At the 2013 AIPAC convention, Edwin Black of the IBC Channel interviewed Juda Engelmayer on Israel’s politics and the world view on the Jewish State.
Category: BDS
The parade is the largest gathering of Jews outside of Israel to celebrate the forming of the Jewish state. In the past, it was arranged by the Israel Tribute Committee with respect and dignity. This year, however, some of that respect and dignity may be diminished. Not only will school groups, Jewish organizations, synagogues of all stripes, Zionism-inspired artists and the like proudly proclaim their love for Israel, but this year’s parade will also see people marching who stand accused by some of actively working to undermine Israel. It matters little whether the accusation is a false one. This is a case in which perception counts more than reality.
Yet, these conflicting viewpoints are not something Beinart just conjured up out of the colder air of Massachusetts’ academia and the pretentiousness it often breeds. So many connected Jews seem to have the same ideology that stems from a deep-seated sense of shame for being Jewish, which necessitates a compulsion to apologize for Jewish achievements.
Representing Israel will cause negative reactions among their client base, because it is a controversial project, but for a firm to take on the role of painting Syria’s first lady as glamorous amidst the bloodshed of the people right outside her palace windows is mainstream and acceptable. Or, staging the deadly flotilla off Gaza is just a routine job, but helping Israel appear as a modern country at the height of medical and technological breakthroughs that benefit the world could blight the agency that does it.
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that Matt Berkman, a BDS conference organizer and graduate student at Penn, argued that a writer for the Exponent had published biased articles against the BDS effort to “bring an end to Israel’s system of oppression, segregation and dispossession,” through calls for boycotts and divestment of Israel and Israeli products. Due to the alleged biased reporting, the Penn BDS group disinvited the reporter. They did say that another Jewish Exponent reporter, whose coverage he felt had been fairer, may be able to attend.
Juda Engelmayer's Blog 