One of the more disingenuous parts of groups like IfNotNow demnding that Zionist organizations like Birthright include an anti-Zionist point of view is that no one – and I mean no one – ever even considers politely requesting so-called “pro-Palestinian” groups include the Zionist narrative in their discussions.
The reason this comes up is a small article in the PLO website. A delegation of students and professors from Glasgow University and from a university in California attended an “educational program on history, the Palestinian cause and Israeli violations against our people and their violation of international law” this summer.
Is anyone demanding that the PLO allow these students and professors to speak to Israelis, let alone Jewish settlers?
The very idea is absurd. Because absolutely no one expects Palestinians to be even-handed, or fair, or unbiased. No one demands that they consider Israeli positions as having any validity, or even that they have the right to be spoken out loud.
Birthright does give students an opportunity to ask about and learn about the Palestinian perspective. Do the anti-Israel tours – whether from the PLO or from Breaking the Silence or International Solidarity Movement – allow similar opportunities in their tours?
We all know the answer. According to these so-called progressives, Zionist groups must include an anti-Zionist narrative and anti-Zionist groups must also teach an anti-Zionist narrative. Pro-Zionist voices must be shut down or drowned out, because only one side has any legitimacy according to these people who congratulate themselves on how open-minded they are – in one direction.
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