Ask Us Why We Love Israel

By Alyssa Weinstein and Nate Silverblatt

We are lucky.

Attending a university that spearheads inclusion, community and innovation is not always commonplace. Despite its shortcomings, Emory is close to being a diamond in the rough. With its precedent for high moral standards in the academic community, Emory parallels another entity in the world: Israel.

Both places instill the same values, although others may not. While these two communities are not normally associated together, they have more similarities than one might think. And while tragedies occur in both places, bloodshed and war are never fully justified. We should, however, realize that Israel truly earns the right to be regarded as just.

Two weeks ago, we, the Emory-Israel Public Affairs Committee (EIPAC), were proud to have nearly one hundred students approach our table at Wonderful Wednesday to share their reasons for loving Israel. We gave out Israeli chocolate bars, distributed Israel-themed apparel and discussed the accomplishments of the only Jewish state in the world. This event was not designed to be political or to create a dialogue on the Israel-Palestine conflicts, as many of our other events are designed to do. Rather, we wanted to highlight the successes of a country that is smaller than the size of New Jersey, surrounded by enemies and under constant threat – yet it is still able to boast accomplishments like having the highest ratio of university degrees per capita in the world.

Then why is EIPAC under scrutiny for asking students why they love Israel, and nothing more? Why can't students, Jewish and non-Jewish, celebrate all the accomplishments Israel has achieved in the name of peace? Acknowledging the good a country does unto others in no way negates the fact that this country is far from perfect. So, when we read the editorial, "Emory Community Should Question Israel," written by College senior Anusha Ravi and College junior Ben Crais, we were upset for several reasons.

First, their article, which attacks our event on the basis that "the event ignores many of the nuances present in the Israel-Palestine conflict and minimizes the struggles of Palestinians living in the occupied territories of West Bank and Gaza," reflects an inherent bias and double standard often conflated against Israel. During the United States' Fourth of July celebrations, we don't see opinion pieces in The Emory Wheel that we are minimizing the struggles of Native Americans. If this were an "Ask Me Why I Love France" event, there would not be protests that the event was ignoring the plight of Jews throughout that country.

The Israel we love is a complex country; there is a difference between having national pride for a country and having blind approval of a country's government and policies. Instead, the criticism of our event is derived from the constant questioning of Israel's legitimacy. No other country in the world is asked to give back land won in defensive wars, just as only victims of terrorist attacks in Israel are reported in the context of Israeli provocation.

Second, the piece minimizes the accomplishments of Israel and attributes its success to the plight of Palestinians. It claims that "these perceived 'successes,' and most of Israel's successes as a nation since 1948, are derivative from its oppression and systematic displacement of Palestinians and contingent upon treating Palestinians like second-class citizens ... "  This is not only untrue, but also a blatant attempt to discredit the remarkable triumphs of a country; its existence is a feat of its own. When looking at Israel's accomplishments, it is easy to see that this argument is an oversimplification of a complex conflict.

This tiny piece of land in the war-torn Middle East strives to help others on a daily basis. No less than a decade after its creation, the State of Israel was helping other countries thrive. For example, it taught the citizens of Ghana better irrigation techniques and water development methods; many other African countries soon reaped the benefits of these efforts as well. Israel is not afraid to assist others, regardless of the consequences.

These efforts include needed medical treatment for a relative of one of the Hamas' top leaders – a leader in same organization that calls for Israel's destruction in its charter. Israel's medical assistance reaches not only the leaders of Hamas, but also the Palestinian people. Under the Palestinian Authority, health care is extremely expensive and difficult to receive. However, at one of the leading Israeli hospitals, 30 percent of the children treated are Palestinian.

Israel not only assists citizens in other countries, but simultaneously cares about its own civilians with the same passion; it is also the only country in the Middle East that allows all religious groups to practice freely. These achievements happened because of the hard working, innovative people in Israel, not because of security measures taken against Palestinians.

And third, the article is intrinsically hypocritical. It states that, "In order to comply with Emory's commitment to ethical engagement, it is important to address all sides of an issue – especially one as politically charged and ethically pressing as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."

Despite the fact that the event was not geared towards engaging in the conflict or its politics, the authors themselves did not live up to this commitment in their omission of several key facts. In the discussion of the summer 2014 war in Gaza, they describe how "Israel bombed multiple UN-operated buildings, including a school that was filled with refugees."

However, there is no mention of the UN's three separate discoveries of Hamas weapons caches in its schools. There is no mention of the Hamas policy of shooting rockets from residential areas, schools and hospitals to maximize civilian casualties at the expense of Israel's image.

And there is no mention of the disputed and possibly inflated number of casualties from the war, with the difficulties of differentiating between militants and civilians. The difference in casualties between the Israelis and the Palestinians this summer was not a result of Israeli aggression, but of Hamas' disdain for human life and Israel's priority for defense.

When we host events to promote dialogue and engage in the politics of the conflict, we ensure that all the facts are presented and all viewpoints can be addressed. And when we write articles, we also must ensure that both sides of the conflict are reflected.

Israel is doing what every community should do: overcome negativity by moving forward and helping others. Let us acknowledge the good in a country that may not always make the right choice, but often rises to the highest possible moral standard. Events like "Ask Me Why" at Wonderful Wednesday are designed to reinforce the patriotism many students feel about Israel, without the polarization found at the usual political events. Israel may not be a diamond, but the valiant and selfless acts of this country are the purest of form.

Alyssa Weinstein is a College junior from Short Hills, New Jersey. Nate Silverblatt is a College freshman from Sugar Land, Texas.

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