This letter to the editor was published by the Calgary Sun, on September 7, 2003

Kudos to Bill Kaufmann for his insightful commentary on Israel's brutal occupation of Palestinian lands. ("Realities of Israeli oppression rarely aired in North America," Sept. 1.) Kaufmann's reference to the fact those who criticize Israel's policies are frequently and unjustly accused of being anti-Semitic by Israel's supporters brings to mind the wise words of Uri Avnery, renowned Jewish Israeli journalist and former member of the Knesset:

"The Sharon government is a giant laboratory for the growing of the anti-Semitism virus. It exports it to the whole world ... Many good people, who feel no hatred at all towards the Jews, but who detest the
persecution of the Palestinians, are now called anti-Semites".

"Thus the sting is taken out of this word, giving it something approaching respectability ... Not only does Israel not protect Jews from anti-Semitism, but quite to the contrary -- Israel manufactures and exports (anti-Semitism) around the world."

Gary D. Keenan