Of course we all know - as the Americans are forever telling us all - that the US has almost unfettered right of free speech guaranteed under its Constitution. But, to a point, it seems, when words or actions are pro-Palestinian or claimed to be anti-Israel. No better example of how the insidious pro-Israel Lobby exerts pressure in all manner of means is seen in this piece on the "Conflict Kitchen" Mondoweiss.
"Pittsburgh may be known for its steel mill past and its high-tech present, but is now emerging as the seat of a lively debate concerning Palestinian food, free speech, and criticism of Israeli policies.
The Conflict Kitchen is a take-out eatery that only serves food from countries with which the United States is in conflict. The restaurant began serving Palestinian food on October 6. On November 8, restaurant co-director Jon Rubin received a letter containing a death threat. As a result, Mr. Rubin temporarily closed the Conflict Kitchen."
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"In 2012, Dr. Boas traveled to Israel and Palestine on a tour led by the Israeli Committee against Home Demolitions. Dr. Boas was adamant that a discussion about Palestine didn’t need to represent a perspective that’s uncritical of Israel as a counterbalance.
The lunch series “was a wonderful example of free and open speech. It’s also really a metaphor for what the American Jewish community and the Israeli power structure is doing worldwide, and that is silencing Israeli criticisms and using anti-Semitism for the justification for doing so, and what is attempting to be silenced is the furthest thing from anti-Semitism you can imagine. It’s criticism of the occupation and the repression of the Palestinian people and they can’t hear that, they’re threatened by that,” Dr. Boas explained."
Read the well worthwhile article in full here
"Pittsburgh may be known for its steel mill past and its high-tech present, but is now emerging as the seat of a lively debate concerning Palestinian food, free speech, and criticism of Israeli policies.
The Conflict Kitchen is a take-out eatery that only serves food from countries with which the United States is in conflict. The restaurant began serving Palestinian food on October 6. On November 8, restaurant co-director Jon Rubin received a letter containing a death threat. As a result, Mr. Rubin temporarily closed the Conflict Kitchen."
****
"In 2012, Dr. Boas traveled to Israel and Palestine on a tour led by the Israeli Committee against Home Demolitions. Dr. Boas was adamant that a discussion about Palestine didn’t need to represent a perspective that’s uncritical of Israel as a counterbalance.
The lunch series “was a wonderful example of free and open speech. It’s also really a metaphor for what the American Jewish community and the Israeli power structure is doing worldwide, and that is silencing Israeli criticisms and using anti-Semitism for the justification for doing so, and what is attempting to be silenced is the furthest thing from anti-Semitism you can imagine. It’s criticism of the occupation and the repression of the Palestinian people and they can’t hear that, they’re threatened by that,” Dr. Boas explained."
Read the well worthwhile article in full here
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