The highly visible actions of the Emory Advocates for Justice in Palestine over the past week as part of the international “Week of Action Against the Apartheid Wall” did little more than feed the very antagonism they claimed to address.
While EAJP was constructing a wall to inaccurately portray the Israeli West Bank barrier, members of Emory Students for Israel were organizing “Peace Week.” While EAJP was flooding our campus with offensive chalkings, a collection of pro-Israel students were gathering to learn a new Arabic word.

I’d like to think that EAJP’s actions are merely attempts to constructively criticize Israel. But I am not convinced, given the group’s injurious misuse of the words “apartheid” and “occupation.” Capriciously labelling Israel as an apartheid state when it is not manipulates and prevents the public’s understanding of the situation, not to mention that it insults the millions of black South Africans who suffered dehumanization and oppression under a true apartheid regime.

Moreover, under the Geneva Conventions, a land can only be considered occupied when attacked and overrun as a sovereign nation. An independent Palestinian nation never existed — so the concept of an Israeli occupation is fundamentally incorrect. Within the disputed territories, the Palestinian Authority has full power, completely with its own police force and municipality.

Israel is not perfect, but its pursuit of justice and equality is admirable. Israel offers sexual equality, gay tolerance and religious freedom. From the day of its inception, Israel has been committed to a “complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants,” as dictated in its Declaration of Independence.

Israel’s power is not in its military, but in its democracy and freedoms. Having been to Israel summer after summer, I have personally concluded that Israel occupies a unique place in the world as a positive example for other nations whose policies aspire to promote peace and justice.

The time has come to recognize that Israel does not exist in a vacuum — and Israel knows this, which is why the country has been willing to make painful concessions in the name of peace and go along, for the most part, with the recommendations of the USA.

In this conflict, both sides must acknowledge their own wrongdoing and move beyond finger-pointing to compromise — but thus far, the other side seems more willing to keep casting around blame than work toward a solution. EAJP may be gaining momentum on Emory’s predominantly liberal campus, but I believe that radical attitudes from either side will and must abate. EAJP’s tactics are merely emotionally based propaganda and fall far short of academic discourse. The fact that the pro-Israel population of the University has been placed on the defensive by a small minority on Emory’s campus provides a startling insight to how the actual state of Israel fares in a sea of hostile countries.

The sentiments of both EAJP and Emory’s pro-Israel community, though different, can be expressed productively in earnest dialogue. Cordial communication will transcend radical actions; perhaps one day we can go beyond our differences and sponsor a joint event. I believe in a shared future, in which the next generation will enjoy more peace that will in turn bring prosperity to the Middle East.

Jessica Fraidlin is a College sophomore from Dallas. She is the Israel Awareness Chair for Emory Students for Israel.