Jemima Goldsmith says she doesn’t like the words “pro-Israel” and “pro-Palestine”
Jemima Goldsmith, a well-known screenwriter and director, is making an effort to promote conversations about the rise in Islamophobia and antisemitism. Her latest essay on X questioned the dichotomy of being either “pro-Israel” or “pro-Palestine,” highlighting the necessity of a more all-encompassing strategy.
Jemima said on what was once Twitter, “I really dislike the terms ‘pro-Israel’ and ‘pro-Palestine,’ as they imply that there is only one option.” You may support both Palestinian liberation and Israel’s right to exist in safety. Not only are those two things inclusive of one another, but they also depend on one another.”
I really don’t like the terms, “pro- Israel” or “pro- Palestine,” as it infers the choice has to be binary. You can be pro- Israel’s right to exist in safety and pro- Palestinian freedom. Those two things are not only mutually inclusive; they are contingent upon one another.
— Jemima Goldsmith (@Jemima_Khan) December 11, 2023
More recently, Jemima explored the difficult ground of Islamophobia and antisemitism in a piece she wrote for The Independent. The essay was entitled, “I have Muslim and Jewish family – I want to talk about antisemitism and Islamophobia.” Jemima talked about her personal experiences with antisemitism and how, in Pakistan, her Jewish status was used as a weapon against her ex-husband, Imran Khan. She disclosed the fabrication of Zionist conspiracy theories by opposition politicians and a biased media, which resulted in years of intimidation, acts of violence, and an abortive attempt on her life. Khan emphasized the perilous entwinement of bias and politics, exemplifying the tangible outcomes of intolerance.
According to Jemima’s article, “Antisemitism is on the rise everywhere and it is terrifying for Jewish people.” “Antisemitism is another issue that is not widely acknowledged in Muslim communities. I know this firsthand because in Pakistan, Zionist conspiracy theories about me were made up, and opposition politicians and a biased media stirred up fervor. My Jewish heritage was used as a club to beat my politician ex-husband, Imran Khan.”
The post went on, “This resulted in decades-long threats against my life and the lives of my children, including rape and death threats, which persist to this day.” This culminated for Imran in a botched murder attempt last year, notwithstanding our divorce. The would-be killer said in his confessional video that Imran’s “acceptance of Israel” was the reason behind the killing after it had occurred.
Using phrases like “Zionism” and “Islamism,” Jemima called attention to the way that these concepts are “used by bigots as a fig leaf to express what is, in fact, prejudice against Jews or Muslims as a group.” She admitted that charges of antisemitism are occasionally used as a weapon to silence critics of the Israeli government. Conversely, she advocated for the ability to criticise Israel’s actions without being falsely labelled antisemitic.
It’s also true that some have utilized accusations of antisemitism as a stick with which to silence critics and debates of the Israeli government.People should be able to criticize Israel’s activities in Gaza without being mistakenly labeled antisemitic, just as we can criticize the government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan without being Islamophobic. She wrote, “Letting anyone who criticizes Israel be labeled as ‘antisemitic’ only serves to minimize antisemitism, which further dilutes the seriousness of an extremely real and pernicious issue.”
Additionally, the former Pakistani premier’s ex-wife noted that “Muslim hatred is also on the rise.” “It affects many people I love – including my children,” she said in her post. Due to their faith, three Palestinian students in the US have recently been shot, a six-year-old boy has been fatally stabbed, and his mother has been hurt. Meanwhile, far-right parties with overtly anti-Muslim agendas are, for the first time, winning elections in European nations, and Trump is considering reintroducing his Muslim ban should he win the presidency of the US once more.”
She went on to say, “And just as I have seen a reluctance on the part of some Muslim friends to recognise when antipathy to Israeli policy has become indistinguishable from broader attacks on Israelis or Jews, I have also witnessed a similar unwillingness amongst some of my Jewish friends to accept that Islamophobia is a real thing.”
Jemima made a statement on the “selective outrage” on both sides, pointing out instances in which people appeared reluctant to speak out against prejudice in their own communities. She wrote in her article, “It seems to me that on both sides there is a selective outrage and a selective failure to be outraged.” “It is a measure of the depth of their ideological intransigence, tribal myopia and fear, inflamed by social media algorithms and reckless discourse, that so many intelligent and typically empathic people have been incapable of grasping the simple truth: that you can oppose both rising antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred.”
“You can be horrified by the massacre of Israelis by Hamas and you can condemn Israel for continuing to kill thousands of innocent Palestinians,” the speaker went on. Because of this struggle, neither side can hear or feel the pain or dread of the other.” When Jemima finished, she urged everyone to “step outside their tribes, to put down their flags, and to come together at our vigil, led by Israelis and Palestinians who have lost loved ones in this conflict.”
I am a dedicated student currently in my seventh semester, pursuing a degree in International Relations. Alongside my academic pursuits, I am actively engaged in the professional field as a content writer at the Rangeinn website.
