Letter | What’s taking the younger generation so long to lose Israel?

What will it take, with or without de jure annexation to make the younger generation stand up for Palestinian human rights?

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL – JUNE 23: Israelis hold signs as they protest against the Israeli goverment’s plan to annex parts of the West Bank on June 23, 2020 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who formed a coalition government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to break an electoral stalemate, has signaled he will not oppose the prime minister’s unilateral move. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images) Image by Getty Images

By Susan Etscovitz June 24, 2020

Dear Editor,

Regarding Sarah Farb’s recent article on Israel’s looming annexation of Palestinian territory: I get it. I was raised as a Zionist and hung on to that identity for too many years.

I was ignorant. I was brainwashed by my temple, community, and the media. Once I learned the actual history (including several trips to the West Bank and East Jerusalem) of Israel from statehood in 1948 to the present day, I could no longer — not for a minute — stand with Israel.

Israel has engaged in an ongoing settler-colonial project and has implemented this program against the Palestinian population in every way imaginable. The plan of formalizing annexation is the most recent tactic. It is clearly wrong!

What will it take, with or without de jure annexation, to make the younger generation stand up for Palestinian human rights? The time is now!

Sincerely,

Susan Etscovitz

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Forward. Discover more perspectives in Opinion. To contact Opinion authors, email [email protected].

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