Jill, in reading this I wanted to make a couple of observations. I thing there are some generalizations here which may have an ounce of truth, but I don't believe are overall representative of those which I know personally that are involved in JVP.

I am a writer and am familiar with many other writers, numerous among there are American Jews. One in particular was a member of the peace corps, Following that, worked with Amnesty International. I can tell you, at lease the ones I have had discussions with, I can tell you are deeply committed to social justice.

This has indeed become in many respects divisive, especially on some campuses where voices on and off campus have be busy stirring up crap.

Part of the problem is that there is a common assumption the "some" people make that it you are supportive of Palestinian rights, you are anti-semitic. That work has become like a trump card.

Oh, you are anti-sametic!

Interestingly enough, the original term was used commonly in the 19th and 20 century in reference to Semitic languages. Ancient Semitic speaking people. This was related to ethnic, cultural or racial groups associated with the Middle East - including Arabs, Jews, Akkadians and Phoenicins. It that time it could be used disparagingly against Arabs as well as Jews.

Moving into more modern times It became more associated with Jews in terms of Hitlers belief in a superior aryan race. We all know where that led.

So today is is almost universally associated with persons singling out Jewish hatred. But by the the original linguistics it could be used to describe hate directed at Arabs as well. Hence it could be used against Palestinians as well.

In high school I grew up in a school that had many Jewish students. I was invited to one of my very good friend's bar mitzvah. I was quite honored.

I personally see a major difference between the Jewish people and the Israeli State. There are plenty of mistakes that have been made over the years that have set these two apart.

I do believe one can be very at peace with Jews as a people. But I have a big problem with Netanyahu.

He has paid lip service to a two state solution every time he has come back into power. He is like a very old scratched record that just plays over and over.

Honestly, I believe he has used Hamas to cultivate his remaining in prower. They are the big buggyman and he had been the right wing radical that. saves the nation. He reminds me a lot of Donald Trump who loves to say, Only I can do this. Netanyahu has a problem now, because in the end he will be blamed for leaving the gate open so to speak.

JVP people that I personally. know, feel very much like myself. They believe Netanyahu is like Hamas on steroids.

Hamas is a terrorist group that. deserves no sympathy. But the Palestinian people do not deserve to be carpet bombed. The IDF has weapons they can use for targeting certain people they wand to intentionally take out. They can go through a window of a third floor apartment to take out a poet that. they want dead. But mostly they are using dumb bombs. These ar bombs that are not guided. They are used to do the widest possible damage where they are dropped. Flattenn schools, houses, religious sites and cultural sites. These are the things that are done when one wants to eliminate a people. You cut off their water and food supplies. You destroy their very evidence of culture. This is the textbook genocide.

These are things Hitler did as well. The dehumanization.

Jill, I honestly don't know how Israelis and Palestinians are going to learn to live together. But they must embrace each other's existence, I believe as individuals first. The sad thing is I think what will it take for a palestinian child who has survived this not to grow up and become a poster child for Hamas. That is the target the Netanyahu has marked them. with. These three months alone have no doubt singed an image they may never erase. Just as the Israelis who have lost loved ones, or still have prisoners in Gaza they may be losing hope for.

I want to see the remaining prisoners home. afely in the arms of their friends and families. But I also want the bombing to stop. I want the women and children who are innocent to stop paying the price for the failures of both sides.

I recomend reading The Hundred years War on Palestine: AHistory of Settler-Colonia Conquest and resistance. 1917-2017 by Rashid Khalidi.

I am telling you that one can detest Netanyahu and his government, no have no anamas towards Jews. That does not make one anti-semitic.