• • • •

THE ·BLACK PANTHERS, JEWS AND ISRAEL. ..• .. '.: .' ;' :.« •... :;;'..'t ):\'

• • • by • • • • • • • • Rabbi Albert Rabbi Robert s. Axelrad E. Goldburg • • • • • • • Huey Morris U. Newton Schappes • ,.• Dr. George Wald

A Jewish Currents Reprint • • Forty Cents • L

Black Panthers, Jews and Israel

1. ALETTER TO HUEY NEWTON

By GEORGE W.4LD

EAR Huey Newton; The Jews in Israel are no conquer­ D There's so much that I want to say ors. They're refugees; the remnant of to you about black men and Jews that the biggest massacre in history. About it's hard to know where to begin. But 4.00,000 of them are refugees from I'll try. the Arab countries. Since 1948, more There's no experience in the world than half the immigrants came from as much like being black as being a underdeveloped Asian and African Jew: a black man without money, and countries. As of 1968, one quarter of a Jew without money. those persons had had no schooling It's no accident that the self-image at all, and only 28 pe~ tent had got of the blacks in America has been that past 8th grade. About 40 per cent of the Jews in bondage in Egypt. are unskilled workers. "Tell old Pharaoh to let my people There are 2.5 million Jews in Israel. go." "My home is over Jordan." And They're refugees, with no other place all the rest of it. to go. For as long as Israel has existed -22 years-those Jews have been PnoF. GEORGE WALD of the Harvard continuously threatened with a mas­ Biological Laboratories was awarded sacre. Not political domination or a the Nobel Prize in.~· 1967. Since then military defeat-a massacre. (About he has also become widely kTUJwn as a year ago Al Fatah changed its line a great moral voice in the peace move­ from that to democratic co-existence ment to end the war in Vietnam and in an open secular state. There seems as an advocate and interpreter of little unanimity on that score even in campus youth and faculty movements. Al Fatah; yet even if such statements /luey Newton, whose conviction of are to be taken seriously, there are "voluntary manslaughter" lVas reversed plenty of other Arabs still promising by the California Court of Appeals that massacre. Not much to stake one's May 29, 1970, was not released on life on, and that of one's children. bail, pending retrial, until Aug. 5. Meanwhile, The Black Panther April What those people want is one 25 had published a blatantly anti­ small place in the world where Jews Semitic article by Connie Matthews, can manage their own lives. After International Coordinator of the Black 2,000 years of being kicked around, Panther Party. It was in this context the universal scapegoat, burned out, that Dr. Wald sent his letter to Huey murdered, exterminated. Surely you Newton Aug. 24. can understand that.

February, 1971 13 As they-as I-try to understand .anywhere else would want no part Party is not anti-Semitic. We've been a place where people can live. We're charged with being anti-Semitic. As a I you. in it. chiefly interested in the survival of \' Arabs without money are another I haven't said anything yet about matter of fact, some statements could our people, but not at the expense of oppressed people. Those are two libera­ American Jews. They come all ways he cited where some member of the other people. Black people in America tion movements. The tragedy is to -just like black people. Some of Party has made some statements in have been persecuted; therefore it's pit them ' against each other, when them hate themselves-j ust like black anger in order to hurt some of our easy for us to identify with other each should be fighting its own class people. Some of them are always try­ White radical friends because we be­ people who are suffering. We have a struggle. ing to cross over-just like some black lieved that they did not live up to long history of being enslaved and I find much to criticize in Israel, as people. the frien(lship agreement. But these murdered. We have wrestled with the I do here. That's the way it is with a But not the best of them. You must were internal fights. They should have question of nationalism and we have lot of Israelis too. Israel was trying know that. The best of them are trying been kept internal, but they were ex· concluded that we have a moral right to be a Socialist country, and getting all the time to help black people to posed and used by the reactionaries, to embrace nationalism. We have a closer to that than any other place realize themselves, Arabs to realize and this was partially our fault be­ moral right to choose separatism, to I've ever been. Now all the things themselves, and Jews to realize them­ cause we indulged in that. move into a separate state just as that most Israelis oppose are being selves, each in his own way. To make But as far as our official position, the Jewish people have that moral forced upon them by the constant a place for all those things. It won't right. I" we are not anti-Semitic. As far as the threat of that massacr~. be easy, but nothing else will do. Israeli people are concerned, we are But we realize that United States That massacre could come at any So now I've said a little of it. not against the Jewish people. We are imperialism will not allow us to sep­ time. The line-up is terrifying. And Everything I know about you is against that government that will per­ arate and live side-by-side with United Nixon's America altogether problem­ good. So I hope we can be friends, secute the Palestinian poeple. We have States imperialism. It's obvious that whether or not we meet. Everything atical. Israel is accused sometimes of to admit that there's something wrong we could not become self-determined being an outpost of American im­ I know about the Panthers makes me in the Middle East. The Palestinian because the United States will not let perialism. Crazy. If it's a matter of want to help. W11atever happens, I'll people are living in hovels, they countries exist 15,000 m.iles away in American imperialism, that brings us do that. It's that Jewish obsession with don't have a land, they've been strip­ freedom. Thev will not let these coun­ squarely on the Arab side. That's what Justice. ped and murdered; and we cannot tries exist in freedom 15,000 miles David Rockefeller tells Nixon all the We need a place to live. You need support this for any reason. We also away, so they certainly will not let time. That's where the oil is; that's a place to live. Wherever it is, there's realize some of the shortcomings of us exist in a separate state in North where the market is. Israel's a com­ always somebody else already there. the United Arab Republic. And our America in freedom. So the question petitor, and a drain. Not good They need to live too. Ies tough, but views on this is that we think that can be put into the future. business. one has to find a way. Sincerely, the people led by the Palestinian peo­ The first task is to transform society If that massacre comes, I should GEORGE WALD ple should be led into a struggle, a so the people can live in freedom. think black persons in America or Cambridge, Mass., Aug. 24, 1970 revolutionary struggle in order to Our central task is to overthrow the transform the Middle East into truly ruling circle, who will not permit a peoples' republic. self -determination to exist in the And at the same time we support world. After we achieve this goal the 2. FROM A-PRESS CONFERENCE a small group of people who are in question of nationalism can be han­ dled. Black nationalists could then By HVEY NEWTON Israel who are revolutionary and who are working to see that the Zionist go to the U.N. and ask for a plebiscite Huey Newton held a press conference Au,g. 26, 1Y70 in the offices of government of Israel is transformed in order to ask the people what way KPFA, the Pa'cifica radio station in Berkeley, Calif. The taped con­ into a secular peoples' state instead they want to go. ference was rebroadcast Aug. 27 by Pacifica station WBAI in New of a religious state. We say that the York. Sept. 11 we wrote to Mr. Newton Jor permission to publish an way the country is operating at this A.fter transformation into (l social­ excerpt from this taped press conference in any edited version he time is the height of chauvinism and ist society there may be no need for approved. It was then suggested to us that we reprint from the text ethnocentrism. I say this because any separation. This transformation can published in The Black Panther, Sept. 5, 1970, pages 16-17. This, state that requires its members to only take place by wiping out Uniterl therefore, is the text now llsed here.-Ed. adhere to a certain religion is a reac­ States imperialism and establishing a tionary state. new earth, a new society, and a new • SO WE would like to reiterate tinian people. We would like to make We must realize that our main con­ world. So politically and strategically our support for the Pales- it very clear that the Black Panther cern is to transform the world into the correct action to take is not sep­ 14 Jewish Currents February, 1971 15 aration, but world revolution in order So the Jewish people must be very to wipe out imperialism, and then careful not to be an agent of imperial­ people will be free to decide their ism. We're asking the progressive destiny. Self-determination and nation­ forces, the revolutionary forces inside 3. COMMENTARY ON NEWTON'S VIEWS al independence cannot really exist of Israel to transform that society so BY MORRIS U. SCHAPPES while United States imperialism is that the people of the Moslem reli­ alive. gion, the people of the Jewish religion, e welcome the assurance by Huey ever he finds it, as part of his con­ That's why we don't support the people who live in the Middle East WP. Newton, Minister of Defense tinuing struggle against reactionary nationalism as our goal. In some in­ will be able to come together as one of the Black Panther Party and there­ ideology of all sorts. And anti-Semi­ stances we might support nationalism man and truly build a new world. As fore an authoritative spokesman for tism, like white racism, is part of as a strategy; we call this revolution­ a matter of fact, we're looking for­ it, that "the mack Panther Party is reactionary ideology. ary nationalism. The motives are in­ ward to this -time, we see that this not anti-Semitic" and that "as far as ternationalist, because the revolution­ time will exist; because we see the our official policy is concerned, we are As for Huey Newton's remarks ·aries are attempting to secure liberated contradiction that's developing between not anti-Semitic." on Israel, we recognize in them a territory in order to choke imperialism the Palestinian people and the UAR. It has also been suggested to us familiar tangle of charges, claims and by cutting them off from the country­ We also see a growing group of Israel that Huey Newton had in mind the proposals that aim at the destruction side. that's organizing against the racist anti-Semitic article by Connie Mat­ of the State of Israel. Within the When the motive for national liber­ tactics of the Israeli government. I say thews, International Coordinator of framework of this brief commentary, ation is solely to create a capitalist that if we go over the record we can the Black Panther Party, in The we can touch only on a few of the state so that the ruling circle of that see where the Jewish stu<.lents demon­ Black Panther, April 25, 1970, when main issues opened up by Huey New­ capitalist state can align itself with strated against their Minister of De­ Newton spoke of "some member of ton. United States imperialism, then it's fense, against the war tactics of Israel; the Party has made some statements First, Mr. Newton is wrong in his reactionary nationalism and cannot and we encourage this activity, we in angei·," and declared that these flat statement, "Israel W:!is created by be supported by revolutionaries. Israel struggle with this group of the Jewish "internal fight" is a sign of danger, Western imperialism ..." The forces was created by Western imperialism people. So we reject any charges of kept internal ..." Well, to express that created the State of Israel, in and maintained by Western fire power. being anti-Semitic. anti-Semitism even "in anger" in an addition to those of the Zionists and The Jewish people have a right to "internal fight" is a sign of danger, the even more numerous non-Zionist exist as long as they solely exist to We realize that some people who but this anti-Semitic article was pub­ Jewish refugees from Hitlerism, were down the reactionary expansionist Is­ happen to be Jewish, and who support lished in the official organ, The Black decisively the anti-imperialist, demo­ raeli government. Israel will use the Black Panther Panther, and was signed by Matthews cratic and socialist forces expressing Party's position that is against im­ with the official title of International themselves in the United Nations. It Ollr situation is similar in so many perialism and against the agents of Coordinator. Without expliict public was the Soviet Union and other so­ ways; we say that morally perhaps the imperialist as an attack of anti­ repudiation of this" anti.Semitism, w·ith cialist states that defeated the maneu­ the Jewish people can make a case Semitism. We think that this is a a clear statement of why the Matthews vers of U.S. and British imperialism for separatism and a Zionist state back-biting, racist, underhanded tac­ article is anti·Semitic and of what in the Middle East by mobilizing based upon their religion for seIf­ tic; and we will treat it as such. We harm it does to the mack Panther moral, political and finally weaponry defense. We say that morally maybe have respect for all people, and we Party and the black people's move­ support for the U.N. resolution of we could accept this, but politically have respect for the right for any ment, how are the readers of The Nov. 29, 1947. and strategically we know that it's people to exist. So we want the Jewish Black Panther to learn to combat anti­ Representing the anti-imperialist incorrect. In the first place what it is people and the Palestinian people to Semitism when they meet it again, as and anti-Zionist Soviet Union, Andrei doing is perpetuating nationalism; per­ live in harmony together. We support they did, for example, in The Black Gromyko made an address in the petuating reaction, if nationalism is the Palestinian's just struggle for lib­ Panther of May 19 and June 13, 1970? U. N. General Assembly May 14, 1917 reaction, and I think that the United eration one hundred percent. We will To fail to do so for any reason is (full text reprinted in our May, 1967 States has proved that it is because go on doing this, and we would like to play into the hands of reactionaries issue) that marked a turning-point in it used nationalism to rape the world for all of the progressive people of and to weaken ties with white, inclu· this anti· imperialist struggle. Explain­ and dominate everyone else. In other the world to join in our ranks in ding Jewish, supporters, friends and ing with profound understanding and words it went from nationalism to order to make a world in which all allies: We trust that Huey Newton will even compassion "the aspiration of the natural conclusion, and that is people can live. ALL POWER TO THE implement his declaration that his the Jews for the creation of a state of empire or imperialism. PEOPLE. Party "is not anti·Semitic" by public their own," Gromyko declared: "We activity against anti-Semitism wher- must bear in mind the incontestable 16 Jewish Currents February, 1971 17 fact that the population of Palestine Western imperialism" is to fly in the Christian, Moslem and Jew wiIi wor­ After much obfuscating rhetoric, the consists of two peoples, Arabs and face of the known historical record. ship, work, live peacefully and enjoy AI Fatah statement goes on to dispel Jews. Each of these has its .historical Now this State of Israel has many equal rights." Together with the ell­ any possible doubts about its aims: roots in Palestine. ... Neither history features, and its government has many tire progressive Jewish leadership in "The new Palestine is not to be built nor the conditions which have arisen policies, with which we disagree and the USA, we rej ected this concept in around three state religions or two in Palestine now can justify any uni­ about which we have not hesitated to our declaration Dec. 1, 1970, when we nationalities." Obviously the Jewish lateral solution of the Palestine prob­ express our criticism. But Israel's pointed out (see our Jan., 1971 issue, nation, or nationality, or people are lem, either in favor of the creation of right to exist is inalienable. To caB p. 6) : "This reference only to religions to get no consideration. "The sine qua an independent Arab state, ignoring for the destruction of a state is im­ falsely reduces the Jews merely to a non of the new Palestine is the destruc­ the lawful rights 0/ the lewish people, perialist tactics and smacks of geno­ religious group and thus denies the tion of the political, economic and . or in favor of an independent Jewish cide, not of revolutionary democracy. national identity of the Jews. This is militarist foundations of the chauvin­ state, ignoring the law/u,Z rights of the Nowhere have revolutionaries called in complete contravention of the posi­ ist-racist settler state" (which is the Arab population." (Our itals.-M.U.S.) for the (lestruction even of imperialist tion that Israel has a right to exist dogmatic Al Fatah term for the State For these reasons, Gromyko pro­ states. The Algerian Liberation Front and to a secure existence as well." of Israel sanctioned by the 1917 UN posed "the creation of one dual, demo­ never called {or the destruction of the Whereas Gromyko in 1947 took nole Resolution) . cratic Arab-Jewish state," but, he state of France; the Vietnam libera­ that in Palestine there were two peo­ That Al Fatah expects few Jews to added in the same speech, if that tion Front does not call for the destruc­ ples, an Arab and a Jewish, that both survive to live in the "new Palestine" state turns out not to be practicable tion of the USA as a state, nor do had rights to statehood, and that the can be inferred from their reference now, in 1947, there should be "the the liberation fronts fighting against Jewish people had the right to a "state to "a voluntary mass exodus on the division of Palestine into two indepen­ Portugal, Spain, West Germany, Great of their own," AI Fatah comes along eve of liberation," an exodus they ex­ dent, separate states-one Jewish, and Britain and other imperialist states with a concept of a state that speaks pect to bring about but which they one, Arab." The U.N. Resolution of call for their destruction. onl y of religions ("Christian, Moslem suavely opine "would be quite regret. Nov. 29, 19!1.7 expressed this anti­ Therefore we deny the "revolution­ and Jew") and would merely offer Itable." Later on we also are in­ imperialist, socialist, democratic, hu­ ary" character of those who, in any individual citizen's rights to people of formed that "The process of the revolu­ manist political wisdom, despite every­ way, call for the destruction of the alI religions. tion will inevitably increase the tempo thing the imperialist camp could do State of Israel. We, however, see of emigration, especially of those bene­ to thwart the carrying out of the Huey Newton's call that Israel be A. close reading oJ the Al Fatah fieiaries of a racist state who will find resolution. "transformed ill to a secular people's statement indicates over and over that it very difficult to adapt to an open state instead of the religious state" as destruction of Israel is the aim. Israel pluralistic society"-that is, to the one such call, somewhat disguised. is referred to as an "alien state" with­ "democratic, secular, etc. state" in The imperialist carnp did succeed For his offhand formula expresses the in "the Arab homeland" and we are which Jewish nationality is denied and in preventing the establishment of the Al Fatah program. That this program assured that the new Palestine state suppressed. And to show how con­ Palestine Arab state envisioned in lhe unmistakably aims at the destruction "will end artificiality of the present siderate AI Fatah is of the Jewish U.N. Resolution. It was the puppets of of the State of Israel is made abun­ status of Israel. . . ." At one point people's future, we are told that AI British imperialism who ruled the dantly clear in The Black Panther, Al Fatah even asserts that "It is the Fatah is in fact now "in serious nego­ Arab states that invaded Palestine in Nov. 7, 1970, which devotes a two­ belief of the revolution that the major­ tiations" with Arab states to take their violation of the U.N. Resolution; it page spread to "AI Fatah Statement­ ity of Israeli Jews will change their own Jews back! In other words, de­ was British imperialism that provided Towards a Democratic State in Pales­ attitudes and will subscribe to the stroy the State of Israel and all its the arms for the invasion (while U.S. tine." We are told that "The statement new Palestine, especially after the oli­ institutions, exterminate the Jews try­ imperialism put down an embargo on was drafted at the Second World Con­ garchic state machinery, economy and ing to defend their State, force the arms to Israel) and it was socialist ference on Palestine, sponsored by a military establishment are destroyed." emigration of the remnant-and pre­ states that provided the arms to the coalition of Palestinian liberation This is the rhetoric of reactionary pare havens for them in generous Arab Jews of Israel to protect and consoli­ groups," held at Amman, Jordan, fantasy. The Israeli Jews will defend states! This is not only a program of date their State. At that time, the Sept. 2-6, 1969. their state, their economy and their genocide-but with mockery in the entire international anti-imperialist The new statement repeats the 1968 institutions to the death-and alI pro­ bargain. . movement, all socialist states and Al Fatah declaration: "We are fight­ gressive mankind, and Jews through­ How can such a program square communist parties, supported the crea­ ing today to create the new Palestine out the world, will give them all with any view of progress, much less tion and defense of the State of Israel. of tomorrow: a progressive, democrat­ possible aid in such a struggle for "revolution"? Yet we find Huey New­ Thus to say "Israel was created by ic and non-sectarian Palestine in which survival. ton saying, "The Jewish people have

18 Jewish Currents February, 1971 19 I '

.. a right to exist as long as they solely exist to down the reactionary expan­ BLACKS IN OFFICE sionist Israeli government"! But by HERE are now 665 black electoo what right, or in terms of what "revo­ T public officials in the South, lutionary" ideal, does Newton pre­ according to the Voter Education sume to put down conditions for the Project, Inc. In the U.S. Congress right of the Jewish people to exist? there are now 12 (a gain of three). The Jewish people-ANY PEOPLE­ In the lower houses of Southern has a right to exist, period. In Israel state legislatures, the number of many forces not only of the left but ;hlacks elected increased from 37 of the political center oppose and to 51, with new representation for combat the expansionist thrust of the the first time in modern history in Beigins but the people of Israel would Alabama and South Carolina (two unite to the death against any threat and three respectively). Arkansas to its right to exist. Similarly, out­ is now the only state in the old side Israel, progressive Jews oppose Confederacy with no black state expansionist policies in Israel, but the legislator. In upper houses of the Jewish people will unite to defend its Old Confederacy, there are now 11 right to exist. black representatives (a gain of Huey Newton puts it well when he two) . writes: "We're chiefly interested in the survival of our people, but not at ton is fighting back-as well as talk­ the expense of other people." We agree ing. In this fight-back, we have all fully. We too are interested in the along supported full civil liberties for survival of the Jewish people and of Black Panthers as we have fought the State of Israel "but not at the during all the 25 years of our publi­ expense of other people." As progres­ cation for full civil rights and mean­ sive Jews, we support the right of ingful equality for black people and Palestinian Arabs to self-determina­ the black people's movement. Rabbi tion, including a state of their own, Robert E. Goldburg in our Nov., 1970 but not at the expense of the State of issue and Rabbi Albert S. Axelrad in .... Israel. As internationalists, we sup­ our Jan., 1971 issue have in their way port unreservedly Israel's right to exist expressed our view that it is the duty and the Palestinian Arab right of self­ of progressive Jews to defend the determination. We invite Huey Newton rights of Black Panthers. This is an to consider this as his program. Then unconditional duty. But it is certainly we can discuss ho\'1 peace in the Mid­ harder to carry out this duty when dle East can be achieved, with freedom, Panther publications convey and stir equality and guaranteed rights and anti-Semitism and when the Panther states for both peoples. We offer as position on Israel allies it with those our view the basic propositions in who call for its destruction. These the Dec. 1 declaration of progressive posit.ions are serious obstacles to mar­ Jewish leaders, which center on the shalling Jewish support for Black UN Security 'Council Resolution of Panthers' rights and affect negatively Nov. 22, 1967 as a package. even the Jewish people's support for But Huey Newton and the Black the black people's movement as a Panther Party are beleaguered, haras­ whole. Only the leadership of the se{l and persecuted by every level of Black Panthers can remove thes~ governmeQt 'in our country. Huey New­ obstacles.

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