Einat Wilf: Dear friends, A few days ago, I was honored to speak in Israel to a gathering of Israelis of British and Anglo backgrounds on a wide range of issues: from the war of words waged against Israel to Israel’s electoral system. In the talk, I argued that the campaign waged against Israel is conducted by means of the “placard strategy” in which placed physically or symbolically next to the words Israel and Zionism are a litany of words such as racism, colonialism, ethnic cleansing, apartheid and genocide that all share the characteristic of being universally considered evil. The purpose of the strategy has nothing to do with peace and achieving an outcome of two states for two peoples, but to paint Israel and Zionism as the world’s greatest evil so as to prepare the minds and hearts of people to consider the disappearance of Israel a desirable,and even noble, outcome. I explained that many people of goodwill who seek peace join movements and campaigns that are part of this “placard strategy”, not realizing that they are serving a purpose that is sinister and not at all peaceful. Greer Fay Cashman of the Jerusalem Post was in attendance at the event and later reported on my speech in the Jerusalem Post. The editor gave the piece the title that the “Palestinians are winning the Propaganda War against Israel”. It’s true that I conceded that the placard strategy has been very effective, so much so that even Zionists and lovers of Israel know that words of evil that have been placed on the placards next to Israel and Zionism. But, I also argued that I believe that we will ultimately win. It’s not going to be a quick or easy battle, and it won’t happen without massive mobilization of resources (including our best and brightest), but I described victory as the day when those who hold extreme anti-Israeli and anti-Zionist views would have the social acceptability that neo-Nazis have today. My definition of victory is about reversing the current situation of social acceptability, where those who wish to defend Israel in certain circles find themselves marginalized and, sometimes, actively harassed. In fact, in some circles, being anti-Israel and anti-Zionist is what gains a person social acceptability and even a promotion. Reversing this is our challenge.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 19:47:04 +0000
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