Women Wage Peace

masa arava march ariane littman

Why True Progressives Should Support Israel / by Gershon Tsirulnikov, The Algemeiner, 22/11/18

There appears to be a concerning trend, especially on university campuses, of universal condemnation of Israel within the progressive community — all because of a supposed disconnect between the Jewish state and progressive values. This rhetoric often involves criticism of the IDF for defending Israeli citizens against violence and terrorism. But looking at the situation empirically shows that Israel actively promotes a multitude of progressive values, which is why Israel must remain a multi-partisan issue on campus…..

Furthermore, from its conception, Israel has been a beacon of feminism. Many powerful women have blossomed in Israeli society. Just two examples are Golda Meir, who became Israel’s first female prime minister, and Dorit Beinisch, who served as Israel’s first female president of the Supreme Court. Feminism has also flourished in contemporary Israeli pop culture, as seen by the remarkable success of songs such as Netta Barzilai’s “Toy.” When discussing the song, the singer cited the #MeToo movement as her inspiration. Her song crossed international borders after winning the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest.

masa fureidis marchFurthermore, in a show of solidarity with Palestinian women, the Israeli organization Women Wage Peace has organized collaborative women’s marches in which Israeli and Palestinian women demonstrate together, demanding a peace deal between their governments. This civic action reminds us that when women speak up, even two tension-filled communities can come together under a common cause of peace.

 

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