World Courant
VIENNA
“In the event you criticize Israel, you’re known as antisemitic. I need to break this discourse as a result of I’m an anti-Zionist Jewish,” mentioned Jewish activist Dalia Sarig-Fellner.
The Austrian activist of Jewish origin is understood for the efficient demonstrations she organized in Austria to make the voice of the Palestinian folks heard and to focus on the humanitarian disaster in Gaza after Israel’s unremitting assaults on the Strip started over seven months in the past.
She instructed Anadolu in regards to the accusations she was subjected to by her shut circle as a result of protests she organized, the perspective of the Israeli public in the direction of the occasions in Gaza and the large-scale demonstration she’s going to set up within the Austrian capital Vienna.
The activist defined that she began dwelling in Austria after spending a sure a part of her life in Israel. She mentioned that she confronted critical issues along with her household and shut circle after she took an energetic half in pro-Palestinian demonstrations after Oct. 7, 2023.
Genocide in Gaza and antisemitic accusations
“Since I began the (Palestinian) protests, my household stopped talking to me,” she lamented.
“The Jewish neighborhood accuses me of being antisemitic,” Sarig-Fellner mentioned, including that she had anticipated this to occur to her earlier than she began the protests, however that what she was going via was nothing in contrast to what’s taking place in Gaza.
The activist burdened that she was conscious that the time period genocide within the Strip has a delicate place in Jewish historical past, including that: “I made this assertion consciously as a result of many jurists consider that (what occurred) was genocide.”
“The Court docket of Justice of the EU additionally factors to a potential genocide,” she emphasised. “After I take a look at the visuals and what I’ve seen of what occurred, it jogs my memory of genocide.”
Sarig-Fellner mentioned that she confronted the accusation of “trivializing the Holocaust” by telling the story of her grandfather, who needed to go away Austria in 1938 resulting from Nazi persecution, in a present.
She identified that the views suggesting that the Israeli public is unaware of the assaults on Gaza and subjected to a type of blackout don’t mirror actuality.
“Nearly all of the Israeli inhabitants are troopers. They’re both necessary conscripts or reservists,” she mentioned, including: “They’re those doing this (what’s taking place in Gaza); they’re there, and what’s taking place in Gaza can’t be hidden in any means.”
“It is inconceivable,” she underscored. “An individual born in Israel is raised utterly brainwashed.”
“Palestinians have been ignored in historical past books, movies, and artwork. They haven’t been seen as folks with feelings by governments,” she criticized.
Palestinians seen as enemies
Referring to the blocking or damaging of assist to Gaza by some Israelis, who see Palestinians as enemies, the Jewish activist mentioned: “There’s a prevailing perception that Palestinians, Arabs, or maybe Muslims can’t be trusted.”
“They don’t seem to be telling the reality; in actual fact, they need to drown Jews within the sea,” she burdened. “That is fully deep-seated racism and it’s fully pervasive in all college textbooks, in folks’s feelings, within the nation’s environment.”
“Nearly everybody thinks this fashion,” she underlined.
Sarig-Fellner talked about that the understanding of the “Promised Land” is predominantly prevalent amongst marginal spiritual teams, however these teams have considerably elevated in recent times, with half of the nation pondering this fashion.
Recalling that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fashioned a coalition authorities with these spiritual teams, she defined that these teams proposed a authorized reform advocating for the legalization of spiritual values somewhat than democratic values, resulting in critical rigidity within the nation earlier than Oct. 7, 2023.
‘We’re Jews, however we aren’t Zionists’
The activist additional identified: “The state of Israel wished to advertise that Judaism and Zionism are related.”
“Which means in the event you criticize Israel, you’re antisemitic,” she burdened. “I need to break this discourse as a result of I’m an anti-Zionist Jew.”
“There are a lot of Jews who really feel this fashion, particularly within the US, however there are Jews right here in Europe who’re towards this method and so they say: ‘We’re Jews, however we aren’t Zionists’.”
After Oct. 7, Sarig-Fellner additionally referred to the rumors that there are a substantial variety of Israelis who need to go away Israel for safety causes or are contemplating doing so: “Those that have European or international passports, their suitcases are prepared.”
“If the state of affairs in Israel worsens or if, for instance, we grow to be a democratic nation and the Palestinians have equal rights, then they won’t need to stay in such a rustic and they’ll go away Israel.”
“Fairly lots of people (suppose this fashion),” she asserted.
Sarig-Fellner, who has staged efficient protests, together with exterior the Austrian Parliament and the Overseas Ministry, mentioned she is making ready a significant demonstration on Might 15, the anniversary of the Nakba (Nice Disaster).
Large pro-Palestinian demonstration on Might 18
The activist mentioned that since Might 15 falls on a weekday, they’ll set up a big Palestinian demonstration within the capital Vienna on Saturday, Might 18, with individuals from totally different elements of the nation.
“We need to present that we’re the bulk and we won’t allow them to delegitimize us,” she underlined. “The Palestinian demonstrations usually are not extremist or antisemitic, however a easy act of solidarity.”
Saying that many individuals within the nation are apprehensive that they could face issues in the event that they take part in demonstrations in assist of Palestine, Sarig-Fellner added that they’ll attempt to present that collaborating in Palestinian demonstrations just isn’t antisemitic, with intense participation from totally different sectors.
Earlier, the UN company for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) mentioned over 10,000 ladies have been killed and 19,000 injured within the Gaza struggle, including: “The struggle in Gaza continues to be a struggle on ladies.”
The company additionally mentioned: “37 youngsters lose their mom each single day.”
Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip in retaliation for a Hamas assault final Oct. 7, which killed 1,200 folks. Greater than 34,900 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, principally ladies and kids, and over 78,500 others injured, in response to Palestinian well being authorities.
Over seven months into the Israeli struggle, huge swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, pushing 85% of the enclave’s inhabitants into inside displacement amid a crippling blockade of meals, clear water, and drugs, in response to the UN.
Israel stands accused of genocide on the Worldwide Court docket of Justice. An interim ruling in January mentioned it’s “believable” that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and ordered Tel Aviv to cease such acts and take measures to ensure that humanitarian help is supplied to civilians in Gaza.
*Writing by Merve Berker
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