I used to never follow the news, and the only politics I cared for were the ones that involved me . . . until I studied abroad in Jerusalem last spring. Prior to my arrival in January, I was completely unaware of any political strife within Israel. I didn’t know it was a Jewish state, that Arabs lived there, that there was a “conflict,” what Palestine or the West Bank was, what Zionism was, and maybe ever heard the words “Gaza” or “Hamas” once before. Whenever I was in the midst of a political debate, I kept quiet for I had nothing to contribute nor did I desire to. Because of this, I was able enjoy the pure beauty of Israel for the first three months, minus the politics, to my heart’s desire.
My initial friendships were mainly with American Jews who were also studying abroad. As most of my time was spent with them in the beginning, we never discussed politics or interacted with Palestinians, only Jewish culture and religion. We never explored the West Bank; only the irreplaceable scenery of Israel. The mental nonexistence of Palestine in my consciousness allowed me to be swept away by this otherworldly land and I fell quickly, deceivingly, in love.
Eventually, I learned that Zionism is the belief that after centuries of persecution, Jews should have a country of their own. Shortly thereafter, my acceptance of it flourished as a fascinating concept and I proclaimed myself a Zionist. The promise of Israel as a safe haven for the global diversity of Jews was inspiring. I thought it gorgeous the way any Jew from around the world could come to their “home” of Israel. Jews from Ethiopia, Argentina, France, anywhere could make “Aliyah” (emigration to Israel) while the government helps them set up with living space, employment, and Hebrew lessons, leading to a beautiful blending of cultures among Jews.
In April, I visited Bethlehem (Palestinian territory) for the first time. When I settled into the hostel, the family who owned it graciously sat me down in their living room and almost randomly said: “We don’t hate the Jewish. We just want peace.” I smiled awkwardly in response because there was too much for me to learn and nothing to say. I learned about the weekly restricted water supply in the West Bank and every future hostel I stayed at within there had signs asking us to take quick “2-5 minute showers,”– a request unheard of in Israel.
“The government gives all the water to the Jewish,” she said with eyes that shined with an eagerness to say more. I reflected on how my roommates and I lavished in Israel’s unrestricted water supply and took over ten minute showers. This example of inequality is an extension of Zionism that is marked with the philosophy that Israel was given by God to the Jews and that Gentiles, mainly Palestinians, can either live elsewhere or accept living lives with inequal rights. I naively fawned over the idea of Zionism before I saw Palestine, but I cannot accept the way it currently and popularly functions.
Zionism sets up all channels of discrimination with little or reverse punishment. I always wonder, “if everyone in Israel is a Zionist, then what happens to those who visit or live there who are not?” While riding the light rail and after crossing myself at the end of a prayer, two Jewish men pointed and laughed at me, ridiculing my brief display of Christianity, an “other” religion. During my last month, before the start of the Israeli-Gaza War, I witnessed the worst racism I ever saw in my life. On July 1, mobs of extremist Israelis stormed through the city center chanting “Death to Arabs!” while some attacked random Arabs in the street before being arrested by police. For weeks after, Arabs never entered the city center and these terroristic demonstrations along with counter pro-peace demonstrations erupted every day throughout and within all of Israel and Palestine between leftists and rightists, Arabs and Israelis, Palestinians and the IDF.
While walking through Jerusalem with an Israeli friend and self proclaimed “Zionist leftnik,” I asked him, “if Israel becomes the exclusively Zionist land of Jews for the Jews, who will be there to teach them when they are wrong to discriminate against those who are different when they are all the same?” To this he had no answer. I pray the day does not come where we will be forced to have one. Inshallah.
Nikko Espina