| “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Mathew 7:12) Known popularly as the Golden Rule, but referred to by James as the Royal Law, Jesus’ famous commandment recalls and restates Rabbi Hillel’s iconic saying: That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow man. That is the entire Law. The rest is commentary. Go learn. (Talmud: Shabbat 31a) This same idea is mirrored also in the following Islamic hadith: The Prophet (PBUH) said, “No one is a believer until they desire for their brother what they desire for themself.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) The revolutionary power of the Golden Rule is found in its demand that the same standards of justice, parity/fairness, human rights, and equal treatment must be applied consistently to one and all. It provides the foundation for equal treatment under the law. I therefore hesitate to elevate, to the status of heroes to be saluted, those who live or attempt to live up to this most basic of principles. Yet, in the current round of fighting between Israel and the Palestinians, such consistency has been sorely missing. Each side seems totally oblivious to the suffering, or perspective, of the other. In the West, the hypocrisy of refusing to apply the same standards of treatment to Israel as to other countries, like Ukraine or Russia for instance, has been so blatant that it has made a laughing stock of US pronouncements about a “rules-based international order.” The failure to apply the Golden Rule is so rampant that those who do succeed in applying it are worthy of special note: I include in this those supporters of Palestine who are appalled by the murder of Israeli civilians on October 7 as well as the taking civilians as hostages and who have called for their release. I especially take note of the incredible witness of those Jewish activists who feel deeply the hurt of the Palestinians and openly defy friends and family in their call for a quick end to the Israeli onslaught, the need for an immediate ceasefire, and for proper negotiations leading not only to the exchange of captives but towards a just peace, and an end to the military blockade of Gaza and occupation in the West Bank. For if attacks on civilians are wrong, how does one possibly justify the massive bombardment and subsequent destruction of an entire people? And, if political grievances cannot justify the killing of noncombatants, then how can one condemn the actions of Hamas while legitimizing Israel’s indiscriminate attacks as self defense? And, what could possibly justify the cutting off of water, electricity, food, and fuel to an entire population and the massive destruction of entire communities, including schools, apartment buildings, sports stadiums, municipal buildings, hospitals, and all types of infrastructure. It is noteworthy that the among the most public, determined, and courageous of those calling for an immediate ceasefire and challenging politicians and society as a whole regarding the Gaza genocide have been Jewish activists from If Not Now, Jewish Voice for Peace, and others. As politicians hastened to publicly “condemn Hamas, and stand with Israel,” these Jewish heroes took a different position. This could not have been easy for them to move against the tide, particularly when they too may have felt the pain, grief, and shock experienced by many Jews following October 7. Many even have family in Israel, who felt the pain of suddenly losing their arrogant certitude and vaunted security. These Jewish dissenters disrupted legislatures, blocked highways and rail stations, committed civil disobedience, and faced arrest and jail as they boldly called out the genocide perpetuated by the state of Israel. Many of them specifically cited their own Jewish values and ethics, as well as their own people’s experience in the Holocaust and past pogroms, to boldly proclaim: “Not in our name!” In doing so, they were not only applying the Golden Rule, but they also provided a vital counterpoint to those who have filled the airwaves with calls for revenge and the venom of racism, dehumanization, and demonization that has become the normal language of Israelis when talking about Gazans and Palestinians. Yet, this came at a price. They have incurred ridicule, hostility, and sometimes even the wrath of their own families and friends. So yes, they too must be saluted as heroes in this war. I do not want to minimize the pivotal and courageous role of Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim-American activists, students, and men and women of conviction who, facing an atmosphere of severe repression, have donned their keffiyehs and stood up for truth and justice. In marked contrast to the political quietism of previous generations of Arab and/or Muslim Americans, these heroes have braved professional repercussions, academic censure, and political reproach; an ingrained culture of profound anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, and anti-Muslim bigotry and resultant dehumanization; violent attacks; and police surveilance akin to the dark days after 9-11, all in an effort to make their voices heard. That many have stood up so bravely, while carrying within them the profound grief of having lost so many friends, family, and loved ones in Gaza, is all the more admirable. While they could have very easily kept their heads down in quiet pursuit of “the American dream,” these dissenters boldly called out the genocide endorsed by their own American government, desiring for their sisters and brothers in Gaza the tireless advocacy they themselves would want if the situations were reversed. While I have been deeply and profoundly disappointed with the feckless leadership of the American church, with a few notable exceptions, I have personally witnessed the tireless activism of women and men of faith and conviction these past months, members, readers, and supporters of FOSNA like you, grassroots activists and communities inspired by the example of Christ, standing up and speaking out against the crimes being perpetrated in our name, bankrolled by our government, and supported by others from within our own denominations and faith communities. You have marched in the streets, hosted webinars, conferences, and lectures, created and signed petitions, wrote letters to the editor, inundated congressional offices with calls and emails, flooded social media with the reports coming out of Gaza, Preached Palestine, confronted dangerous ideologies of Christian Zionism, worked to center and elevate marginalized voices while running defense and educating your communities. This is done not in the name of partisan or tribal solidarity, but in appealing to universal principles you are willing to apply even to your own government and society, knowing that Palestinians are entitled to the same rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of a good life we all seek. I have likewise seen Palestinian Christians raise their voices, refusing to hawk Islamophic tropes in exchange for socio-political acceptance or allow others to fall into the trap of seeing this as a religious war or clash of civilizations, standing against the evils of empire while always holding out hope for reconciliation and just peace between the diverse communities of the holy land. So, in addition to the journalists, the healthcare professionals, and the UNRWA workers, I salute all those heroes who refuse to fall prey to tribal and sectarian thinking as they remain true to the universal demands of the Golden Rule, even where it runs against our narrow allegiances. |