Some news: I think there's a new non-Zionist liberal consensus, brought on by Gaza and Lieberman, lapping at Congress and the White House too. The not-in-my-name ranks are growing in Jewish life. Here is Dana Goldstein at the American Prospect (echoing Noam Sheizaf) on Israeli policies. Note the universalist moment at the end:
There is absolutely no excuse for anti-Semitism, or for racism of any kind. But the current Israeli government appears to oppose reasonable self-determination for Palestinians, a stance interpreted by many in the Muslim world as evidence of a racist ideology. This is a rational interpretation. Israel's foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, has said, "Minorities are the biggest problem in the world." Lieberman opposes withdrawing Israeli settlers from Palestinian territories. Under his influence, Benjamin Netanyahu's administration has indicated that it no longer considers itself bound to the peace agreement made at Annapolis in 2007, in which Israel and 40 other nations vowed to pursue a two-state solution. In an interview with a Russian newspaper last week, Lieberman went so far as to claim that President Obama "accepts all our decisions" -- despite reports that Obama is, in fact, preparing congressional Democrats for a possible showdown with Israel's reactionaries.
An Israeli government perpetuating such policies, all while claiming to speak for the world's Jewish population, does little to combat prejudice against Jews. Rather, it plays right into Ahmadinejad's hands, vastly increasing the likelihood that Jews living outside Israel will have to confront anti-Semitism. We saw this sad phenomenon in January, during Israel's brutal incursion into Gaza. Some 1,000 Palestinians, hundreds of them civilians, were killed in retaliation for Hamas rocket attacks that killed four Israelis. Simultaneously, Jews in France, Sweden, Belgium, and Denmark were victimized by anti-Semitic violence and vandalism.
That said, global anti-Semitism is not the only reason why Israel should move quickly toward a two-state solution, curb its politicians' race-baiting rhetoric towards Palestinian and Israeli Arabs, and make a broader commitment to human rights. Israel should do so because every nation should do so.
many folks around the globe felt a sense of anti-americanism after the usa's invasion of iraq… one can put this special label 'anti-semite' to others sense of repulsion for what israel perpetuates on it's neighbours, but i agree strongly with this author that it has to do spefically with israels actions, and has nothing to do with the fact that they are 'jewish'… i like many people feel this label 'anti-semite' is used dishonestly to shut down commentary and such… it is anti-israelism, not anti-semitism that i feel towards those in israel who continue to support the actions they are responsible for…
There is much more that can account for hostile feelings towards Jews than Israel's actions, and the term anti-Semitism doesn't mean much more to me than a term like anti-Americanism means to most Jews, when it is directed at Jews. The Jewish community is quite active in the United States, and is often at odds with most Americans–and loyalty to Israel doesn't help, either.
Jews should look at their own attitudes towards the majority rather than constantly focusing anti-Semitism. It's not hard to find examples of Jews in the media pissing on the majority–even Phil has used the term redneck on this site! For the most part, I see Jews as being consumed with the good of their group, putting ideology over reality, or tearing at the majority in favor of any minority stance that can be found. I don't see how anyone can believe that this kind of behavior can be beneficial in the long run.
so why do judaics love zionist israel…was it because they turned their backs on european jewry…so let me get this straight, israels zionist leaders turned their backs on european jewry and the reward they get from the jews of the world is unconditional support.
oh yeah that makes perfect sense…you guys are the most controlled community in the world….from the top down you are told what to do and how to do it.
indoctrinated beyond belief to believe the leadership.
http://jewsagainstzionism.com/
Apolinari Hartglass
Memorandum written in 1943 by the Zionist activist from Poland who coordinated the work of the Jewish Agency Rescue Committee during WWII, entitled "Comments on Aid and Rescue" [referring to selection of the European Jews to be saved during the height of the holocaust]:
"Unfortunately we must state that if we are able to save only 10,000 people from among 50,000 who can contribute to building the country and to the national revival of the people as against saving a million jews who will be a burden, or at best an apathetic element, we must restrain ourselves and save the 10,000 that can be saved from among the 50,000—despite the accusations and pleas of the million…..going on from this assumption we must save children first because they are the best material for the Yishuv. The pioneer youth must be saved, but specifically those that have received training and are spiritually able to perform Zionist labor. Zionist leader must be saved, since they deserve something from the Zionist movement in return for their work. . . ."
…Apolinari Hartglass, "Comments on Aid and Rescue," undated memorandum, Central Zionist Archives, Jerusalem
300,000 Israelis living in Judea/Samaria and the number is growing daily. Israeli is pulling further and further ahead of the Arab world economically, socially and politically. The Palestinians are destroying themselves with internecine warfare. Lebanon is constantly toterring on the edge of civil war, no matter how their election turns out. Saudis and other Gulf State Arabs terrified of Shi'ite ascendancy. Muslim suicide bombers slaughtering the brother Muslims in Iraq and Pakistan. The Muslim world sinking into obscurantism and a fantasy-land view of reality.
Things are looking up for us in Israel.
Yom Ha'atzmaut Sameach!
to see others suffering and pain as a sign things are looking up for israel, shows how deplorable yours and others like you are who hold to such a narrow ideology…
Wow. I don't personally have any interest in Israel nor Palestine, Jews or Muslims; I do care a great deal for humanity. In reading your post I found that I had to respond (this is my first blog ever). Your glee at the suffering of the Arab world is disturbing because it reeks of ignorance and none of the accepted virtues can be found within it. There is no bravery, temperance, generosity, magnificence, magnanimity nor mildness in what you say only the excess of each. To think that the growing power of Israel, based on the destruction of a people, makes you happy leads me to wonder about the future of all mankind. Shiver to think that those gaining power care not for the world as a whole, only their own place within it and we will never achieve what it is most religions ultimately call for. Goodness, a standard that doesn't even require a particular faith. Can't we all just get along? Don’t you know that people everywhere are just that, people and nothing more? Everybody is just trying to get through; we are all sons, mothers, brothers, sisters and so forth). Der, it seems so simple.
Israel should do so because every nation should do so.
Precisely.
@ sillysnippy: "To think that the growing power of Israel, based on the destruction of a people, makes you happy leads me to wonder about the future of all mankind."
It's unfair to judge the prospects for humanity based on the mind of the Jewish Zionist. Freud made the same mistake — projecting the minds of his neurotic, mostly-Jewish patient base onto the entirety of humanity, and drawing his conclusions from that standpoint. And because the Left bases many of its social ideas and attitudes on Freud's psychology, no wonder it is constantly groping in the dark (no pun intended).
My point is that there will be peace when the Arab/Muslim world realizes that their relentless war with Israel is destroying THEM. If they look at the facts that I presented honestly, they will begin to realize that peace with Israel is the only way. Their policies up until now are suicidal and they have failed to weaken Israel. Peace will be for EVERYONE's benefit.
bar_kochba132.. many people view it exactly opposite….
"My point is that there will be peace when jewish world realizes that their relentless war with palestine is destroying THEM. peace with palestine is the only way. israels policies up until now are suicidal and they have failed to weaken palestine. Peace will be for EVERYONE's benefit."