C
t
our
lorida Supr
Goodman tells us that the problem is under constant challenge. markedly. Whereas the UNHCR ser- • • Florida Supreme Court
or
C
er
tified Mediat
is these “are two like tensions or par- Notwithstanding the fact that Is- vices only those who’ve actually fled Certified Mediator
adoxes.” And I would add, with opti-rael embodies an age-old connection their homelands, the UNRWA defini-
mistic belief, that a way will be found with the Jewish people, as repeatedly tion covers “the descendants of per- DS hapir o@G etM eJustic e .c om
DShapiro@GetMeJustice.com
to resolve the paradoxes. cited in the most widely read book in sons who became refugees in 1948,”
Harold Halpern is a retired attorney the world, the Bible; that it was reborn without any generational limitations. Helping the Injured Since 1990
residing in Lakewood Ranch. He is a based on the recommendations of both Fifth, Israel is the only country
board member of the American Asso-the League of Nations and UN; and that that has won all its major wars for sur-
ciation of Jewish Jurists and Lawyers it has been a UN member since 1949, vival and self-defense, yet is confron- SARASOTA
and of the West Coast Chapter of the there’s a relentless chorus denying ted by some defeated adversaries who 308 Cocoanut Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34236
American Jewish Committee. Israel’s very political legitimacy. have insisted on dictating the terms of M. David Shapiro toll free 1.800.954.4014 | office 941.954.4000 | fax 941.955.3632
No one would dare assail the right peace. Board Certified Civil
to exist of many other countries whose In doing so, ironically, they’ve Trial Attorney
basis for statehood is infinitely more found support from a number of coun- Florida Supreme Court BRADENTON
questionable than Israel’s, such as tries which, victorious in war them- Certified Mediator 5283 Office Park Boulevard, Bradenton, FL 34203
those that were created by brute force, selves, demanded – and, yes, got – border office 941.751.0555
occupation or imperialist mapmakers. adjustments. A quick glance at, say, DShapiro@GetMeJustice.com
Just look around at how many nations earlier maps of Europe and today’s,
fit those categories – including, by the amply illustrates the point.
way, quite a few Arab countries. Why, Sixth, Israel is the only country in
then, is it open hunting season only on the world with a separate – and perma-
Israel? Could it possibly have anything nent – agenda item, #7, at the Gene- Helping the Injured Since 1990
to do with the fact that it’s the one Jew- va-based UN Human Rights Council.
ish-majority country in the world? No other member state, including
Third, Israel is the only UN mem- serial human-rights violators like Iran, SARASOTA
ber state that’s been targeted for anni- North Korea, Syria and Venezuela, 308 Cocoanut Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34236
hilation by another UN member state. gets its own agenda item. Only the sole toll free 1.800.954.4014 | office 941.954.4000 | fax 941.955.3632
M. David Shapiro
Board Certified Civil
Trial Attorney
Opinions printed in The Jewish News of Sarasota- BRADENTON
Florida Supreme Court
Manatee do not necessarily reflect those of 5283 Office Park Boulevard, Bradenton, FL 34203
Certified Mediator
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, office 941.751.0555
DShapiro@GetMeJustice.com
its Board of Directors or staff.

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