Jewish voices of reason: How dissenting voices view the Israel-Palestine conflict

As the world watches the ongoing struggle between Hamas and Israel, old but remarkably relevant videos of Jewish scholars and political figures have resurfaced, captivating the attention of those concerned about the plight of Palestine. 

When the powers in the West fail to see reason and continue supporting the apartheid measures of Israel in dealing with the Palestinians, these voices of reason provide a nuanced understanding of the Israel-Palestine conflict. 

In this collection, we delve into the words of Professor of Linguistics and public intellectual Noam Chomsky, United States Senator Bernie Sanders and political scientist and activist Dr. Norman Finkelstein, each of whom, in their own distinctive ways, have shed a different light on how one should view the conflict. 

'The US threatens anyone who might try to do something for Palestinians'

Noam Chomsky, Public Intellectual  

In a presentation delivered at MIT on May 6, 2014, Noam Chomsky addressed the pressing issue of the future prospects of Palestine in the wake of the collapse of peace talks on April 29, 2014. 

During this hour-long speech, Chomsky dedicated the initial 46 minutes to a comprehensive examination of the failure of American-brokered Middle East peace negotiations. He delved into the historical and political contexts leading up to this pivotal event.

"Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason. They don't have wealth, they don't have power, so they don't have rights. That's the way the world works. Your rights correspond to your power and your wealth. Same inside the United States. You shouldn't be surprised to see it. If you're a poor black kid in Roxbury, you don't have the rights of a rich person living in the suburbs, right? Same in the international arena. 

So the Palestinians, I mean, they may get statements of support, but nobody's going to do much for them, especially when the US threatens anyone who might try to do something. What's called the national interest turns out to be the interest of dominant domestic forces in US society. So the national interest means the interests of the very rich major corporations, the ones who set government policy and so on. That's the national interest and not the population. 

The population is basically irrelevant. The population often strongly opposes government policy, and they're simply disregarded. Overwhelmingly, people say there should be much higher taxes on the wealthy. What happens when taxes on the wealthy go down, and it's the same on issue after issue. We do not live in a society in which the public determines policy. The public's around, you know, but are basically disregarded unless they force themselves into the system by serious activism."

'You have a reactionary racist now running Israel'

Bernie Sanders, US Senator

On February 25, 2020, in the lead-up to the 2020 Election, the Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Mike Bloomberg, both of Jewish heritage, were confronted with questions about their Israel policies during the final Democratic presidential debate held in Charleston, South Carolina.

Bernie Sanders, a prominent candidate in the Democratic race, asserted that, if elected as the President of the United States, he would entertain the possibility of relocating the U.S. embassy back to Tel Aviv from Jerusalem. During the debate, Bernie Sanders delivered a passionate speech, emphasising his Jewish heritage and personal connection to Israel. 

"Here is the point, I am very proud of being Jewish, I actually lived in Israel for some months, but what I happen to believe is that right now, sadly, tragically, in Israel, through Bibi Netanyahu, you have a reactionary racist who is now running that country. 

And I happen to believe, I happen to believe that what our foreign policy in the Mideast should be about is absolutely protecting the independence and security of Israel. But you cannot ignore the suffering of the Palestinian people. 

We have got to have a policy that reaches out to the Palestinians and the Americans. And in answer to your question, that will come within the context of bringing nations together in the Mideast."

'If you had any heart in you, you would be crying for the Palestinians'

Norman Finkelstein, Political Scientist 

A short clip from the 2009 documentary "American Radical: The Trials of Norman Finkelstein" has recently resurfaced amid renewed tensions between Israel and Palestine.

Dr. Norman Finkelstein, an American Jewish scholar, is widely recognised as one of the world's foremost experts on the Israel-Palestine conflict and the political aftermath of the Nazi Holocaust.

Tragically, every member of Finkelstein's family, on both sides, except for his parents, perished in the Nazi Holocaust. His 2000 book, "The Holocaust Industry," achieved international best-seller status and ignited a passionate debate.

Finkelstein held faculty positions at various universities, including DePaul University, where he served as an assistant professor from 2001 to 2007. During his tenure, he was invited to speak at the University of Waterloo in Canada in December 2004. 

In a poignant moment, a student, seemingly of German descent and not of Jewish heritage, confronted him using the Holocaust as a critique. Finkelstein responded by asserting, "I don't respect crocodile tears," leading to a heated commotion. He then elucidated his perspective to the audience, and that is seen in the recently viral Instagram reel. 

"My late father was in Auschwitz concentration camp. My late mother was in the Maidan concentration camp. Every single member of my family on both sides was exterminated. Both of my parents were in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. 

And it's precisely and exactly because of the lessons my parents taught me and my two siblings that I will not be silent when Israel commits its crimes against the Palestinians. 

And I consider nothing more despicable than to use their suffering and their martyrdom to try to justify the torture, the brutalization, the demolition of homes that Israel daily commits against the Palestinians. 

So I refuse any longer to be intimidated or browbeaten by the teers. So I refuse any longer to be intimidated or browbeaten by the tears. If you had any heart in you, you would be crying for the Palestinians, not for what seems right."

Miraz Hossain. Sketch: TBS