PLATFORM : Hollow Victories
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The 1975 U.N. Resolution 3379 declaring Zionism to be “racism and racial discrimination” was a hollow victory for those who opposed Israeli policies. The recent U.N. repeal of 3379 is just as hollow a victory for Israel and its supporters. In both instances, the U.N. debated the wrong question and reached the wrong conclusions.
Labeling all Zionists as racists is equal to labeling all whites as racists because of the few in South Africa. Such a generalization offends those in both camps that view themselves as non-racists.
The question should have been: “Does Israel practice racism as does South Africa?” The answer is a resounding “yes.” Examples of Israel’s racist policies are embodied in the 1948 Law of Citizenship, 1950 Law of Return and the Knesset’s 1985 Amendment No. 7 to the Basic Law.
The concerns that existed in 1975 over these racist policies and prompted Resolution No. 3379 still exist today. Neither of the U.N. resolutions did anything to alleviate these concerns. Israel, like South Africa, must re-examine these policies, repeal them and take concrete steps to eliminate all its racist practices.
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