For those who think that the woke movement and its criticism of Israel popped up out of nowhere and grew only in the last few months, it is worthwhile to look back to May 2021.
At that time, the State of Israel was in the middle of Operation Guardian of the Walls in Gaza. Even then, as today, Jews were attacked, streets across the United States were filled with protesters, and Israel was vilified in the American media and social networks – and by the woke movement as well. The accusations then were the same as now: Israel is the oppressor, and the Palestinians are the oppressed.
The name that the movement chose for itself means “Awakening” and it focused its concerns on everything related to awareness of issues of social justice and the struggle of minorities. But also the war in Gaza, dubbed “Operation Swords of Iron” that was triggered by the barbaric massacre on the 7th of October. Evidently, for this movement, concepts of social justice are irrelevant when it concerns Jews, even though Jews are a minority population in every country they live besides Israel. Accordingly, Jews should be defended according to the principles of the woke movement itself.
The worldview of the woke movement divides the world into a dichotomy between the oppressors and the oppressed – and puts the Jews on the side of the oppressor, labeling them as having white privilege. Although the movement continues to claim that it is not antisemitic but is rather fighting for equality and social justice, its negative views against Jews are directly connected to antisemitic stereotypes, which identify them as having the power to control the world.
It is essential to understand that the woke movement did not come from nowhere; it emerged in a vacuum resulting from a lack of ethnic diversity. The problem is that it took that lack to the extreme, which makes skin color predictive of everything. Extreme diversity. Woke not only sees itself as a social movement to eradicate racism but promotes a complete worldview that replaces the existing order of white supremacy. But the movement that claims to fight racism is itself racist and discriminatory – and directs all of its might against Jews.As mentioned, the issue of race and ethnic diversity is critical to and a significant factor in the ideology of the woke movement, one that sees Israel as a country made up of white European colonialists and the Palestinians as a brown indigenous population.
The problem is that this perception is gaining momentum, and it seems that Israel is incapable of dealing with it, even though the answer is right under her nose. Israel has the most potent propaganda weapon, which is its ethnic diversity and multicultural mosaic. But Israel misses the point and does not use it in the propaganda war.
Israeli diversity
The State of Israel is a diverse country and has a mosaic of Jews from all over the world, most of whom are of color and not white. To fight perceptions that see Israel as a European occupier, the official Israeli spokespeople must put the issue of color and ethnic diversity at the forefront of the discourse to use against the main argument of the woke movement and thus counter the claim that does not correspond to the Israeli reality.
These days, I, like many Israelis, participate in an unofficial effort to present information to the world by publishing articles and videos online to fight rising antisemitism and the false perception that Israel is a white country. I do this because I am a Zionist who loves my country and will defend it in any situation. But I also do this because we are accused of being “white European occupiers” opposing “brown Palestinians.”
It is important to show the world the truth about Israel – which is diverse and far from being a conquering European oppressor. And I – a Jew, black and Israeli – certainly do not meet the definition of an occupying colonialist, so I can hold up a mirror to expose the big lie.
Despite the importance of private initiatives in information, more is needed. Israel itself must be the one to show the world the truth and fight the false perceptions of the woke movement as part of its official information policy. Israel is the one who needs to put its most potent advocacy weapon of ethnic diversity on center stage. Only in this way will it be possible to win the international propaganda war we are currently losing.
The writer is a lawyer, activist, and author of the book Black Strength: Ethiopian Jews and the Journey to Equality, published by Yediot Press.