Regarding the July 29 Point of View article "Abbas has much to do for peace" by Todd Young of the Community Relations Council of the Raleigh-Cary Jewish Federation:

As a Jew and Israeli citizen, I am dismayed by the vociferous support for Israel given by representatives of local Jewish organizations. I am dismayed also by remarks by several Jewish acquaintances that they would like to criticize Israel but are afraid of alienating other Jews.

Jewish organizations have become very highly organized and active both in policing thought within their communities and in scripting public demands for uncritical support and massive U.S. taxpayer subsidies for Israel. Their positions are neither consistent with the teachings of Judaism nor fairly representative of American Jewish people.

Over the years, many leading Jewish artists and intellectuals have been sharply critical of Israel, including Martin Buber, Yehudi Menuhin, Alber! t Einstein, Noam Chomsky and Daniel Barenboim. A large proportion of orthodox Jews in Jerusalem, whose families lived there in harmony with Arab neighbors before Zionist settlements began, are opposed to the state of Israel.

It is not anti-Jewish to criticize Israel. On the contrary, any increase in anti-Semitism is more likely to spring from resentment of the blatantly racist character of Israel and of the support that American Jewish organizations give it.

In 1979 I left Israel, opposed to the colonial occupation and apartheid system. I should like to return, but not until there are equal rights for all people living in Israel and Palestine.

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