Political Controversy
Aloni's comments on Israel and the Palestinians have stirred controversy. Aloni opposes the state of Israel, promoting the concept of a binational state to replace it. He accuses Israel of apartheid that "in some ways has been crueler in Israel" than South Africa because "the entire judicial system conceals and cleanses the praxis of government-led apartheid." Aloni has described the ideology and actions of the state of Israel as racist and has called to replace the ideology of a “Jewish democracy” of the state of Israel with a binational state of Israel and Palestine "free ... Israel from Zionism." He supports boycotts of and sanctions on the state of Israel and views his work for the "BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement" as a crucial act to promote a true dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians which he sees as a "brother ... with whom I share a common identity." The slogan "From the River to the Sea all People Must be Free" appears on Aloni's website.
The film Forgiveness (2006), which had its Middle-Eastern premiere in Ramallah, recently stirred up controversy when the Israeli embassy in Paris threatened to withdraw funding from the Israeli Film Festival in Paris (du Film – Israelien de Paris) should they open the festival with the film. Aloni (along with Naomi Klein, John Greyson, and others) was an initiator of the Toronto Declaration, a petition to protest plans to "host a celebratory spotlight on Tel Aviv" because according to the petitioners doing so constitutes "staging a propaganda campaign" on behalf of "an apartheid regime." Aloni says that "in all his activities," he "is a strong voice in promoting justice, peace, solidarity and love between Israel and Palestine."
Read more about this topic: Udi Aloni
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