Sunday, March 25, 2007

A Jewish minority appalled by Israel's stance

Financial Times

By Ellen Cantarow

Published: March 24 2007 02:00 | Last updated: March 24 2007 02:00

Sir, With reference to Lunch with the FT (March 17/18) and Tony Judt's views on the unique role Israel plays in the collective American mind, it should be added that there has always been a minority of American Jews - sometimes small but growing in recent years - appalled by Israel's savagery towards the Palestinians and by its aggressive militarism.

Even the least prominent of us who voice such an opinion run the gauntlet from public opprobrium through hate mail and job loss. Many are on the scurrilous Massada 2000 list of "self-hating Jews", which by far beats Bill O'Reilly, the Fox news commentator, in its level of invective.

Tony Judt is not the only one of us who has fantasies about emigrating. But fortunately he and others stay to engage in a struggle that, however upsetting and discouraging, must be waged.

Ellen Cantarow,

Medford, MA 02155, US

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007

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