Left and Lefter: You are not my brother

Sunday, August 07, 2005

You are not my brother

Avram Burg, a former speaker of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament), has long been someone I have held a lot of respect for. He is also an excellent writer, and he recently issued a scathing attack on ultra-nationalist religious Jewish settlers of the West Bank and Gaza Strip who claim to be upholding Judaism in their disgusting views.

When they threaten me and talk of 'a war of brothers,' I stop dead in my tracks. Are these my brothers? No!
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I have brothers and sisters in values and spirit. If you are a bad person, a whining oppressor or a strong-armed occupier, you are not my brother, even if you observe Shabbat and uphold the religious precepts.
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Automatic Judaism, without self-criticism and without moral commitment implies an unacceptable racist doctrine.

I'm glad someone of his stature finally came out and said it...