new york | The last time U.S. Jews took to the streets in significant numbers to make the case for Israel’s right to defend itself, rockets were raining down on southern Israel from the Gaza Strip during Israel’s war with Hamas in early 2009.
This time it’s a public relations war rather than a military one that has sent Jews into the streets warning that a campaign is under way to wipe Israel off the map.
In indignant statements to the media, in op-eds and at rallies around the country, those jumping to Israel’s defense are casting the fallout to last week’s flotilla incident — and the mounting opposition to Israel’s blockade of Gaza — as part of a campaign to delegitimize Israel’s right to defend itself.
“Once again, my friends, Israel is under siege,” said Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, at a pro-Israel rally June 6 in Los Angeles.
The L.A. protest was one of dozens across the country precipitated by the May 31 interception of a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists. Israeli commandos encountered violent resistance upon boarding the ship, and opened fire. Nine Turks died in the incident.
The incident became a rallying cry for pro-Palestinian activists, who held rallies across the country and around the world protesting Israel.
In San Francisco, pro-Palestinian groups held demonstrations in front of the Israel Consulate June 1, in front of City Hall June 5 and at the gates of Israel in the Gardens on June 6.
Just outside the entrance to Yerba Buena Gardens, about 30 people from the International Solidarity Movement, Students for Justice in Palestine and Women in Black, among others, stood in a tight circle, said Faith Meltzer of San Francisco Voice for Israel.
“Anyone who had to walk into the Gardens had to walk through this gauntlet of hate,” Meltzer said. “But the real story is not the 30 fringe protestors outside — the real story is the tens of thousands who came to show solidarity with Israel.”
Dr. Michael Harris, also of SF Voice for Israel, said close to 300 people from Israel in the Gardens signed the group’s e-mail list. “I think people are realizing with the climate the way it is today, it is necessary that Israel supporters stand up and be counted,” he said.
SF Voice for Israel organized counterdemonstrations at pro-Palestinian rallies here and throughout the United States.
The group, also organized a solidarity rally June 2 on San Francisco. Seventy-five people showed up at the Israel Consulate to wave flags, hold signs and dance to Israeli music blaring from a sound system.
“It was beautiful and so nice not to have people standing opposite us screaming threats and anti-Israel and anti-Semitic statements,” Meltzer said.
In Los Angeles, about 3,000 people, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, attended a June 6 demonstration in front of the city’s Israel Consulate. Israeli Consul Jacob Dayan warned the crowd that the international outcry against Israel is an attempt to delegitimize the Jewish state.
“Enough of the campaign of lies spread by the defenders of terror,” Dayan said. “Those on the flotilla were not peace activists.”
Meanwhile, pro-Israel supporters organized demonstrations in Baltimore, New York and Philadelphia.
Many Jewish groups said the worldwide reaction to the flotilla incident smacked of hypocrisy.
“Why did we not hear the same voices of condemnation raised as thousands of rockets poured down on Israel or on behalf of Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped by Hamas more than four years ago and held incommunicado ever since?” the main Jewish umbrella group, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, asked in a statement.
To be sure, U.S. Jews have not been uniformly supportive of Israel’s actions on the high seas.
Some Jewish groups questioned the wisdom of Israel’s blockade of Gaza and the way the flotilla raid was conducted. J Street, Americans for Peace Now and Ameinu all issued statements critical of Israel’s Gaza policies.
“There wouldn’t have been a flotilla if Gazan children had enough food, had schools and clean water to drink,” Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of J Street said.
Staff writer Stacey Palevsky and accounts from other Jewish newspapers contributed to this report.