Stephen Hawking’s stance on boycotting Israel ought to be commended, and apologists for the Israeli apartheid government are scrambling for arguments that haven’t been worn out from overuse and lack of credibility (“Hawking’s Other Choice,” May 17). When someone of Hawking’s stature takes this position, perhaps it is time for many to start to re-evaluate what Israel is and
question its direction.
The argument made by the JT is that there are better ways to show disapproval of Israeli policy toward Palestinians than condemning the entire country. Unfortunately, these policies cannot continue without the support of a majority of the country. Polls (in Israel and outside) reflect the overt racist attitudes toward Palestinians and all minorities, including certain Jewish groups. Rights and privileges of citizenship are based on religion, not nationality — the only “democratic” country to do so.
Zionist history, as seen through the writings of David Ben-Gurion, Ze’ev Jabotinsky, Meir Kahane and others, is replete with promotion and policies of ethnic cleansing and terrorizing Palestinian populations. The daily, if not hourly, humiliation of men, women and children at military checkpoints brings back ugly reminders of the early 20th century.
When an IDF T-shirt showing a pregnant Palestinian woman with a target on her and the saying “One shot, two kills” is openly and proudly worn, one has to wonder what kind of sick society has been created.
The dam is finally breaking and hopefully soon, too, the apartheid wall.
Myles Hoenig
Baltimore
