On Thursday evening, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), invited Middle East activist and Jewish American psychologist Donna Nevel to share her thoughts on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Nevel’s talk, which was held in the Science Library, covered multiple facets of the issue, including the historical background of the conflict and the role of the United States.
She said that she considers Israel to be a military state aggressor, and compared the Palestinian struggle to apartheid in South Africa.
“It’s an issue of justice,” Nevel said. “It’s an issue of really speaking out for justice for the Palestinian people.”
Nevel is a member of the organization Jewish Voice for Peace, and is a founding member of Jews Say No! Both groups’ mission statements call for an end to Israeli presence in Palestinian lands and want changes in U.S. foreign policy toward Israel.
Growing up, Nevel said her Hebrew school taught her to view Arab people as ‘the other.’ But she says now, more than ever, Jewish American thought regarding the matter is changing.
“It’s easy to take it to another level and think ‘My people are just a little bit better than the other,’” Nevel said. “I think that’s changing.”
However, she credits her Jewish background for helping to frame her opinions. Nevel said that her study of the Talmud, one of Judaism’s most important texts, taught her to challenge and question everything.
“I had a strong emotional connection to Israel as a safe haven for Jews,” Nevel said. “But at some point it hit me. Jewish ethics and being an ethical human being in the world meant caring about justice for all.”
During her lecture, Nevel expressed support for financial divestment and economic boycott of Israel until the government ends occupation of Palestinian land, implements full equality and lets refugees return. She also said that the dialogue about Israel and Palestine needs to be more open, especially within the Jewish community.
“Calling critics of Israel anti-Semitic is an insult,” Nevel said. “It trivializes actual anti-Semitism. There’s a multiplicity of Jewish voices.”
Julie Quinn, a student from the Graduate School of Education and member of SJP, said she brought Nevel to BU because of her prominence as an Jewish American activist.
“I felt like we needed someone from the Jewish Voice for Peace to come because a major component of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is the Israeli side, the Jewish voice,” Quinn said.
The lecture was followed by a question and answer discussion session. Both Jewish and Muslim students participated and questioned Nevel, while offering their own feedback and opinions.
Austin Maurer, a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and law, said that both Israelis and Palestinians needed to take responsibility for issues in the region.
“I believe the hate is coming from both sides,” Maurer said. “I’m never going to defend the perfect Israel and I’m never going to say 100 percent that all things about Palestine are correct either.”