WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 28: The Washington Post’s news room is an open and bright space occupying two levels in its new headquarters January 28, 2016 in Washington, DC. Founder and CEO of e-commerce giant Amazon.com, Jeff Bezos bought the newspaper in October 2013 from the its long-time owners, the storied Graham family. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) The American Jewish Committee (AJC) urged The Washington Post to issue a correction regarding an op-ed that called Israel “ethnically exclusive.”
The July 31 op-ed titled “The 2020 Democratic platform betrays Palestinians and again gives Israel a pass,” criticized the Democratic Platform Drafting Committee for not approving a platform referencing the Israeli occupation of the West Bank. The authors are all delegates to the Democratic National Convention (DNC).
“We asked the DNC to recognize the equal rights of Palestinians; to refrain from affirming Israel’s illegal annexation of East Jerusalem; and to support Israel as a state for all its citizens rather than an ethnically exclusive ‘Jewish state,’ which is an endorsement of institutionalized racism,” the column states. “Would we ask that the United States be recognized as a White, Christian country? None of these amendments were considered.”
The AJC took umbrage to the authors’ use of the term “ethnically exclusive.”
“Calling Israel ‘ethnically exclusive’ is a lie and an insult to 25% of Israel’s population who aren’t Jewish but are full participants in its democracy,” the Jewish group tweeted. “Issue a correction, @WashingtonPost.”
You're entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts.
Calling Israel "ethnically exclusive" is a lie and an insult to 25% of Israel's population who aren't Jewish but are full participants in its democracy.
Issue a correction, @WashingtonPost.https://t.co/gZ7G9XXkF2
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) August 4, 2020
Avi Mayer, the AJC’s global communications director, elaborated, “One out of every four Israelis — 2.3 million citizens, including 1.9 million Arabs — isn’t Jewish and all enjoy equal rights.
“The notion that there’s something inherently racist about a Jewish state is itself racist,” he added in a subsequent tweet. “There are dozens of democracies with dominant ethnicities. No one questions the legitimacy/democracy of any other nation state — only the Jewish one.”
The Washington Post has published a lie.
Israel isn't "ethnically exclusive" (whatever that means). One out of every four Israelis—2.3 million citizens, including 1.9 million Arabs—isn't Jewish and all enjoy equal rights.
Correct this, @WashingtonPost.https://t.co/lBOp1DyxfT pic.twitter.com/G0IkQhToq5
— Avi Mayer (@AviMayer) August 4, 2020
The notion that there's something inherently racist about a Jewish state is itself racist.
There are dozens of democracies with dominant ethnicities. No one questions the legitimacy/democracy of any other nation state – only the Jewish one.
I wonder why.https://t.co/yXBqaJDaXP
— Avi Mayer (@AviMayer) August 4, 2020
The Stop Anti-Semitism.org watchdog argued that accusing Israel of having “ ‘ethno state’ status is a favorite amongst the alt-right neo Nazis.”
A spokesperson from the Post declined to comment to the Journal on the matter.
The Democrat Party Platform Committee voted on the draft platform language on July 27. Democratic Majority for Israel President Mark Mellman said in a statement that day, “From Joe Biden on down the ticket, Democrats running on this 2020 platform will capture the imagination, and earn the votes, of a decisive majority of Americans. This platform continues and expands upon our party’s proud tradition, and Joe Biden’s long history, of supporting a strong U.S.-Israel relationship.”
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