यूरोप के तीन हजार यहूदी बुद्धिजीवी फिलीस्तीन के समर्थन में मैदान में उतरे

(महान फ्रेंच यहूदी दार्शनिक बर्नार्ड लेवी)

         कल रविवार को यूरोप के 3 हजार यहूदी बुद्धिजीवियों ने यूरोपीय संसद को एकपत्र लिखकर अपील की है कि वैस्ट बैंक और पूर्वी यरुसलम में इस्राइल द्वारा अवैध कॉलोनियों के निर्माण कार्य को तुरंत रोका जाना चाहिए। इस इलाके में शांति स्थापित की जानी चाहिए। इस पत्र पर दस्तखत करने वाले ऐसे भी यहूदी बुद्धिजीवी हैं जो कल तक इस्राइल की प्रत्येक नीति का समर्थन करते थे । इन लोगों में इस्राइल अनेक बड़े बुद्धिजीवी हैं जिनके इस्राइल के राजनेताओं खासकर सीमोन के दोस्त हैं। यहूदी बुद्धिजीवियों ने लिखा है कि अब उनके सामने कोई विकल्प नहीं बचा है और वे मजबूरी में यह पत्र लिख रहे हैं। बुद्धिजीवियों ने लिखा है कि इस्राइल नहीं जानता कि वह किस जमाने में है। वह यह भी नहीं महसूस करता है कि उसका सारी दुनिया से संबंध कट गया है। इस प्रसंग में ‘यूरोपियन जूइस प्रेस’ पर प्रकाशित खबर को पढ़ें--  PARIS-BRUSSELS (EJP)---Around 3,000 European Jews, including prominent intellectuals from France, have launched a drive to call Israel’s government “to reason” in its conflict with the Palestinians, angering the leaders of several French Jewish groups.

They have signed a petition titled “JCall - European Jewish Call for Reason” – on the model of the J Street lobby group in the US-speaking out against Israel’s settlement policy and warning that systematic support for the Israeli government “is dangerous.”

Among those who signed the call are philosophers Bernard Henri-Levy and Alain Finkielkraut, considered some of Israel's strongest defenders among French intellectuals, but also leftists like Daniel Cohn-Bendit, leader of the student protests in the 1960s and now head of the Greens in the European Parliament.

Backers of the petition are to outline their position at a press conference at the European Parliament in Brussels on Monday.

They present themselves as "citizens of European countries, Jews, and involved in the political and social life of our respective countries." They hope to build a European movement that is both "committed to the state of Israel and critical of the current choices of its government."

"Systematic support of Israeli government policy is dangerous and does not serve the true interests of the state of Israel," says the text, published in six languages on the website www.JCall.eu.

The petition calls to stop construction in West Bank settlements and East Jerusalem.

It says that "occupation and settlements are morally and politically wrong," noting that they "feed the unacceptable delegitimization process that Israel currently faces abroad."

"Our objective is to create a European movement that will allow the voice of reason to be heard by all," it adds. "This movement is non-partisan. Its aim is to ensure the survival of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. This depends on the creation of a viable and sovereign Palestinian state."

David Chemla, chair of  the leftists ‘Peace Now’ movement in France and co-founder of JCall , said:"Diaspora Jewry is not monolithic," adding that members of the new group -- for now primarily in France, Belgium and Switzerland -- had fought against European attempts to boycott Israeli scholars and trade, but "we also criticize the politics of Israel in the territories."

"Of course, we understand that the Israeli government has to make its own decisions," he said. "But we believe that other voices should be heard, in Europe as in the United States."

French Jews angered by JCall

While many signatories have a history of strong support for the state of Israel, the main Jewish groups in France — home to Europe’s biggest Jewish population — reacted with anger.

"This will largely be used by those who are true enemies of Israel," warned Richard Prasquier, president of CRIF, the umbrella representative body of the Jewish community in France, who declined to sign the call, saying he objected to some of its language and its tone.

"Do Israelis need the Jewish Diaspora to know what is 'the right' decision, what should be the borders of a country that their sons and daughters are protecting?" Richard Prasquier wrote in Le Figaro newspaper.

"It’s very serious because these are prestigious personalities," he added, saying that Levy and Finkielkraut had made a “serious mistake”.

Joel Mergui, president of France’s Central Consistory, called the wording of the petition "excessive" and said he was "shocked by the term ‘a call to reason’ when Israel is a democratic state."

Pierre Besnainou, chairman of the United Jewish Social Fund (FSJU), said he was worried about "Jews being divided in public" and Claude Barouch, deputy head of UPJF, the Jewish employers’ association, said the call "weakens Israel."

The Coordinating Committee of Jewish Organizations in Belgium (CCOJB) issued a statement "deploring" the campaign and the timing of its launch on Israel's Independence Day with no mention of Israel's achievements.

It suggested that Muslims and Arabs launch their own "call for reason," urging their brethren to recognize Israel.

Several pro-Israel groups have launched a competing petition roughly translated as "Keep Your Reason" (in French atwww.dialexis.org/php/index.php). A co-sponsor, the Algerian-born French scholar Shmuel Trigano, calls the J Call initiative "totally outdated," giving "the feeling that Israel is the sole obstacle to peace." 

Israel's Foreign Ministry declined to comment because the initiative is not government-sponsored.

'They simply do not understand the situation'

For Emmanuel Navon, Paris-born political commentator and professor at Tel Aviv University, supporters of JCall, as well as J Street, "simply do not understand the situation."

"I wonder if these people even watch the news! The situation has changed, and it is no secret to say that Israel has already accepted the two-state solution. Therefore, there is absolutely no point in trying to convince the Israeli government of anything,", he said.

"On the other hand, what these people do not seem to understand is that every time Israel offered concessions for peace, the Palestinians systematically refused. That is the main issue today – not trying to push for a two-state solution, but getting the Palestinian Authority to resume negotiations."

But according to Elie Barnavi, a former ambassador of Israel to France, who is expected to speak at Monday’s presentation of JCall in Brussels , “it is not enough to speak about a two-state solution, it is also essential to do everything for this solution to take form. And that will only begin with the end of colonization.” 

He said it was "time for other voices to be heard. Israel is in an unbearable situation today, because of its irresponsible government. Time is not our friend. JCall will finally give the opportunity to European Jews to speak out, before it’s too late."