DAY 179 OF THE GAZA WAR: Tragedy in Gaza, Terror Attack, Demonstrations, A Historic Perspective of Antisemitism in the United States
Tel Aviv Diary, April 2, 2024
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS: I will have a Zoom briefing on Sunday, April 7th, at 11 AM EST and 6 PM Israel time.
FOR RAMAZ ALUMNI: Tomorrow, I will be speaking at the Upper School at 5 PM. If you are interested in attending, please message me so that I can inform security. Later in the day, at 8 PM, I will speak at Westchester Jewish Center in Mamaroneck. Next Monday (April 8th), I will be speaking at Young Israel of Hillcrest.
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TRAGEDY IN GAZA
The tragic accident last night, in which an IDF drone repeatedly struck a convoy of three humanitarian aid vehicles from the air, is set to have significant repercussions. The convoy was attacked after an armed person was observed joining it, raising suspicions of terrorist involvement. The rationale for repeated strikes on the convoy is unclear and almost irrelevant, considering the devastating implications for Israel.
No amount of PR can compensate for the mistake. This incident brings to mind the question previously posed by the American Administration—if moving 20 trucks into Northern Gaza is problematic, how feasible is it to relocate 1 million Gazans out of Rafah? This attack has severely impacted any effort to provide food to Gaza, with World Central Kitchen (WCK) Aid halting its operations and the UAE announcing (at least) a temporary suspension of its aid deliveries as well.
Calls for a ceasefire are likely to intensify, and the likelihood of Israel launching an offensive against Hamas in Rafah is diminishing. The war was lost on October 7th, and the only chance of achieving victory hinged on the IDF’s ability to rescue some, or all, of the hostages as a result of our troops being in Gaza. As of now, as many hostages have been killed by the IDF as have been freed.
Last night’s error did not occur in a vacuum. Remarkably, to date, no one has been held accountable for any of the gigantic missteps made during the war. Only one low-ranking major resigned due to the events on October 7th. Nearly six months later, no consequences have been faced for the unintended shooting of hostages earlier in the conflict, nor for any other astounding lapses. In contrast, weeks after Pearl Harbor, the Commander of the Pacific Fleet and the Commander of the Naval Base at Pearl were replaced.
In our case, no one has been replaced. Moreover, I fear everyone is desperately scrambling to rehabilitate their collective reputations—from Netanyahu on down. However, conducting a war as complicated as this one should not be entrusted to individuals marred by their mistakes attempting to redeem themselves for past errors. Such circumstances lead to even further errors and poor decision-making. The fallout from last night’s disaster could be the premature curtailment of our actions in Gaza. Tonight, in the announcement below
Chief of Staff Halevi announced that the IDF had finally established a command center for humanitarian aid. Five months late, but better than never.
DEMONSTRATIONS
This evening marked the third day of a four-day demonstration in Jerusalem, both supporting the hostage families and calling for a new election. Tonight’s demonstrations were particularly tumultuous, with clashes occurring between police and demonstrators near the Prime Minister’s residence on Gaza Street.
Concurrently, Israeli negotiators have returned from Cairo after presenting new proposals, which included additional concessions by Israel.
NORTH
Today, for the first time since November, rockets were launched at Nahariya. A barrage of ten rockets was fired on the coastal city. The IDF claims to have destroyed the launch site.
TERROR ATTACK
In the middle of the night, four policemen were injured in a ramming attack near the town of Kochav Yair near the West Bank. The terrorist then went on to the Eliyah crossing point, where he tried to carry out a stabbing attack but was neutralized.
ANTISEMITISM IN AMERICA
Now that I have been in America for several days, I feel it’s a good time to comment on a series of recently published articles on the state of American Jewry. Franklin Foer's article in The Atlantic, titled "The Golden Age Of American Jews Is Ending," stands out as the most compelling.
Antisemitism in America is a subject I have thought and written about a great deal over the years. As a historian, I feel it is necessary to provide some historical context to the issue. Over the next few days, I plan to delve a bit into the background behind Antisemitism in America before examining the current state of affairs.
Up until World War II, antisemitism was a significant problem in the United States. Without recounting the entire history of antisemitism, it is worth mentioning some significant incidents— General Grant’s order to expel Jewish traders from Union camps, the barring of Jews from resorts, the lynching of Leo Frank, and the amendments to immigration laws to further exclude more Jews, are just a few examples.
However, following World War II, public antisemitism declined significantly in the U.S. for three reasons. Firstly, the Holocaust made people reconsider their biases. Many said to themselves: “I might not like Jews, but if this [a Holocaust] is where it leads, I want no part of this.” Secondly, the integration of Jewish Americans in military service was extensive, with a higher proportion serving than any other ethnic group. This allowed servicemen who had never interacted with Jews to develop camaraderie with Jewish fellow soldiers. Lastly, the State of Israel came into being shortly after the war, which helped ‘normalize’ Jewish Americans in a manner similar to other ethnic groups. Jews now had Israel, providing them with a national homeland akin to Italian Americans or German Americans.
I think we need to examine antisemitism in America across three different dimensions. The first dimension involves the relationship between African Americans and Jews. The second analyzes the dynamics between the traditional left and Jews, while the third focuses on the interactions between the right and the Jewish community.
There has been a prevailing sense that American Jews and African Americans have traditionally maintained good relations over the years. American Jews were early supporters of the Civil Rights Movement. Yet, African-American Jewish relations were also not always idyllic. Though the iconic image of Abraham Joshua Heschel marching alongside Martin Luther King Jr. is often celebrated, the summer of 1964 presented a stark contrast.
During that time, as FBI agents searched for the bodies of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner — two Jews and an African American who were killed for traveling to the South to register Black voters — riots erupted in New York and other Northern cities. Jewish-owned businesses were often targets of those riots.
On February 3rd, 1966, Black-Jewish relations deteriorated substantially as a result of an incident in Mount Vernon, N.Y., in which the Congress of Racial Equalities Mt. Vernon chapter Chairman Clifford Brown shouted at a meeting: "Hitler made one mistake when he didn't kill enough of you Jews.”1 When CORE was slow to renounce Brown’s statement, its support from the Jewish community decreased radically. In fact, the only Black leader to unequivocally renounce Brown was Jackie Robinson, who wrote an article in the Amsterdam News on February 19th, 1966, headlined: "We Also Have Black Bigots."
Tensions between Blacks and Jews were further exacerbated following statements by Stokely Carmichael of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), who wrote: “It was the exploitation by Jewish landlords and merchants which first created black resentment towards Jews, not Judaism.”2 Finally, the statements of Black author Le Roi Jones further inflamed the situation when he asserted, “It is almost common knowledge that the Jews, etc., will go next time there is a large disturbance.”3
The year 1967 marked a very important moment for American Jews, as the Six-Day War led to a significant increase in Jewish identity in the United States. Conversely, the war in Israel also brought about the first significant cases of Black criticism against Israel. Prior to the war, Blacks had a robust tradition of Black support for Israel, with any criticisms being significantly subdued. However, after the war, the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee released a newsletter to shed light on the “Palestine Problem,” which stated:
That the Zionist conquered the Arab homes and land through terror, force and massacres. That they wiped out over 30 Arab villages before and after they took control of the area they now call “Israel"
Israel was Planted at Crossroads of Asia and Africa without the free approval of any Middle -Eastern, Asian or African country….
That famous European Jews, the Rothschilds, who have long controlled the wealth of many European nations, were involved in the original conspiracy with the British to create the "State of Israel" and are still among Israel chief supporters. That the Rothschilds Control much of Africa's mineral wealth.4.
Despite the anti-Israel rhetoric, the mainstream Black community largely maintained a pro-Israel stance, in no small measure influenced by Dr. Martin Luther King’s consistent support towards Israel. In 1968, only a few weeks before his assassination, King made the following statement emphasizing his position:
Peace for Israel means security, and we must stand with all our might to protects its right to exist, its territorial integrity. I see Israel as one of the great outpost of democracy in the world, and a marvelous example of what can be done, how desert land can be transformed into an oasis of brotherhood and democracy. Peace for Israel means security and that security must be a reality.5
Reflecting on these events from over 50 years ago, we can see some of the underlying causes of the problems that exist today — which appear to be deeply rooted. Tomorrow, I will discuss more recent developments.
*** NOTE: Please share your thoughts and let me know if you would like me to continue providing detailed historical background on antisemitism in America or, alternatively, only focus on current events.
BUSINESS
The Israeli chip startup Hailo announced the completion of a $120 million funding-round, led by existing investors Poalim Equity and Gil Agmon. Hailo is developing a processor for accelerating artificial intelligence tasks in edge devices, such as smart cameras and vehicles. The fundraising process began in the third quarter of 2023, with the first closing taking place on October 5th, just days before the Hamas attack and the outbreak of war. The fundraising continued during the war period until the final closing at the end of February.
Hailo does not define the latest capital investment as a new funding round, but rather as an expansion of the previous round announced two and a half years ago, in October 2021, amounting to $136 million. There is no change in Hailo's valuation, which is estimated at nearly one billion dollars. “When we started working on the fundraising last year, the market atmosphere was different. The market was weak despite the company making significant progress,” says Or Danon, CEO and co-founder. “If we were starting the fundraising today, the valuation would be higher, especially given the market enthusiasm around AI chips.” Since its establishment, Hailo's has raised a total of $344 million in funding.
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A PIECE OF HISTORY
Arab Refugees
One of the major outcomes of the War of Independence, beyond the establishment of the State of Israel, was the creation of Arab refugees. This matter remains one of the most contentious topics in history, with Palestinians referring to the period as the “Nakba,” which translates to “the tragedy.”
So, what led to “the Nakba”? The first stage of the Arab departure from the country occurred shortly after the United Nations’ approval of the partition resolution. Approximately 30,000 Palestinians, predominantly affluent individuals with liquid assets, left, primarily heading to Beirut and Cairo.
When the Palmach captured Jaffa, a Swiss observer noted:
Immediately everyone was consumed with terror, and soon the evacuations started. In the hospitals, the drivers of cars and ambulances took their vehicles, assembled their families, and fled and complete disregard of their responsibilities. Many of the ill, nurses, even physicians, the part of the hospital wearing the clothes they had on and fled to the countryside. For all of them, the one obsession was escape at any cost.
During the initial stages of the war, when the Arab armies were on the offensive, the pace at which refugees were fleeing slowed. However, this changed after the first ceasefire, as Israeli forces took the offensive and the number of refugees increased. At this point, the Israelis were no longer interested in persuading Arabs to stay. In fact, they encouraged Arab villagers, particularly in the southern regions, to leave. The scenario in the Galilee was somewhat different. For the most part, any village that chose to stay was permitted to do so. This was particularly true of Druze communities, which are notable examples of this approach.
The most blatant case of Israel prompting Arabs to leave occurred in Ramla and Lod, where the IDF actively facilitated the relocation of the Arab residents by assisting them in boarding buses to leave the towns. By the conclusion of the war, a total of 720,000 Arabs had left. Of them, 240,000 remained within the boundaries of Palestine by relocating to the West Bank.
American Jewish Year Book, 1966, Pg. 77
Stokely Carmichael “What We Want,” New York Review of Books, September 22, 1966, Pgs. 5-10.
American Jewish Year Book, 1966, Pg. 78.
Robert Weisbord and Richard Kazarian, Jr., Israel in the Black American Perspective, Greenwood Press, Westport, CT. 1985. Pg. 33.
Ibid, Pg. 40.
Well in respect of anti-semitism in the US. I recently read the Oppenheimer biography on which the recent film was based on. It describes the central element of Jewish scientists (but also many other nationalities) in the development of the A bomb, at least in part because of the realisation of the danger of Nazis Germany winning WW2, and a growing awareness of the Holocaust. In the book one can see a lot of anti-semitism against jewish academics in US universities prewar. At the same time increasing anti-communism (and many jewish academics were also left leaning, like Oppenheimer), and distrust of them in the context of USSR espionage. So whilst the anti-semitism declined post war, it also partially transformed into rapid anti-communism (lead by Hoover and the FBI). Ironically driving jewish scientists like Einstein etc. out of Germany was probably one contributor to Germany failing in its A bomb project.
I think James Chaney was a Roman Catholic.
Fred Smoler