Brit Tzedek v'Shalom

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The Armenian Observer
February 11, 2004

Moorad Mooradian, Ph.D.

Last week I discussed my marvelous experiences in San Francisco. Today's article is about one of the highlights that I omitted because it is significant enough to warrant its own space in print. At the reception I was genuinely pleased to have been sought out by Molly Freeman, Ph.D. She is married to an Armenian and is an activist in assisting to get the Armenian Genocide recognized. She is a lovely person, and my short conversation with her left me feeling that I wanted to get into deeper and longer discussions as to how we need to work to bring Armenians and Jews closer together for many reasons. Even though our contact was short lived, it was obvious to me from what Dr. Freeman had to say about the Israel-Palestinian confrontations that this is one person who really understands conflict resolution. She recognizes that victory by any one of the parties will not bring peace, and that both conflicting groups must fashion the end agreement so that both sides are satisfied. Dr. Freeman is a leader of the San Francisco Chapter of Brit Tzedek V'Shalom (Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace).

This organization is a national organization of American Jews deeply devoted to the well-being of Israel. However, they are not seeking an overwhelming victory of Israel over the Palestinians. They advocate a negotiated settlement in which the Palestinians are equal authors with the Israelis. The peaceful settlement that its members seek is grounded by the mitzvah, or obligation that is rooted in secular and Judaic tradition. Obviously, their thinking differs most strikingly from the vast majority of Likudniks in that Brit Tzedek V'Shalom advance the idea that the security of Israel is best achieved only through the establishment of an economically and politically viable Palestinian State. To achieve this, the organization insists that Israel must bring to an end its occupation of the land seized during the 1967 war, and there must be an end to the Palestinian terrorism.

Brit Tzedek is a human rights pulpit for American Jews to let the world, but most importantly the powers that be in Tel Aviv, Palestine and notably the US government, know that the ongoing killing between the conflicting parties is no more than a vicious cycle. The members of Brit Tzedek argue that the current policies threaten Israel's security, severely damage its economy, and are instrumental in eroding the values that underwrite a democratic society for the state. They surely grasp that war helps to undermine a value system built upon freedom and democracy. As Americans they obviously are experiencing the same erosion in values that has taken place in the US with the war against terrorism and the war with Iraq.

Brit Tzedek seeks to work in the US to increase dialogue within the American Jewish community in order to nudge US foreign policy toward the reality of a just peace. Dialogue, discussion and persuasion are sought via education, advocacy, and local chapters in approximately 30 cities around the US, to include my home state of R.I.

Many non-Jews think that the Jewish American community is willy-nilly committed to the dictates of the Israeli government: the Star of David, right or wrong. I have stated a number of times; this thinking could not be more incorrect. Yet, many Jews think that there is only one way that Jews can be pro-Israel, and that is to reflexively advocate the use of coercion, as thrust upon the Israelis and Palestinians by the Likud Party. This reminds me of the myopic Armenians and Azeris who believe that conflict resolution is gained solely by force of arms in all cases. As I have previously written, one need only read Ariel Sharon's autobiography to recognize his perception of peace with the Palestinians and Arabs in general. This growing community of Jews (Brit Tzedek) devoted to a peaceful resolution, maintain that the economy of Israel is in a "tailspin", with poverty deepening. Legitimate needs in education, health and the social services are constantly cut.

The reason, according to Brit Tzedek, is the enormous costs of building, expanding, settling and securing the settlements in "OCCUPIED Palestinian territory." The emphasis on the word "occupied" is mine, to stress that these advocates of a peaceful settlement with the Palestinians find no contradiction in their support for Israel when they call the lands taken in 1967 "occupied." Brit Tzedek supports the opposition in Israel that is adamantly opposed to the continued occupation of Palestinian territories, and they agree that the settlements must be evacuated. One of the signatories of a petition to this cause is Herbert C. Kelman, an advocate of true conflict resolution and a person with whom I have had contact at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University. Other signers of the petition that average Armenian readers may recognize, since they have also been prominent in advocating recognition of the Armenian Genocide are; Ed Asner, Theodore Bikel, Morton Halperin, Robert Jay Lifton, Gloria Steinman and Studs Terkel.

The Founding Principles of Brit Tzedek are truly constructive and achievable. One of the goals of Brit Tzedek is to accelerate a groundswell of popular support to mandate the will to forge a mutual settlement. The means to achieve the peaceful settlement include: dismantling all Israeli settlements and bringing safely to Israel the displaced settlers, except those who remain in mutually agreed exchange of territories between Israel and the Palestinians in any final drawing of borders; termination of terror and state initiated violence; structure of a future wherein conflicts are settled with non-violent means; a complete end to the Israeli military occupation of territories occupied since 1967 in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem and to adjust all borders by mutual consent; the establishment of a viable Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders; the establishment and recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of both states; and to find a just solution for the Palestinian refugees that takes into account the needs and aspirations of both peoples. Additionally, Brit Tzedek calls upon all American Jews to recognize that as Jews and citizens of the US, they have a special responsibility to take constructive political actions in the US to urge Washington to pursue policies that meet the requirements of a just peace for Israel and the Palestinians.

These principles and goals are not an outgrowth of the Palestinian suicide attacks. Members of Brit Tzedek such as Herman Kelman had been saying these things long before the terrible recent tit-for-tat tactics. This peace group has realistic, albeit difficult but not pie-in-the-sky, approaches. It is with groups such as Brit Tzedek that Armenian organizations need to cooperate and coordinate in order to help bridge the gap that presently exists between Israel and the Armenian community relative to Genocide recognition and other areas of disagreement. Peace is not just a Jewish or Palestinian cause. It is a goal necessary for all peoples if the ingrained goodness of humans is to overcome the purveyors of the darker side. Brit Tzedek is a step in that direction. Seek them out, as they have extended a friendly and peaceful embrace."