Chaudhry’s attempt to frame the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a clash of white versus brown people is misleading.

Israel does not raid refugee camps and deny basic human rights (such as access to clean drinking water, food, sanitation and security) to Palestinians because they may be of a darker shade than most Israelis. Israel’s actions, rather, stem from a misconception that Israeli security can be guaranteed through the muting and virtual subjugation of the Palestinian peoples. That the Israeli soldiers conducting raids into the occupied territories are “whiter” than the Palestinians they are uprooting is merely coincidental, and therefore inconsequential.

Chaudhry rightly points out the need for questioning America’s weak and indecisive response to excesses committed by Israel in its Occupied Palestinian Territories. It is disappointing to see him undermine what is otherwise a very legitimate and necessary criticism of Israel’s excesses through unnecessary reference to color.

Faisal Khalid ’02

April 11, 2002

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