Student accosts Holocaust survivor, compares genocide of Jews to Israel’s treatment of Palestinians
A Palestinian activist at an American college confronted a Holocaust survivor as he was giving a speech at Benedictine University about the horrors he endured during the genocide of Jews.
Ayah Ali called on Harold Kasimow, a professor from Grinnell University, to condemn the establishment of the State of Israel — and walked out when he refused to do so. Ali compared Kasimow’s experiences to Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians.
“It honestly means the world that you were willing to share your story with us, but I wanted to bring your attention towards a similar story,” Ali began. “I’m sure you know about what’s happening in Palestine and my question to you is, do you support or do you condemn the establishment of the Zionist Israeli state, and whether it’s okay to exile and completely — the complete ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people, the way that the Jewish people were exiled and ethnically cleansed?”
Of course, she’s out of our mind, delusional or a deceiver. Let’s compare. How many state-sponsored murders were carried by Hitler against the Jews: roughly six million. Now, how many state-sponsored murders have been carried out by Israel against Palestinians, just for being Palestinian: 0.
Also, no death camps in Israel, no forced relocation (actually in 2005 Israel forcibly removed 10,000 Jews from Gaza against their will, not Arabs!) and no boycotting of Arab businesses. In fact, before the wave of terror in the mid-nineties, Israeli Jews flooded into Palestinian villages to have their cars fixed. Furthermore, Israelis can’t pray on the Temple Mount, while Palestinians can and Israeli Jews cannot enter Bethlehem.
I am not saying things are perfect here in Israel in regards to the Palestinians, but comparing it to genocide is laughable. If Israel’s goal was genocide, there would be no Palestinians living in Israel’s disputed territories at all. The fact that there are millions, proves who claim as false.
According to her Twitter feed, Ali is affiliated with the school’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. Kasimow responded to her challenge saying that he is “not happy with the government in Israel,” but that he believes the state should exist.
“It’s such a complicated issue,” he said. “There are many Jews involved in interfaith centers who are working on this very issue, trying to help create peace, but it’s really both sides need to [be] open to each other and talk to each other. But if Israel should exist? Yes, I believe Israel should exist.”
Ali continued to challenge him saying that her hardships are “a result of experiences that you’ve been through. I am a survivor of the intifada.”
“It’s disappointing to know that a Holocaust survivor would remain neutral in a situation of injustice,” Ali said.“It’s not a matter of neutral, it’s not total guilt or innocence on either side,” Kasimow responded.
Ali then reiterated her statement and walked out.
Ayah Ali speaking at Benedictine University in Lisle, Ill. (Screenshot from Benedictine SJP/Twitter)
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