November 17, 2003
A must-read
Natan Sharansky, Israel's minister for Jerusalem and Diaspora affairs, has a potent piece in today's Opinion Journal. Go read the whole thing.
An excerpt:
To see why, we must first appreciate that the always specious line between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism has now become completely blurred: Israel has effectively become the world's Jew. From Middle Eastern mosques, the bloodcurdling cry is not "Death to the Israelis," but "Death to the Jews." In more civilized circles, a columnist for the London Observer proudly announces that he does not read published letters in support of Israel that are signed by Jews. (That the complaints commission for the British press found nothing amiss in this statement only goes to show how far things have changed since Orwell wrote of Britain in 1945 that "it is not at present possible, indeed, that anti-Semitism should become respectable.") When discussion at fashionable European dinner parties turns to the Middle East, the air, we have been reliably informed, turns blue with old-fashioned anti-Semitism.
No less revealing is what might be called the mechanics of the discussion. For centuries, a clear sign of the anti-Semitic impulse at work has been the use of the double standard: social behavior that in others passes without comment or with the mildest questioning becomes, when exhibited by Jews, a pretext for wholesale group denunciation. Such double standards are applied just as recklessly today to the Jewish state. It is democratic Israel, not any of the dozens of tyrannies represented in the United Nations General Assembly, that that body singles out for condemnation in over two dozen resolutions each year; it is against Israel--not Cuba, North Korea, China, or Iran--that the U.N. Human Rights Commission, chaired recently by a lily-pure Libya, directs nearly a third of its official ire; it is Israel whose alleged misbehavior provoked the only joint session ever held by the signatories to the Geneva Convention; it is Israel, alone among nations, that has lately been targeted by Western campaigns of divestment; it is Israel's Magen David Adom, alone among ambulance services in the world, that is denied membership in the International Red Cross; it is Israeli scholars, alone among academics in the world, who are denied grants and prevented from publishing articles in prestigious journals. The list goes on and on.
The idea that Israel has become the world's Jew and that anti-Zionism is a substitute for anti-Semitism is certainly not new. Years ago, Norman Podhoretz observed that the Jewish state "has become the touchstone of attitudes toward the Jewish people, and anti-Zionism has become the most relevant form of anti-Semitism." And well before that, Martin Luther King was even more unequivocal:
But if Israel is indeed nothing more than the world's Jew, then to say that the world increasingly hates Jews because the world increasingly hates Israel means as much, or as little, as saying that the world hates Jews because the world hates Jews. We still need to know: why? Posted by Karol at November 17, 2003 12:35 PM | TrackBack
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(sorry about the blank comment)
This is a great article. Thanks for posting it. I don't know "why," but denying that it's happening is B.S.
Posted by: The Commissar at November 17, 2003 01:38 PM"Israel's minister for Jerusalem and Diaspora affairs"
What government position is this exactly ?
Posted by: Judah Maccabee at November 17, 2003 03:13 PMNatan Sharansky contributed this in extended form to the November issue of Commentary, and it is one of the most informing reads I have experienced in a while. The article needs to be printed an re-read with a highlighter.
Wonderfully informative as well in the September issue is Hillel Halkin's "Out of Andalusia," which details how the Jews cleverly dealt with living in the Muslim world during the collapse of the Islamic intellectual period centuries ago, and vindicated my suspicions that Islam is a rip-off of the Old Testament.
Posted by: michael parker at November 17, 2003 03:16 PM"Islam is a rip-off of the Old Testament"
I definately don't agree with you on this point. A very ignorant statement and one could argue that Judaism (the Bible) is a copy or written record of Babylonian Myths (Adam & Eve, Moses, etc).
Posted by: DTDT at November 17, 2003 03:31 PMI wonder whether Sharansky believes anyone should be allowed to criticize Israeli or U.S. policies without being called an anti-semite or anti-American.
Posted by: Dan at November 17, 2003 07:10 PMWell, I certainly wouldn't agree that the whole world hates Jews. But self pitying bullshit like this is not endearing "ooohh oooh why does everyone hate us so ?". Well they fucking don't right ! Yep, anti semitism exists, and should be fought. But don't try to use it as a counter to criticisms of Israel.
I used to despise the Apartheid regime in South Africa. Was I anti white then ? Of course I fucking wasn't. My feelings about the present Israel govt is nowhere near that of how I felt about Botha and his mob. Granted, many well meaning idiots harbour a hatred for the Israeli govt and Sharon, but I can assure you that anti semitism does not enter into it in the majority of cases I have come across.
Posted by: Bobby at November 18, 2003 12:16 PMK,
I am afraid to say that your editing skills does the article no favours at all. I have just read the whole thing. Still disagree with parts of what he is saying, but it is not as self pitying as the excerpts would suggest.
Bobby, right I'm just being paranoid as usual. Europe secretly gives a shit if Jews are murdered, they just haven't gotten around to releasing that news yet. The retarded 'I'm not anti-Semitic, I'm just anti-Zionist' argument usually turns into 'well, ok I don't like Jews much but it has nothing to do with my opinions on Israel.' Where is the line between anti-Zionist and anti-Jew? If you believe Israel should not exist, if you believe that Jews should not fight back when targetted, if you believe that everything the Jews do to protect themselves is wrong but the Palestinians are just 'desperate', what are you? Can you seriously tell me that you're merely anti-Zionist? And even then, what does it mean that you don't believe Jews should have a homeland, that they shouldn't have somewhere to feel safe, that they are the world's biggest problem, that everything would be fine if they would just surrender and not fight? You can pretend it is whatever you want it to be. Most Jews will know better.
Posted by: Kashei at November 18, 2003 12:42 PMK,
I tend to avoid getting bogged down in this anti - Zionist/Anti Jewish thing. Most of the people who pick up the news about Israel and form opinions wouldn't know a Zionist from a Pianist. I would agree with you - the disapperance of the state of Israel would only be a source of strength for anti semites.It is something I have never heard anyone put forward as an option. Have you, seriously, from anyone - face to face ? Why is even the slightest criticism taken as an attempt to wipe out a whole race ?
There ain't nothing wrong with self-pity if you have real reasons to back it up. The self-pity will dissapear when Israeli and the Jews get treated fairly.
Posted by: PAUL at November 18, 2003 01:01 PM'the disapperance of the state of Israel would only be a source of strength for anti semites.It is something I have never heard anyone put forward as an option.'
i assume you mean you have never heard this from anyone outside the middle east put this forward as an option. for too many in the middle east (including the euro-darling palestinians), this is not just an option - its a destiny.
Posted by: scot at November 18, 2003 02:13 PM"And even then, what does it mean that you don't believe Jews should have a homeland, that they shouldn't have somewhere to feel safe, that they are the world's biggest problem, that everything would be fine if they would just surrender and not fight?"
This statement should be true for all races and religions. One could argue that Israel is stopping the Palestinians from having these basic human rights that you are deeming as deserved for Jews. Maybe it's the me first, and the I'm the victim mentality that fosters anti-zionism (semitism)or that "God's chosen people" deserve rigths that are at a higher standard than the ones they give to their occupied peoples.
Just a thought.
Posted by: DTDT at November 18, 2003 02:42 PMDTDT,
Israel has tried to give the Palestians the areas they requested. They were turned down and a bloody war ensued. What more can they do?
I don't believe that any people are 'chosen' more than any other. I just believe that Israel is held to an impossible standard, one not applied to any other country. If the result of someone's argument is the impossible, is that not the same as saying Israel should do nothing, should just fold up and die?
I just find it terribly ironic that the most persecuted group in history has it's own little group of persecuted peoples.
Posted by: DTDT at November 18, 2003 03:23 PMpalestinians persecuted? there is a wide gap between persecution and self-induced cultural failure. it is hardly israel's fault that the palestinians are too dumb to accept israel's perpetual olive brach and instead choose to suck at the teat of eurabian money and jew hatred. the constant reference to palestinians independent of their arab propsters suggests you have bought the propaganda of palestinians being displaced peoples who are simply looking for a place to put their hat. they are governed and bankrolled by the same loony islamists who desire ultimate sharia. seeing this as some kind of 50/50 struggle between two peoples/states is the result of either intellectual laziness or moral confusion. and stop with the bullshit about 'criticisms of israeli policy is not the same as ...'. its a defence that is more often used by anti-westerners than it is by those who debate with sincerity israeli geopolitics.
Posted by: scot at November 18, 2003 07:17 PMScot:
The bullshit is when people cry anti-semitism every time there is a disagreement over things Israeli. It is exactly the same tactic used when someone is called a racist for being opposed to affirmative action. People can disagree about policies and not have any pathological hatred towards other people. But, it is far easier to smear people than present cogent arguments. It is sad that a once respected dissident like Sharansky has now resorted to this type of name calling as a propaganda minister for the Sharon administration.
Posted by: Dan at November 18, 2003 08:43 PMYou know, it's a funny thing that when the Palestinians tried to stage a revolt in Jordan in the early 1970s, King Hussein simply massacred a few thousand of them in the Amman Soccer Stadium. No one hardly said a word about it. "Time Magazine" asked Hussein in an interview about his response. He simply said that he did what was necessary to preserve the peace. It was never mentioned again--not a peep from the U.S., or from the Europeans, or from the Middle Eastern States--that is, no one spoke about it except Israel, who condemned it.
Sadly, the history of the common era clearly indicates that the world has an agenda regarding the Jewish people. Their continued existence is a constant reminder to the rest of the world that law, justice, human decency, and every other positive attribute that human beings can claim have their origins with the Jew. Even the Christian Messiah is manifested in the form of a Jew as well as his first followers. And the world has tried its hardest to remove this Jewish stain from its collective consciousness. They have not been successful nor will they ever achieve their goal, yet they continue to try and Israel bashing is the latest approach.
To those of you who believe that anti Israel and antisemitism are still unrelated, I wonder what reasons you can give for the rise of antisemitism in Europe--for example, France--and more so, the bombing of two Turkish synagogues this past weekend?
When Israel bashers criticize every other nation on this planet using the same ferocity they employ to attack Israel, then and only then will they have proved that they are looking at the Middle East scenario with non biased eyes. Until that day arrives, the argument of the Israel bashers will be characterized by the essence of their message--namely, vacuous!
Posted by: Michael at November 18, 2003 11:42 PMThe Palestineans may not be persecuted but you have to admit they have it bad. You can blame this condition on Isreal but if you do you also have to blame the militant Palestineans and thier anti-Isreali supporters for forcing Isreal to defend itself.
Regardless of who is to blame, the ordinary civilian Palestinean is the one who suffers. That is the Tragedy.
Posted by: PAUL at November 18, 2003 11:50 PMMichael:
I think the problem is that all criticism of Israel gets lumped into anti-semitism by the Israeli hardliners and their supporters. It makes it difficult to have polite conversation if people start calling other people names.
And Americans certainly have a right to criticize Israel since the Israelis are being subsidized by U.S. taxpayers. I am concerned how my money is spent and if I think subsidizing a government which is building settlements is bad, I should have the right to say so. And using different standards for different countries does not imply a bias. It is just common sense that different countries should be treated differently when the circumstances differ.
Posted by: Dan at November 19, 2003 12:37 AMpaul youre right. life for the typical palestinian sucks, and until the arabs receive their what for, life for these people wont change. as far as the blame game, for me its kinda easy. first you have the palestinians themselves, who have repeatedly made awful decisions regarding their self-determination. i dont mean to imply theyre stupid, just institutionally brainwashed. after that, the blame is even easier to follow. on one side israel, the other, arabia (+ iran). one is a democracy comprised mainly of the world's most unjustly hated people, the other tyrannical backwaters that produce a kind of antisemitism (and anti-westernism) hitler wouldnt even touch. again the choice of blame is relatively easy. where this gets interesting now is who is next in the blame line. some would finally say israel, but i would make the case for (mainly old) europe.
Posted by: scot at November 19, 2003 03:54 AMIt's an interesting discussion.
Funny how Jews don't want to be lumped in with Israel, but yet all (most?) Jews refuse to tolerate criticism of Israel. I think it is wrong to "lump", but this works 2 ways. I agree with most of what Sharon has done, to the best of his ability, to defend his people. Let's face it not all those Palestinians are terrorists, unfortunately figuring out which ones are is nearly impossible. Hence Israel's impossible dilemma.
If you want to blame anyone read "Seven Pillars of Wisdom, A Triumph", where the Allies desperate for another front had Sir Lawrence of Arabia promise Arab revolters (against the Turks) several things, 1 of which was a Pan-Arab state that included Palestine (Current Israel). This Western slight of hand is the root to mistrust of the Western powers to this day.
I by no stretch of the imagine support the current tactics of the Palestinians, nor do I think Israel could effectively hand over it's strategic advantage in the region (occupied territories), I do however condone gaining knowledge and the perspective of your adversaries.
P.S. I think it was a great opinion piece by this guy Sharansky, but I believe his argument is flawed in a few key areas.
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