American Jews, Liberalism and Zionism

To the Editor:

Re “American Jews in the Age of Palestine,” by Peter Beinart (Opinion guest essay, March 24):

There is a fundamental flaw in the article. Zionism does not require backing the Israeli government; it does assume backing for the State of Israel.

The nation is and has been divided, and choosing to support the liberal elements of Israeli society, during a period when the ultra right controls the government, is not a rupture. It is a choice to support what many of us believe to be Jewish values, with the domination of the Palestinians being un-Jewish.

Yes, there is a rupture between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Jewish diaspora, but that does not translate to a rupture with Israel, at least not yet.

Steven Goldberg
Brooklyn

To the Editor:

Peter Beinart claims that the Anti-Defamation League is aligning itself with “Republicans who want to silence ‘woke’ activists on campus.” That’s a distortion of our record. Since 1913, the ADL has hewed to a strictly nonpartisan strategy in calling out antisemitism — whether it emanates from the far left or the extreme right, or anywhere in between.

Moreover, Mr. Beinart’s assertion that we are stifling pro-Palestinian speech is ludicrous. Since Oct. 7, there have been at least 2,874 anti-Israel rallies across the U.S., many held on or near campuses. There’s no shortage of sit-ins, opinion essays, protests and other public manifestations on behalf of the Palestinian cause.

Students are entitled to their First Amendment right to protest, but when free speech devolves into intimidation and threats, we must call it out without hesitation. At stake are the safety and security of Jewish students.