On October 7, 2023,Hamas perpetrated a horrific pogrom, killing innocent civilians and obliterating entire families and communities. Critical Race Theory (CRT) should have been utterly discredited in the aftermath of Hamas's attack, yet, astonishingly, this did not happen. As a result, Israel is being perceived by large numbers of progressives as the ultimate oppressor, while Hamas is perceived as a freedom fighter (see example here)
With the rise of Identity politics, CRT has increasingly influenced the framing of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in certain academic and progressive circles in North America. This theory divides the world into a binary of oppressors and oppressed, often based primarily on skin color. This simplistic dichotomy has been applied to the complex geopolitical situation in the Middle East, with Israel often being portrayed as the oppressor in this narrative.
Jews in America are frequently viewed as white privileged oppressors in this narrative. This framework that portrays white as evil is not only overly simplistic, but also in the Jewish case fundamentally inaccurate. The progressive discourse fails to capture the unique Jewish experience. Jewish skin pigments in America may be mostly white, but “white” is a socially and historically loaded concept, referring to a phenomenon from which Jews have suffered throughout history. The narrative fails to align with historical or logical analysis and is shaped more by ideological biases than factual accuracy.
Since Jews are framed as white, then the Jewish State is perceived as white and colonial. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is framed as a struggle between a white, privileged oppressor and brown, oppressed Palestinians. Israel is depicted as an Ethno nationalist project, inherently racist. This simplistic binary view fails to recognize not only the unique historical and geopolitical circumstances of Israel, but also its demographic composition (most Israeli Jews, are non-white of Mizrahi/Ethiopian/central asian or other descent).
Hamas is often portrayed as a freedom-fighting organization of oppressed brown people. The progressive discourse draws parallels between the structural discrimination faced by African Americans and the struggle of the Palestinians. This comparison, often made by anti-Zionist groups, likens Israel to the former apartheid regime in South Africa, intensifying the impact of this narrative among progressive groups. Such a framework fails to acknowledge the genocidal character of Hamas.
The Hamas pogrom was a tragic event that should have served as a definitive refutation of CRT's binary worldview. Yet, using the lenses of CRT, many in the West utterly see Israel as the ultimate evil or equate Israel’s actions with those of a terrorist organization. Fabrications and lies are increasingly normalized, dehumanizing Israel and Jews.
In response, the Jewish community must be at the forefront of those opposing CRT. It is the order of the day for the Jewish People to fight its consequential falsehoods and prejudice. This commitment to truth and justice is not just a defense of the Jewish community but a stand for universal values in an era increasingly mired in misinformation and ideological bias. It is our contemporary mission as a people.
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