Racial Discrimination, Middle East Style
In addition to all the problems in the news about Gaza, there is also the issue of racial discrimination that is not often mentioned. One of the neighborhoods in Gaza where Afro Palestinians live, some of whom are descendants of slaves brought to the region is called Abu Abeed. Abeed is a derogatory term meaning slaves. Discrimination in jobs and inter-racial marriage still exists. In permitted polygamous marriages which allow four wives, it is not common for a Black woman to be a first wife.
Violence still exists in Iraq between Shia backed by Iran and Sunni supported by Saudi Arabia often ending in death and kidnapping. In Syria we have seen sectarian violence between the Kurds and the Turks; Bedouins hating the Druze; and as the late singer, songwriter, Tom Lehrer sang in “National Brotherhood Week,” “everyone hates the Jews.”
By contrast Israel is a country that accepts people from different countries, continents, and racial background offering the same citizen rights. Israel rescued Ethiopians in the 1980’s through the 2020’s from starvation and persecution, at the same time unifying families during the subsequent period. Now there are approximately 168,000 Ethiopian Israelis living in Israel. They were settled in Israel, and the children were enrolled in schools and adults given language and jobs training, and they enjoy equal rights as all citizens do. It is not perfect, and I am sure there has been some job discrimination and some reports of police brutality, but the country is constantly working to improve the lives of all its citizens. I have personally witnessed and volunteered in a program to tutor young adults in English to help them acquire better employment opportunities. Whenever I speak with a student, I consistently observe the pride they have in their country.
Israel also reaches out to other countries in need as they have recently done in South Sudan by sending food and medical supplies during a recent Cholera outbreak. They embrace a moral responsibility to help those in need regardless of race or ethnic background.
In America and Europe after the heinous unthinkable acts of October 7, I expected the world to be outraged after seeing the aftermath of attacks on families, women, and babies. It never got to the level of outrage and within two weeks shifted to disbelief and support for the perpetrators. A strange combination of supporters surfaced at Palestinian rallies and campus protests sometimes made up of white supremacists’ groups including David Duke, the former leader of the KKK, as well as Black Lives Matter chapters. This phenomenon was quickly followed by support of Hamas from local city councils who have enough local problems with no authority over foreign policy issues. These groups had different agendas, but the common thread is being anti-Israel. It is sad that when we realize how many Jews participated in the Civil Rights Movement and marched with Dr. King, and others murdered for their beliefs.
After October 7, it seemed clear that the world needed to be on side of humanity and morality to defeat Hamas and bring back the hostages, but sadly that never happened. There has been a long debate whether Judaism is a religion or a race. It is accepted that Judaism is not a race, but antisemitism is racism. After seeing what has happened with antisemitic incidents happening around the world, anti-Zionism is a form of antisemitism. I hope that the world will eventually wake up and we will all be on the same side, which is the side of humanity.
