Foes Share Semitic Roots

To the editors:

I am disgusted that the Crimson, a supposedly reputable newspaper, allowed itself to publish such a blatantly prejudiced article.

Chaudhry claims in his op-ed that Israel is undertaking a “racist colonial occupation” of West Bank and Gaza Strip. While I have a problem with Chaudhry’s claim that Israel colonized these areas (when a country conquers lands in a defensive war, one can hardly call the ruling of said areas colonialism), it is reprehensible that Chaudhry uses the term “racism” in an article concerning the situation in Israel. The citizens of the democratic State of Israel are defending themselves from the suicide bombers and terrorists who are under the rule of the PA. This is a war about safety, security, and freedom from terrorist acts.

Chaudhry uses the word racism, a loaded term, in order to incite anger in his readers against the State of Israel, having them judge the situation before they even know what it is about. To claim that white Israeli Jewish soldiers are fighting against brown Palestinian Arabs is ridiculous. Not all Israelis are of European descent. On the contrary, there are large populations of Ethiopian, Jordanian, Iranian, Egyptian, Turkish, and Palestinian Jews living in Israel. These Israeli citizens serve in the army and defend their lives and the lives of other innocent civilians. In fact, many times, it is difficult to distinguish between a Jewish Israeli and a Palestinian Arab because both are of semitic descent—both are of the same race.

To simplify this conflict as one between races—between two populations of different skin tones—is factually incorrect and historically inaccurate. Any op-ed that begins with this sort of characterization should not be published.

Naomi R. Cohen ’04

April 12, 2002