A diverse group of about 20 volunteer speakers consisting of Arabs, gay rights activists, Ethiopian Jews and a former MTV presenter concluded a tour of campuses in North America last Week highlighting Israeli society’s pluralism.
Yuli Edelstein (Likud), the minister of public diplomacy and Diaspora affairs,that joined the tour said the aim was not to defend the government’s policies, but rather to demonstrate the country’s democratic and egalitarian values.
“If it turns into political debate don’t feel obliged to represent the government, The people who organize Apartheid Week aren’t pro- Likud or pro-Labor. Their problem is the existence of Israel. If there is this or that discussion and someone asks about Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, feel free to express your opinion even if you voted Meretz. If it comes from your kishkes [gut] you’ll show a lot more integrity.”
Israeli Apartheid Week is an annual series of lectures and rallies held in late February or early March in which Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and its Arab citizens is equated with South Africa’s treatment of non-whites under Apartheid. Since it began in 2005, the movement has grown significantly and now takes places in dozens of campuses around the world.
Adam Asad, a 19 year old Druse from the Galilee, acknowledged that inequality between Jews and Arabs in Israel exists but said he believed such disparities can be overcome within the framework of Israeli society.
Rinan Khoury, a Christian from Nazareth, said she wasn’t afraid of confronting Arabs during the tour who might call her a traitor.“In any case, there are no laws that stipulate [discrimination], I feel I can address the issues at hand and correct injustices that exist.”
Becky Griffin a former MTV presenter and by far the most recognizable member of the group she said she volunteered to dispel the notion that Israelis were intolerant of minorities.“It’s to be expected, I have relatives who left, but we decided to stay here and work for our rights. We want to solve this issue, and that’s why I took part in national service... Inequality is everywhere, but not discrimination.”
“Israel has its problems like anywhere else, but it’s a place where communication does exist...the speakers represented a genuine effort to shine a light on the heterogeneous nature of Israeli society".
“We made Jewish students more connected to their roots and we also met Arab students. One Lebanese student contacted us because she did not just want the Palestinian side of the story,” Griffin said.
The Israeli hip hop/funk band Hadag Nahash - “the Snakefish”, had its audience dancing in the aisles from virtually minute one of its Sunday night performance at Baruch College in NY.
At a news conference prior to the Sunday concert at which he shared the dais with Minister Yuli Edelstein, Consul General of Israel in New York Ido Aharoni, and American Jewish leaders Malcolm Hoenlein and Michael Miller, vocalist and composer Shaanan Streett clearly stated that he and his band performed not as representatives of the government of Israel but as Israelis, individuals and musicians, conveying their own message through their own music.
In a Interview with "Yediot America", Ariel Halevi that created 8 years ago the "Debate" copmpany, shared hios experience with a lecturer in Brooklyn college that asks hard questions, like: how do I explain letter of the rabbis that was published not to rent apartments to Arabs.
"I told him that he needs to ask how Israel as state dealt with the phenomenon. The communication harshly criticized it, there was a public protest against them, what led to an urge of opportunity for the Israeli public to express their protest against the letter. A half year year ago a delegation of Arab Knesset members headed by MK Ahmad Tibi traveled to Libya to pay a visit to Muamar Kadaffi. despite spite violating the law by traveling to a enemy country, they were not indicted in Court. Israel has a Arab supreme court Judge and 13 Arab judges (including the only Muslim Woman in the World serving as a Judge)".
This is what one college student from Emerson College, wrote and shared with Becky Griffin:
"Thanks again for coming to our school. You guys were really a diverse group and it was really good to hear from you. So, as I said at the meeting, my dad is from Argentina and my mom is from Honduras- (with family in Lebanon and Palestine). Because ...my mother and father only spoke spanish, I always connected and related to my hispanic heritage,I've never met my family in Lebanon or Palestine and after my grandfather passed away, we lost a lot of ties that we had to our family over there.
For a school assignment, I was asked to profile someone and I took this as the perfect opportunity to profile the conflict that is going on between Palestine and Israel. This assignment is pretty much for myself because I truly had no idea what was going on. I was going to profile a Palestinian and a Israeli for my project. I was able to interview a family member of mine Yonia about what she experienced living in Palestine (she now lives in Honduras) and her opinions and beliefs. But I wanted to hear from the opposite side as well, because I think truly understanding something involves hearing from both sides of the story. I don't have any biases or judgements against either side because I believe that I can't choose a particular side. I lived in America all my life and have never experienced what an Israeli or Palestinian has faced and therefore believe that I can't choose a side..."