PWI

Cross-posted from Mideast Youth.

Mideast Youth is one of many prominent organizations endorsing a statement recently released by the group Pinkwatching Israel that addresses a trip to Palestine/Israel organized under the banner of interfaith dialog and LGBT solidarity. The three organizations involved in the trip Beit Haverim, David and Jonathan, and HM2F are supposedly embarking on a purely spiritual journey to visit various spiritual sites in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The trip is explicitly “non-political”.

Pinkwatching Israel’s statement calls them out on that. By claiming to be non-political they are making the very political decision to ignore the plight of the Palestinians. By claiming to be non-political, they are accepting the apartheid wall around Bethlehem, and the illegal Israeli settlements in Jerusalem. There is no such as thing as non-political. What these groups really mean is that they have the privilege of ignoring discrimination against Palestinians, and that they will take advantage of that privilege because their interfaith and LGBT “solidarity” efforts must fit within a specific agenda of Israeli occupation.

LGBT solidarity and interfaith dialog are admirable goals, and will certainly be a core part of creating a stronger, more just Middle East. However, true solidarity and dialog will not amplify one set of voices will continuing to silence the voices of the Palestinians. As an organization dedicated to amplifying all voices for change, Mideast Youth endorses this statement.