We must speak out against anti-Semitism and other forms of racism and bigotry anywhere we encounter them, especially in our own peace and justice community. We cannot accept a peace movement leadership that excludes outspoken opponents of the war because they are also supporters of Israel.
With the United States stepping up military and diplomatic preparations for a possible strike against Iraq, much of Israel was focused this week on when a war might break out and whether it would affect Israel.
The question is whether our overt war against Al Qaeda should be extended to Iraq.
Ask any rabbi or community relations professional; in Jewish communities across the nation, there is support for the Bush administration\’s Iraq policy laced with healthy doses of skepticism and outright opposition — the whole range of reactions of a worried nation.
During Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz\’s mid-December visit to Washington, U.S. officials went out of their way to try to convince the Israeli delegation that the United States would do all it could to defend Israel, and that there would be no need for Israel to get involved in the war.
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