Point•Counter-point failed to criticize Israel

RE: Point•Counter-point: Israel Apartheid Week, Mar.9

I am really disappointed about the lack of diversity among the opinions expressed in the article about Israeli Apartheid Week. The “Point/Counter Point” section of The Cord generally represents two radically different views.

This week both writer’s seemed to share the same opinions regarding IAW, with slight variations in the words they used to condemn the event. Additionally, Mr. Shaposhnik made slanderous generalisations about the motives of IAW organizers.

Mr. Shaposhnik is in no position to speak for the opinions of organizers of an event that is held on university campuses worldwide. In regards to his comments about the lack of support for IAW on campus: as an organizer for IAW on Laurier campus in previous years, I must respectfully disagree.

Our events were well attended and encouraged dialogue in an environment where hate speech or discrimination of any kind was not accepted or tolerated.
In regards to why there is no IAW at Laurier this year: while people wanted to attend events, they were unable to organize them. This does not mean there is no longer a large demographic of Laurier students who are in solidarity with the Palestinian, and the objectives of IAW.

—Gina Kish

I could not think of a better illustration of the stunted media dialogue on matters regarding Israel than last week’s “Point/Counter-point: Israel Apartheid Week.”  Neither of the commentaries acknowledged the voluminous condemnations of the Israeli government’s crimes against Palestinians from NGOs and governments around the globe.  Instead they both relied on the felonious assumption that the Israeli government has done and can do no wrong.  

To be frank, anybody that refuses to acknowledge the Israeli government’s crimes against Palestinians (whether it be the continued deprivation of an occupied people or the horrific assault during 2008-9 Operation Cast Lead), as Misters Shaposhnik and McNinch-Pazzano do, are the real threat to the Israeli people.  

The continued uncritical support from the Canadian and American governments and its lapdog elite media is alienating Israel from even its staunchest allies and defenders.  

According to Uri Avnery, a former member of the Israeli Knesset, it has gotten to the point that Germany, a historic defender of the nation of Israel, voted for the UN Security Council resolution to condemn the Israeli government for its settlement expansion.  

When Binyamin Netanyahu called the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, to protest German support for the resolution, she chastised him by saying he has broken so many promises that no world leader believes a single word he says and then demanded he make peace with the Palestinians.  When commentators ignore Israeli government crimes they promote injustice to both the Palestinian people and the citizens of Israel.

—Culum Canally