A major Black leader, speaking before the executive committee of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), said that some Jews are too “timid” when if comes to criticizing Black supporters of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), just because those supporters happen to be Blacks.
“I don’t believe,” said Norman Hill, director of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, “that Jews should be timid when it comes to voicing disagreements about the PLO. When any Black leader or group embarks on a political course which might very well undermined the peace process in the Middle East while at the same time aiding the PLO — the most fanatical enemy of Israel and the Jewish community — then Jews have a right, indeed a responsibility to disagree.”
Hill, who had been invited by the NCJW to discuss the rift in Black-Jewish relations stemming from the resignation of Andrew Young as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, cautioned Jewish leaders to avoid stereotyping Blacks. “If Black-Jewish relations are to be improved,” he declared, “there must be an intensified effort within the Jewish community to counter generalizations about Black positions on Israel and the PLO.
“As long as many Jewish people enormously believe that all Blacks share the positions of Jess. Jackson and his supporters, then it will be quite difficult, if not impossible, to re-establish a sound working partnership between Blacks and Jews.” Hill also suggested that Blacks and Jews review “the fundamental concepts that have served as the operating principles and foundations of coalition politics.”
The civil rights leader added that, following the Young resignation, “some Black leaders unfortunately broke virtually every rule of coalition politics. Emotionalism triumphed over national discussion, self-interest supplanted cooperation. And long-term goals were forgotten in the rush to secure short-term advantages.” Hill warned that unless there is “a reaffirmation of the coalition rule book, we can expect more serious splits like the one accompanying the Young affair.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
