Let's get right to the bottom line here first. Those American Jews, and whoever else for that matter have been looking to what is called "JUNITY" (that's "Jewish Unity For a Just Peace" so they say) --- as some new organization that should be supported and might provide some hope, should now realize they have been severely mislead, or alternatively that they themselves are tragically naive.

The "Junity" gathering took place in Chicago a week ago. A hundred and fifty or so American Jews managed to make it there -- but most of those even inclined to this kind of thing stayed away; and for good reasons. Whatever, bottom line as we said, there was little unity, there were very few allies, and in so far as contributing to peace in the Middle East...well that's not even a poor joke at this point. Palestinians especially should realize there is nothing for them here -- it's just more of the old Jewish "dialogue" crowd in various masquerades primarily making themselves feel better about their own confused and troubled Jewishness.

The Chicago gathering was in fact mostly reform and conservative American Jews -- with a sprinkling of new age and secular types -- who are primarily desperate to make themselves feel better by saying and doing things which at this point are largely irrelevant to the urgently important matters they constantly profess to care so much about.

The conference turned out to be mostly an opportunity for soul-searching, holding hands, singing, and praying. But for those who felt there was an urgent need to actually do something, to at the very least issue a loud "Call For Action" that went beyond the organizing slogan of "End The Occupation", it was the wrong place -- definitely far too little far too late far too badly. Indeed, after hours and hours of hand-wringing the organizers of the conference themselves sabotaged their own conference's long-awaited "Call For Action". As mild and insufficient as it actually was, and with no real strategy to publicize it or back it up anyway, even this was too "disunifying" and challenging of "Zionism" for them to be comfortable with.

Indeed the convoluted story of how upon initially learning of the desire for some kind of "Call For Action" the organizers first tried to offer up a very general Statement but were rebuffed; then undermined the somewhat more useful Statement prepared by those who came to the Conference; and then themselves at the last moment pushed through a kind of motherhood resolution giving themselves another "four to six months" to keep at it...was pathetic to watch the longer it was dragged out.

And then there's the tale of how the organizers herded everyone to an "Allies Dinner" the main evening of the conference. But in the end it turned out there were only a handful of "allies" very lightly sprinkled among the Jewish conventioneers -- even including some last minute invitees who weren't quite sure what they were doing there. And then, for a Palestinian representative, they invited a self-appointed, American-born, very well-off, on-the-make fellow -- you know the type -- who proceeded to entertain them mimicking an Israeli accent while managing to keep away from any and everything controversial and important though constantly applauding the organizers. It was a little like watching a junior Jim Zogby in the making (for those who know and appreciate the Washington scene).

All in all it was a small gathering of the liberal Jewish faithful who have been decimated and marginalized not only by those they disagree with in the highly organized American Jewish community but by themselves as well. They were clearly confused, ill-prepared, mislead, and bedraggled...thus reduced to singing and praying their way in a rather incestuous and simplistic way throughout the nevertheless energetic weekend.

Furthermore, as finally came out when a few of the speakers took to the microphone, there was little new about "Junity" from the start -- that too was a rather crafty deception.

What "Junity" really turned out to be was a gathering of the remnants of seriously flawed and failed small groups from yesteryear reborn now that the very Oslo "Peace Process" most of them so enthusiastically supported -- and the very men they rallied around: Yitzhak Rabin, Ehud Barak, and Shimon Peres -- have either departed the scene or proved their true colors. Those who were so wrong and mislead so many American Jews for so long in the past apparently feel an obligation to try to do it all over again! Oy vey!

The Chicago Conference may have given birth however to something other than a stillborn. If so, at best, it's a severely retarded and deformed child which will never achieve maturity, potency, or even adulthood; but which could tragically command much attention and energy from some for some time. True, abortion would have been a better alternative; but too late for that now. At the least letting nature take its course and using no more energy and hopes, no more money and time, that's what this "Junity" situation now calls for. Yes, in this case the small group of collective parents (the "organizers") may still be intent on putting much more effort into the hopeless situation they have created -- some of them well-meaning even if hopelessly naive. But everyone else should realize this is definitely not where any more precious time, resources, and hopes should be expended.

Meanwhile, at the very time "Junity" was busy holding hands, singing songs, and squabbling about everything imaginable, some 350 Israeli professors and intellectuals were publishing a novel urgent appeal bravely supporting the Palestinian military struggle and calling for an International force to protect the Palestinian people from their own army.

But none of the organizers at the conference were even aware of this development it seems...or if they were they said not a word. And we really don't have to wonder why. There was no real courage, no real seriousness of purpose, and no real strategy of any significant kind at this little mid-America affair a few days ago. And in the end that's why so few came in the first place -- either participants or allies -- and why really serious and committed people should now forget it and move on...with even greater urgency.

Mid-East Realities

www.middleeast.org

Source: http://www.middleeast.org/articles/2001/5/203.htm