Hamhanded journalism by neocon Jennifer Rubin at the Washington Post. She gets an interview with the head of the State Department office against anti-Semitism, Hannah Rosenthal, and prods her about all the countries that “spew” anti-Semitism, and concludes that the Obama administration isn’t doing much about anti-Semitism.
My favorite bit is below, what it’s OK to say about Israel. So two U.S. Establishment figures, both Jewish, one in government, sit down and establish red lines when it comes to criticizing “the Jewish state.” Cry the beloved country, Jews are dumbing ourselves down into stupidity. The Time magazine piece Rubin is upset about is the Karl Vick story saying that Israelis don’t care about peace, they’re living well and don’t think about the occupation. Also note that you are not allowed to use any fascism analogy about Israel either, that’s anti-Semitic.
Though in fairness, it’s hard to say just what Rosenthal is responding to. This reads like college journalism. Rubin:
The State Department employs Natan Sharansky’s methodology for distinguishing anti-Israel criticism from anti-Semitism. Namely, language or conduct that demonizes, delegitimizes or imposes a double-standard on the Jewish state is anti-Semitism. Rosenthal enthusiastically described internal training for State Department officials to help them understand the distinction.
Is a Time magazine cover story that asserts Jews in Israel only care about money or another article that analogizes the current climate in Israel to fascism in the 1930’s over the line? She said without hesitation, “That is absolutely over the line.” Those types of assertions, she said, “are made by people who do not know history or misread history.”
