The background

Israel was established as a settler colony in 1948 with the enablement of the UN in the aftermath of the anti-semitic feeling harbored in Europe during the 19th and 20th century. The settlement is based on the Zionist premise, which espouses that the Jewish community, claiming its Holy Right to return to its sacred homeland, has the right to the creation of a nation-state.

Despite various negotiation attempts to reduce the tension in the area, Israel chose expansion over security and diplomatic settlement, and has made a continued effort to expand its territory by displacing and killing Palestinians since the 1948 forced exodus of the Palestinian people in the so-called Nakba (translatable to the ‘Catastrophe’).

For decades, Israel has maintained military rule over the Occupied Palestinian Territory through policies that limit the freedom of movement, residency rights or voting, and by implementing institutional discrimination that amounts to systematic oppression.

Furthermore, Israel’s deploy of violence has been marked by violations of the Geneva Conventions by commiting acts such as 1) detention, killing and torture of civilians, 2) appropriation of land and destruction of civilian property, 3) forcible transfers, 4) assaults and harrasment of medical personnel.

Religion has been a card consistently played by Israel: it has attributed the tension in the area to a long-standing religious conflict. But this conflict  is not about religion, but about land ownership and control of resources. Israel has been successful at identifying itself with the Jewish faith and appropriating it for its own benefit. By equating anti-semitism to anti-zionism, it has been able to escape criticism for its actions, widely understood as war crimes and violations of Human Rights.

And now you’re gonna ask us …

You are a club, why are you getting into political topics when it’s not necessary?

As Desmond Tutu once said: ‘If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor’. Silence in the face of violence enables the violence to continue existing so we have decided to use the voice we have to speak up for those who can’t. Having a platform and visibility entails a responsibility, and we think we need to act in accordance with the core values on which the club culture stands: empathy, solidarity and care for the others. Our very existence is political, and ignoring the political nature of society would be detrimental to it.

Are you anti-semitic?

This is a very important point that everyone should understand: anti-zionism doesn’t equal anti-semitism. Anti-zionism stands for the criticism of the establishment of a Jewish state on Palestinian lands, whereas anti-semitism is the prejudice against Jewish people due to their ethnical and religious identity. Jewish people are not identifiable with the state of Israel, which, by equating anti-semitism to anti-zionism, has been able to escape criticism for their actions, understood as war crimes in accordance with the Geneva Conventions.

Israel is a theocratic, right-wing state, meaning it has been successful throughout time at identifying itself with the Jewish faith and appropriating it for its own benefit. A big part of the Jewish community worldwide is highly critical of the actions of Israel and they feel outraged that their ethnic and religious identity is connected with the violence perpetrated by the Israeli government. Identifying anti-zionism and anti-semitism would be the same as saying that being critical of Hamas is being islamophobic. Don’t let the actions of a group define a collective ethnic, cultural or religious identity.

Why are you taking sides instead of condemning violence from both sides?

We are condemning violence in absolute terms, but we acknowledge the severe power imbalances when it comes to the financial and military capabilities on both sides. The threat to the wellbeing of the Israeli population, while real, cannot be compared to the existential risk or stress undergone by the Palestinian people, and it is visible in the number of deaths, injuries, material destruction and trauma present on both sides. It’s not about ‘taking sides’, but supporting those overpowered and weak in the face of blatant injustice.

Why are you criticizing Israel?

We openly condemn the theocratic, right-wing government of Israel due to its long-standing history of violation of human rights and war crimes, like killing civilians, the destruction of civilian property and hospitals, attacking the press and medical personnel or unlawful arrests. It has been able to do so due to the unconditional support of an important international actor, the USA, which has exerted its veto power and blocked UN pacifying actions and has provided valuable military and political support. Nonetheless, it is important to note that when criticizing the government of Israel and condemning its crimes we would never culpabilise the whole Israeli population.

Are you supporting Hamas?

It is very dangerous to identify Hamas with the whole of Palestine, as it is to do so with the Israeli government and all its population, and, furthermore, all the Jewish people. Hamas is a radical fraction that promotes the use of violence to liberate the state of Palestine, and we do not endorse their actions. Supporting the Palestinian people, that are generally the victims, not the perpetrators of the violence, doesn’t entail any kind of support to a violent cause, but a claim for the right of all to live in peace and with dignity.

Why are you acting on this specific case out of all causes?

Supporting this cause doesn’t mean we’re not outraged and deeply saddened by the misery that exists all over the world. Our resources and time are limited, and we have to remember that Ankali is not a humanitarian organization but a club. We have to pick our battles, and we found ourselves strong enough at this moment to do so. All systems of oppression reinforce one another, and none can be fought in isolation, so by fighting in this case we want to promote the values we believe in, and try to make a difference.

How are you going to ensure that the money is spent on what it should?

We are fully aware of the skepticism regarding the misuse of donation funds, but we have done a thorough research and have chosen two organisations we trust given their profile and backing by third parties. You can find more information about them in this link.

Why are you using strong terms and talking about settler colonialism and apartheid instead of conflict?

Words are very important: they build our understanding of reality. In a sensitive matter like this one, it’s important not to downplay the degree of violence displayed. By saying the Israeli-Palestinian issue is a conflict, we would imply there is an equal footing from both sides, which is untrue. Hence, we define it as an act of settler colonialism: a form of colonialism that seeks to replace the native population of the colonised land with a new society of settlers. This entails an ethnic genocide and apartheid of the Palestinian people as per the definition in the Rome Statute of the International Crime Court.