{Originally posted to the author’s blogsite, My Right Word”
“Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove of Park Avenue Synagogue says that speaker after speaker at AIPAC said that Israel is not an apartheid state, but his own daughter squirmed and pointed out, If Palestinians can’t vote, doesn’t that make it an apartheid state?”
They can vote. For Palestinian elections. But Abbas won’t hold them. Undemocratic Palestinian Authority, not apartheid Israel.
My point was that this is a charge that is quite easily dismissed. If the daughter was referring to Israel, which I do not think she was, it is a ridiculous charge. One place to learn the truth, among many, is EOZ’s posters.
My presumption, however, is that she was referring to the situation of Arabs in Judea and Samaria who live under a military government (surprise, so do the Jews) and cannot vote for that administration which, to an extent, is an outreach of Israel’s government for which we Israelis do vote. And that is why is added:
They can vote. For Palestinian elections. But Abbas won’t hold them. Undemocratic Palestinian Authority, not apartheid Israel.
When was Abbas last elected to the position of President of the Palestinian Authority?
January 9, 2005. That is, er, more than 11 years ago.
If she was referring to a charge of “apartheid roads“, I ask the Rabbi to show her my post
and my video (explanation here). And he should ask here: how come Jews are killed by Arab terrorists in drive-by shootings if the roads are prohibited to be driven on by Arabs?
David E Y Sarna was quite upset and on
No evidence Rabbi did not teach his daughter. Just your own lashon hara. Apologize to him.
You ask him (if he taught his daughter). If he did, let me know and I’ll apologize. Have you asked him? I am waiting to apologize. Or not.
I am still waiting.
In the meantime, I see that Rabbi Cosgrove, the Senior Rabbi of Park Avenue Synagogue, Manhattan, back in December published this:
…far too often for far too many American Jews, we are left to wonder whether Israel loves us as much as we love Israel. We see an Israel that does not recognize the Judaism we practice…there is a moment, a moment in which we are living right now, that American Jewry’s historic reflexive support of Israel will no longer be a given.
American Jewry isn’t able to reconcile the dream of Israel as a liberal democracy and the death of the two-state solution; it is unable or unwilling to defend Israeli actions in the court of world or campus opinion. God help the person who criticizes a member of my family whom I love and loves me unconditionally, but for someone whose love for me is in question – well, that person, or in this case, that country will have to learn to fend for itself.
Is that the education he imparts to his family, not to mention his congregation?
If he would relay to me her email, I’ll be in direct contact to assist her as to her concerns.