Divestment Campaign Not Anti-Semitic

To the editors:

I was very disappointed to read about President Summers’ reaction to a petition calling for University divestment from Israel, specifically in declaring that the petition and its organizers were “anti-Semitic in effect, if not intent.”

The greatest danger in such a comment is the blurring of the lines between criticism of a state’s policies and a state’s peoples. If this separation were not possible, any opposition against a sovereign state, either in the form of economic sanctions or military action, would necessarily be founded upon sweeping generalizations against an entire population. Fortunately, we are able to dissociate our opinions of a government from our attitude towards its citizens—most of the time. When criticism of Israel arises, our vision becomes murky, the boundaries between state policy and the moral standing of the citizenry begin to break down. Can we criticize Israel? Can we organize or even discuss an orchestrated effort to affect changes in state policy without debasing the people of Israel, or for that matter, Jews anywhere in the world?

I respect the people of Israel, regardless of religion or race. I am confident that we can critically discuss official Israeli policy. Finally, I believe we can constructively debate ways to influence the Israeli government in addressing our grievances without putting our esteem of the people of Israel into question.

Scott Kennedy

Cambridge, Mass.

Sept. 21, 2002