I WRITE to endorse Sue Pentel's sentiments wholeheartedly.

The Zionist project that became the State of Israel was from its inception divisive and sectarian. The 19th Century saw some Jews buying land in Palestine as well as paying for other Jews to settle there. The famous "Jerusalem Windmill", financed by the Ramsgate-based philanthropist Montefiore, was intended to break the "Muslim monopoly" on wheat flour milling. It's hard to say where all of this would have led had it not been for Nazi Germany's genocide of European Jews. The violent incidents between Palestinian Jews and Arabs that took place may have subsided over time. 

The State of Israel commits war crimes frequently and crimes against humanity daily given the way its occupation of lands taken by its wars since 1948 impact on non-Jewish Palestinians. It is crucial that Jews and Gentiles work together to expose Israel's genocidal actions and State policies.

My antecedants were Jews from Eastern Europe and often I am asked why I am so critical of Israel when so many other states are as bad, or worse. The main reason is that no other state tells me that they are my natural homeland, not even the land of my birth, England. I am an English subject (I'd prefer to be a citizen) but Israeli law means I have a right to "return" to a place I have no racial, historical, cultural or social links to while the many thousands who do have these links are prohibited from returning because they are Palestinians (Arabs, Christians, secular or others). This is racist and the attempts by Israel to eliminate Palestinian livelihoods, language, culture, communities and homes is genocidal. But this genocide is unlike the German Nazis as the process is being prosecuted over many generations, it more resembles Chinese State policy in Tibet or with the Turkic Uyghurs. 

Another reason for writing is that the letter from Jo O'Neil is worrying due to the language it uses. I write this in critical solidarity and hope it is received as such. Jo says this: "....led by Jewish-Israeli leaders using murderous hate speech; a pogrom carried out by illegal Jewish settlers in the land of Palestine; a pogrom supported by uniformed Jews from the Jewish State forces." 

He finishes with this: "Now is the time to finally pass the Occupied Territories Bill boycotting products and services from the genocidal Jewish State."

I would agree that the current leaders of the Israeli State present themselves as Jews as a matter of course. But I believe it is an error to give them this privilege as they are not acting as Jews but as leaders of a violent apartheid state. Similarly, the focus on the religion of the illegal settlers is relevant but not the main point. Because of Israel's divisive and sectarian policies, the settlers are Jews but what they are doing has nothing to do with the religion they claim. Further, to describe the Israeli State forces as "Jewish State forces" is inaccurate as well as inflammatory. Israel is not a "Jewish state" but a State where Zionists (mostlyJews), selected people to occupy Palestine with a fantasy vision of a "Jewish homeland". Many 19th Century Jews had serious problems with this movement as it threatened their assimilated lives in their actual homelands – if Israel was their real home how could they justify being citizens in another? A Jewish State would look very different to Israel as it would comprise all Jews and, as is very clear, the vast majority of Jews around the world do not want to live there. An old Bundist joke about the Zionist was that he was a Jew who gets a second Jew to pay for a third Jew to live in Palestine. 

To use "Jewish" to describe Israel lumps it and us together. It makes it easier for neo-Nazis and their fellow travellers to coin the Judeophobic mantras of "international conspiracies" and fuels attacks on Jews who are living outside Israel. It also gives credence to Israelis who want the world to see their State as Jewish. Israel has been very effective in undermining criticism of its apartheid violence, illegal occupation and genocidal activities by associating itself with Judaism. It is now very common for people attacking Israel to face accusations of antisemitism, this is one element Israel has achieved on the international stage. 

There are very many secular people of Jewish descent and practicing Jews who oppose Israel's attempts at genocide. Israel does not speak for them, their historical roots or their faith. So it is a mistake to use "Jewish" when describing Israel. 

It might be similar to the Six Counties being described as a Protestant land for a Protestant people. Religion was used as a crucial element in the politics of partitioned Ulster but it wasn't the reason for the partition or its maintenance by the Unionist elites and successive UK governments. Presenting the European genocides in the Americas since 1492 as Christian would also miss the point.

Many thanks and gratitude for your journal.

Garry Saunders
Kent
UK (but not for long)

Do you have something to say on this issue? If so, submit a letter for publication to Conor McParland at c.mcparland@belfastmedia.com or write to Editor Anthony Neeson at Andersonstown News/North Belfast News, Teach Basil, 2 Hannahstown Hill, Belfast BT17 0LT