BY PETER EWART
Special to the News
Youth at universities and colleges have come forward in many thousands across the US, Canada and elsewhere to call for a ceasefire in the Israeli war against the Palestinian people, as well as for an end to university and government support for the Zionist regime. These youth come from a wide range of backgrounds and include many who are Jewish. They want an end to the Israeli occupation and for a free Palestine.
To their great discredit, various establishment politicians and big media pundits have responded by vociferously attacking and ridiculing these young people who are taking a stand against the crimes and genocide of the Israeli government. Police have been mobilized to attack these students, arresting 2,400 so far in the U.S., dismantling encampments, as well as using rubber bullets, tear gas and agent provocateurs against them.
In addition, legislation to outlaw or severely restrict criticism of Israel has either been passed or is in the process of being passed by establishment politicians, constituting a direct attack on freedom of speech and freedom of assembly of not only students but everyone else as well. In some U.S. jurisdictions, citizens are not eligible for hurricane relief or government contracts unless they sign documents promising that they will not support boycotts of Israel.
The youth are especially angered by the fact that the Biden government, while claiming to provide “humanitarian aid” to the Palestinians in Gaza, continues to hand over billions of dollars of military support to Israel, as well as blocking resolutions in the UN that are critical of Israel and its slaughter of the brave Palestinian people, which now amounts to over 34,000 killed, most of whom are women and children.
Rather than condemnation, these youth on the university and college campuses deserve our support. They see a great injustice and are speaking out against it.
We live in a world where there are many dark clouds and unresolved issues on the horizon. The youth taking such a resolute stand in support of a free Palestine is a bright spot in the midst of it all and shows that they will not hesitate to take on other pressing issues as well. That is positive for our society and to be applauded.
12 thoughts on “OPINION – Youth are to be applauded for their stand against Israel”
Beautifully said, Peter! Our young people are amazing!
Over 34,000 killed, most of whom are women and children? That’s according to Hamas, and if you believe that I have some swampland in Florida….
For some reason it’s incredibly easy to rile up people against Jews, especially young people. They don’t have a clue. In a recent survey of college students across the US, some 86% supported the Palestinian chant “From the river to the sea,”
After learning a handful of basic facts about the Middle East, two-thirds of the surveyed students went from supporting “from the river to the sea” to rejecting it.
Just 47% of those who supported the slogan knew which river and which sea it referenced. Some thought it was the Nile or Euphrates rivers, and the Dead Sea, Atlantic and Caribbean.
Fewer than 25% knew who PLO leader Yasser Arafat was, with 10% saying he was Israel’s first prime minister. A quarter thought the Oslo Peace Accords weren’t signed.
These students had never seen a map of the Mideast and knew little about the region’s geography, history or demography.
Ignorance is the soil that fanaticism takes root in. Dummies for Palestine should educate themselves before it’s too late
Validly criticizing Saudi Arabia is not mutually exclusive with being Islamophobic. Validly criticizing India is not mutually exclusive with being anti-Hindu. Validly criticizing Israel is not mutually exclusive with being antisemitic. It is not difficult to assume that younger people, including many Jews, are more open-minded to these objective distinctions. We need not infantilize the current demographic through the use of random, uncited statistics.
Indeed, they must continue to educate themselves and others, as education is the means through which they are more able to understand injustice and take action against it before, as you say, it is too late… Alas, “between the Sea and the Jordan there will only be Israeli sovereignty.”
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/original-party-platform-of-the-likud-party
Agreed, validly criticizing Israel is legitimate. But when protestors are ignorant of what they’re protesting, how likely is it that it’s legitimate criticism?
When they scream to Jewish students to “go back to Poland” or call for the “Final Solution,” or assault them or block them from campus facilities, what has that to do with valid criticism of Israel?
For protestors, it appears anyone identifiable as Jewish becomes a target of their anti-Semitic invective and violence, which calls into question their motivation.
careful about the media you consume: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6G4nEkL96s/
tbh maybe you don’t know why and how they protest or you’re just playing along ????♀️ wouldn’t be countless jewish protestors supporting if their goal is evil like you make leaps to suggest
they’re blocking school for everyone who isn’t joining not just “identifiably jewish” ppl, who deliberately provoke the protesters in the first place to defame btw. sadly it worked in your case
the blocking will stop when the unis divest or israel and hamas both stop being dumb and make a deal because too many arabs are dying and only 3 israelis were rescued in 7 months — israel’s PM and hamas leaders don’t care about anyone dying clearly
I am shocked to hear that people are not able to receive hurricane relief or government contracts unless they promise to not support boycotts of Israel! To me, this defies our freedom of speech! I too, applaud the students for standing up against the atrocities taking place in Gaza. These students are brave to try to right the wrong that is happening before our eyes, even though they will suffer consequences.
The best part of being cancelled by the Citizen is not having to read comments from Art Betke. I kept supporting the Citizen even after I was cancelled because I believe in local journalism. Given that opinions like those of Art are not only in the comments but on the editorial page caused me to cancel. I cannot allow my name to be associated with the dissemination of such disturbing views. “Facts” like those presented by Art were once mainstream, but the motive behind such “data” is finally becoming suspect.
Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are essential to our democracy, but with freedom comes the responsibility to be truthful (to the best one is able).
Thank you Prince George Daily News for your dedication to journalistic integrity.
Almost seems like you’re trying to get Bill to ban me.
What have I ever posted that was not factual, Jerry? Please, any time I get something wrong in my comments, feel free to correct me.
The biggest problem with your posts, Art, is that you cite data that appears to pulled out of thin air. If you are citing sources that support the actions of the State of Israel, I think it is naïve not to ignore that denial has accompanied every (as far as I can ascertain) modern case of genocide. If genocide is plausible in what the State of Israel is doing in Gaza, is it not plausible to conclude that they are also lying about what they are doing? I would hope that you would use your critical thinking skills before regurgitating their data.
With regard to the Citizen, I recognize that the tide is turning. I see how the world now looks (or should look) at Michael Chomiak’s (that’s Chrystia Freeland’s grandfather) Krakivs’ki Visti. Will the world one day look on the Prince George Citizen the same way? I’m unwilling to take that risk, so I chose to stop supporting it when I saw the direction its editorial page was heading. Am I overreacting? Maybe. I’m OK with that.
I never make things up Gerry, I’m always sure of whatever I post. At times I have been challenged to back up my claims and I’m able to do that. That doesn’t mean I’m always right, on a couple occasions it has even been pointed out to me where my source is wrong.
Denial has accompanied most cases of genocide. Turkey still denies the Armenian genocide. The Nazis didn’t deny their Jewish genocide. They hid it as much as possible, but never denied it. I don’t recall the Hutus denying the Rwandan genocide, and neither did they seem to try to hide it as best I can recollect.
As for Israel vs Hamas, I have seen no evidence of genocide. Yes civilians get killed in war. Was Britain committing genocide when they firebombed Dresden? If genocide is Israel’s intent, they are incredibly incompetent at it. But genocide most definitely is Hamas’s intent, they state it clearly. The only reason they haven’t done so is they don’t have the means.
As for the Citizen, I miss all you guys, you and Todd and Nathan and Trudy etc. I sent a letter to ed. asking them to bring all the columnists back, but no response.
“I think it is naïve not to ignore that denial has accompanied every (as far as I can ascertain) modern case of genocide.” Sorry, I meant to say, “I think it is naïve TO ignore …”
I’m Jewish and my father was a Zionist who lived on a kibbutz in the 1930s. However, I am morally opposed to what Israel is doing in Gaza, killing thousands of civilians and bombing almost all infrastructure.–hospitals, schools, universities, etc. The International Criminal Court has arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his war cabinet, as well as for the leaders of Hamas. I believe Netenyahu has courted Hamas as a way of maintaining politial power in Israel. Therefore, I join Peter in supporting the students who are protesting this war and Israel’s murderous bombing and ground attacks. The students are jeopardizing their academic achievement and possibly careers to honorably stand up for world peace and justice. Stan Shaffer, former English Instructor at CNC