The latest emotional spasm in the media over Gaza is nothing new. The matter of Israeli brutality (which is largely beyond doubt) and the resultant, predictable outrage from the usual quarters, is so recurrent and predictable that it has practically become a Western tradition in its own right, with its own coded language and ritual and putative ‘outsiders’ who ‘don’t get it’. Criticism of Israel and Zionists is of course perfectly understandable and, if I were required to make the choice, Anti-Zionism is the only position I would be prepared to take. However, I have found that there is an additional, third option, which is simply to accept that each side, the Jews and the Arabs, have a right to fight for their existence. This is what is known as neutrality.
It normally involves not making any outward assumptions about the legitimacy or moral superiority of one side or the other and simply letting them fight it out. Some people may be persuaded to reject neutrality in this matter on the basis that ‘our’ governments are aiding the Israelis with military technology and what not, but these are not ‘our’ governments. Western governments are largely under the influence of the Zionist lobby. If they wish to supply and lend favour to their client, Israel, that is a matter for them, but no imperative arises from this for white people to take one side or the other.
