At the end of December, I entertained the idea that I would write some pieces focused on every day life and take time for some creativity. I wanted to give my audience the same appreciation for Palestine that I get from living here but also take a step back toward my brush with creative writing in college.
Yet, today I am thinking about pink-washed apartheid. My work life boundaries are so poor, I find myself browsing for anti-occupation fare at home. This time, it was two articles about Israel’s supposed “pink-washing” of the occupation by recruiting queers to take part in publicity activities. The whole idea slid into my ears easily; this would be just one more on a long-list of apparatuses employed in their games of misdirection. I posted the articles on a private facebook feed, where I thought it would be of interest, and fielded some commentary from someone affiliated with Hillel. The results were predictable, right down to his misconceptions about homophobia in Palestine. It is often characterized by avoidance or negative social pressures, not typically “beatings and torture”. It isn't that it never happens. It happens in Texas: I'm sure it can happen in Nablus but that's not normal and the sweeping generalization is harmful to Palestinians. I respected his assertion that it was insulting to believe that Israel’s apparent tolerance for homosexuals would just be a device to mask racism.
No kidding! I can see how that would hurt! On the other hand, there is a brick-bat with this guy’s name on it in an Orthodox Jewish settlement—and they practice on Palestinians. Intentional, diabolical plot [insert evil laughter] or convenient diversion, it is effective pink-washing. Israel deserves no progressive-points for having their t’s crossed and asses kissed (though they always do a thorough job). When he started to comment on Gaza, I could tell he knew the proverbial less-than-nothing, courtesy of pro-Israel propaganda machinery. So, I offered to him that plenty of conscientious Jewish people exist and will welcome him to their circles if he sees Israel for what it is.
At the same time, I wondered if the pink-washing allegations were like the comparisons to Nazi Germany—too inflammatory and not constructive enough. The comparison is somewhat fair but only vaguely, whereas the outrage it incites is extreme. It touches raw nerves and opens the door for more ridiculous exceptionalism, giving Israelis the chance to compete for victimhood that they no longer deserve. Not worth it. I try to be very sparing about comparisons to Germany...
After all, its South Africa that is being washed-over. You heard me right: Israel is white-washing the fact that it is just like the South Africa of decades ago or worse. That comparison is apt, easy, and supported by decades of military, economic, and political collaboration between Israel and the apartheid regime in South Africa. South Africa had a Jewish community of its own, some of whom moved to settlements in the West Bank. The Hebrew word for separation policies translates into Afrikaans as “apartheid”. White-wash, pink-wash, whatever-wash ... it is Israel’s lobbying and propaganda machinery in the United States that has preserved occupation. Which leads us full-circle, back to our “friend” from Hillel, who undoubtedly meant well and is progressive in at least one obvious way....
Pink-washing sure does work, huh?
I would rather not end with that, though. After all, I am enjoying a big, whopping playlist of South African Jazz – protest and the blues! I am suckered. It’s a great story, how I came to have this music and be thinking about South Africa again—but in a different way.
They called her “indlovukazi” when she visited. In Zulu, queen mother or the matriarch of an elephant herd....
^^ Zulu!
