January 12, 2008

Surely some Mstake?

The feminist publication, Ms. Magazine, has rejected an advert from the zionist American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the AJC isn't happy at all. The advert was taken out to show that Jewish women can climb to the top of the greasy pole of Israeli politics. It's basically a hasbara "isn't Israel wonderful?" ad.

Here's what the AJC says about the magazine:
Ms. Magazine has long been in the forefront of the fight for equal rights and equal opportunities for women. Apparently that is not the case if the women happen to be Israeli.

The magazine has turned down an AJCongress advertisement that did nothing more controversial than call attention to the fact that women currently occupy three of the most significant positions of power in Israeli public life. The proposed ad (The Ad Ms. Didn't Want You To See) included a text that merely said, “This is Israel,” under photographs of President of the Supreme Court Dorit Beinish, Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Tzipi Livni and Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik.
But equal opportunities for Jewish women doesn't say all there is to say when we say "this is Israel". We could, and perhaps should, show a picture of a murdered Palestinian child and say "this is Israel". This would show people the price paid by non-Jews for Israel's equality for Jewish women. This is without getting into the problems such a militaristic society can pose for women even if they can get into, and get on in, Israeli politics.

Ms Magazine hasn't reported on the controversy but the AJC report does shed more light on their stand.
AJCongress President Gordon concluded, “Ms. has the right to turn down our ad. But in exercising that right, it has spoken loudly about itself and its readership, and their lingering hostility to Israel.”
Any group concerning itself with equalities issues should be hostile to Israel. It doesn't get worse than ethnic cleansing and Israel's existence is predicated on ethnic cleansing.

I don't know enough about this Ms Magazine to know whether this is in the Mearsheimer and Walt or Jimmy Carter or Desmond Tutu league for yet another blow against Israel's declining prestige in America but it is certainly good news. The most grotesquely racist state on earth shouldn't be allowed to tout its equality for Jews credentials without mention of who pays. And Ms Magazine deserves praise for the stand it has taken.

No comments:

Post a Comment