Anti-Zionism is not Anti-Semitism Options

[Persian]

No, anti-Zionism is not anti-semitism

As an idea, a Jewish homeland was always controversial. As a reality, Israel still is - and it is not anti-Jewish to say so

Brian Klug
Wednesday December 3, 2003
The Guardian


From the beginning, political Zionism was a controversial movement even among Jews. So strong was the opposition of German orthodox and reform rabbis to the Zionist idea in the name of Judaism that Theodor Herzl changed the venue of the First Zionist Congress in 1897 from Munich to Basle in Switzerland.
Twenty years later, when the British foreign secretary, Arthur Balfour (sponsor of the 1905 Aliens Act to restrict Jewish immigration to the UK), wanted the government to commit itself to a Jewish homeland in Palestine, his declaration was delayed - not by anti-semites but by leading figures in the British Jewish community. They included a Jewish member of the cabinet who called Balfour's pro-Zionism "anti-semitic in result".

The creation of the state of Israel in 1948 has not put an end to the debate, though the issue has changed. Today, the question is about Israel's future. Should it become a "post-Zionist" state, one that defines itself in terms of the sum of its citizens, rather than seeing itself as belonging to the entire Jewish people? This is a perfectly legitimate question and not anti-semitic in the least. When people suggest otherwise - as Emanuele Ottolenghi did on these pages last Saturday - they simply add to the growing confusion.

Ottolenghi contends that "Zionism comprises a belief that Jews are a nation, and as such are entitled to self-determination as all other nations are". This is doubly confused. First, the ideology of Jewish nationalism was irrelevant to many of the Jews, as well as non-Jewish sympathisers, who were drawn to the Zionist goal of creating a Jewish state in Palestine. They saw Israel in purely humanitarian or practical terms: as a safe haven where Jews could live as Jews after centuries of being marginalised and persecuted.

This motive was strengthened by the Nazi murder of one-third of the world's Jewish population, the wholesale destruction of Jewish communities in Europe, and the plight of masses of Jewish refugees with nowhere to go.

Second, you do not have to be an anti-semite to reject the belief that Jews constitute a separate nation in the modern sense of the word or that Israel is the Jewish nation state. There is an irony here: it is a staple of anti-semitic discourse that Jews are a people apart, who form "a state within a state". Partly for this reason, some European anti-semites thought that the solution to "the Jewish question" might be for Jews to have a state of their own. Herzl certainly thought he could count on the support of anti-semites.

What is anti-semitism? Although the word only goes back to the 1870s, anti-semitism is an old European fantasy about Jews. The composer Richard Wagner exemplified it when he said: "I hold the Jewish race to be the born enemy of pure humanity and everything noble in it." An anti-semite sees Jews this way: they are an alien presence, a parasite that preys on humanity and seeks to dominate the world. Across the globe, their hidden hand controls the banks, the markets and the media. Even governments are under their sway. And when revolutions occur or nations go to war, it is the Jews - clever, ruthless and cohesive - who invariably pull the strings and reap the rewards.

When this fantasy is projected on to Israel because it is a Jewish state, then anti-Zionism is anti-semitic. And when zealous critics of Israel, without themselves being anti-semitic, carelessly use language, such as "Jewish influence", that conjures up this fantasy, they are fuelling an anti-semitic current in the wider culture.

But Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip is no fantasy. Nor is the spread of Jewish settlements in these territories. Nor the unequal treatment of Jewish colonisers and Palestinian inhabitants. Nor the institutionalised discrimination against Israeli Arab citizens in various spheres of life. These are realities. It is one thing to oppose Israel or Zionism on the basis of an anti-semitic fantasy; quite another to do so on the basis of reality. The latter is not anti-semitism.

But isn't excessive criticism of Israel or Zionism evidence of an anti-semitic bias? In his book, The Case for Israel, Alan Dershowitz argues that when criticism of Israel "crosses the line from fair to foul" it goes "from acceptable to anti-semitic".

People who take this view say the line is crossed when critics single Israel out unfairly; when they apply a double standard and judge Israel by harsher criteria than they use for other states; when they misrepresent the facts so as to put Israel in a bad light; when they vilify the Jewish state; and so on. All of which undoubtedly is foul. But is it necessarily anti-semitic?

No, it is not. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a bitter political struggle. The issues are complex, passions are inflamed, and the suffering is great. In such circumstances, people on both sides are liable to be partisan and to "cross the line from fair to foul". When people who side with Israel cross that line, they are not necessarily anti-Muslim. And when others cross the line on behalf of the Palestinian cause, this does not make them anti-Jewish. It cuts both ways.

There is something else that cuts both ways: racism. Both anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim feeling appear to be growing. Each has its own peculiarities, but both are exacerbated by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the invasion of Iraq, the "war against terror", and other conflicts.

We should unite in rejecting racism in all its forms: the Islamophobia that demonises Muslims, as well as the anti-semitic discourse that can infect anti-Zionism and poison the political debate. However, people of goodwill can disagree politically - even to the extent of arguing over Israel's future as a Jewish state. Equating anti-Zionism with anti-semitism can also, in its own way, poison the political debate.

· Brian Klug is senior research fellow in philosophy at St Benet's Hall, Oxford, and a founder member of the Jewish Forum for Justice and Human Rights

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/comment/0...1098625,00.html

[nobody]

there are simply too many examples contradicting the premise. the use of zionist and jew is interchangeable.

"Have no mercy on the Jews, no matter where they are, in any country.
Wherever you meet them, kill them. Wherever you are, kill those Americans who are like them."
- Dr. Ahmad Abu Halabiya, member of the Palestinian Fatwa Council

The blessing of Allah shall reign down upon those who do murder in his name, yet shift the blame for their actions to someone who has absolutely nothing to do with the situation.
And JIhand shall be called upon the people of the world daily for 200,000 years.
Thus spoke Muhammed
"We the Palestinian nation, our fate from Allah is to be the vanguard in the war against the Jews until the resurrection of the dead, as the prophet Muhammad said: 'The resurrection of the dead will not arrive until you will fight the Jews and kill them...'"

"The Jews are the Jews... They are all liars... They are terrorists. Therefore it is necessary to slaughter them and murder them, according to the words of Allah... it is forbidden to have mercy in your hearts for the Jews in any place and in any land. Make war on them any place that you find yourself. Any place that you encounter them, kill them. Kill the Jews and those among the Americans that are like them... The Jews only understand might. Have no mercy on the Jews, murder them everywhere..."

-- Preacher Dr. Ahmed Yousuf Abu Halabiah -
[member Palestinian Sharianic (Islamic religious law) Rulings Council, and Director of Advanced Studies at the Islamic University]
Palestinian Television
October 13, 2000

"Know, my son, that Palestine is your country that its pure soil is drenched with the blood of Martyrs Why must we fight the Jews and drive them out of our land?" [Ed. - The map to the right accompanies this text] [Our Arabic Language for Fifth Grade p. 64-66]

that there are jews who are not zionist doesn't mean that the bigot makes that distinction.

[concheet]

Check out this concept wizard presentation on anti-zionism/anti-semitism and Islam:

Pipeline of Hatred

Clear and simple.

[kurdistani]

That presentation is too simplisitic....

There are different levels...

One can be anti-Israeli policy and not be anti semitic.....

Attacking Israeli conduct on the west bank and Gaza strip does not mean that you hate jews.....

The only solution for Israel Palestine is for BOTH groups to be allowed national self determination within the 1967 borders... (although some of the west bank settlements like Ariel could be exchanged for land within Israel proper....)

[Moishe3rd]

That presentation is too simplisitic....

There are different levels...

One can be anti-Israeli policy and not be anti semitic.....

Attacking Israeli conduct on the west bank and Gaza strip does not mean that you hate jews.....

The only solution for Israel Palestine is for BOTH groups to be allowed national self determination within the 1967 borders... (although some of the west bank settlements like Ariel could be exchanged for land within Israel proper....)

I attack Israeli policy all the time. I am definitely not anti-semitic.
But, I suspect that we attack Israeli policy from opposite positions.
Try this one on for size:
Why is it okay to denigrate Israel; pledge to destroy Israel; call all Zionists pig and monkeys; agree that Israel has no right to exist; murder Israelis; and not be anti-semitic.

[concheet]

Why is it okay to denigrate Israel; pledge to destroy Israel; call all Zionists pig and monkeys; agree that Israel has no right to exist; murder Israelis; and not be anti-semitic.

Now that's a good question!

[kurdistani]

I attack Israeli policy all the time. I am definitely not anti-semitic.
But, I suspect that we attack Israeli policy from opposite positions.
Try this one on for size:
Why is it okay to denigrate Israel; pledge to destroy Israel; call all Zionists pig and monkeys; agree that Israel has no right to exist; murder Israelis; and not be anti-semitic.

1. I am a Kurd... I have no official homeland... I seems to me commonly accepted that Kurds have no right to a state... even so Israel has all the military cards in the region... it not only has the right to exist... but it also has the right to be in breach of international law in occupying the west bank... and has nuclear weapons....
2. Did i say it was ok to murder Israelis? NO
3. Zionism is a misleading word... I prefer Israeli nationalism.... because that is what we are talking about.... Islamo fascists use this words to try and single out Israeli nationalism as an 'evil force'... Israeli nationalists use it to mark their nationalism as 'special' and 'progressive'... Zionism is like anyother nationalism... It has liberal trends... religious trends and even fascistic trends.... just like arab nationalism etc...
4. I have hear Israelis say some pretty bad stuff about Arabs....

But again.... attacking Israeli policy is not anti Semtic... just as attacking Turkish policy is not anti Turkish... or attacking Kurdish policy is not anti Kurdish....

It is about democracy... free speech and the right to question...

In my life I have been called a Zionist agent and a anti Semite... (although I get the Zionist agent a lot more)... I think i have the balance right.....

[nobody]

THE PLO'S PHASED PLAN:

The Liberation Organization will struggle against any proposal for a Palestinian entity the price of which is recognition, peace, secure frontiers, renunciation of national rights and the deprive of our people of their right to return and their right to self-determination on the soil of their homeland.

that means israel is part of the palestinian identification of a homeland.

that means for palestine to exist, israel must not.

this part from the phased plan:

Once it is estabished, the Palestinian national authority will strive to achieve a union of the confrontation countries, with the aim of completing the liberation of all Palestinian territory, and as a step along the road to comprehensive Arab unity.

means that palestine is not to be an entity separate from the arab entity.

which is supported by this quote:

\"Yes, the existence of a separate Palestinian identity serves only tactical purposes. The founding of a Palestinian state is a new tool in the continuing battle against Israel...\"
- Zuheir Muhsin, late Military Department head of the PLO and member of its Executive Council (Dutch daily Trouw, March 1977)


this also needs to be considered:

\"The Land of Muslim Palestine is a single unit which cannot be divided. There is no difference between Haifa and Shechem (Nablus), between Lod and Ramallah, and between Jerusalem and Nazareth . . . the land of Palestine is sacred waqf land for the benefit of all Muslims, east and west. No one has the right to divide it or give up any of it. The liberation of Palestine is obligatory for all the Islamic nations and not only for the Palestinian nation.\"
- Prayer sermon broadcast live on the PA radio station, April 30, 1999

now that hamas is in power this is relevant:

from hamas covenant:

\"Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.\" (Preamble)

i prefer to use "in their own words" when available

[kurdistani]

Are you saying that the Palestine does not have a right to exist?

Pan Arab nationalism and Pan Islam are all very good to talk about when in opposition... but the realities of excersing power changes things... Palestinians are Palestinians first...

still Israel is not helpless is it?....

The Palestinians are the one in the weak position....

anyhow I seem to remember a few Israeli leaders denying that there was a Palestinian people....


All that being said... If the Palestinians had a smart leadership... with the amount of money they got forom that rest of the world... they would have had a state by now....

[nobody]

Are you saying that the Palestine does not have a right to exist?

no, but not at the expense of israel. it should be remembered that the largest pluality of israelis are the dispossessed jews from arab countries.

since the palestinians do no see themselves as a separate indentity/existence from the other arabs, perhaps the concept of palestine was merely a tactic as alluded to in the quote. there are plenty of other quotes from palestinians saying pretty much the same thing. if you think the kurds and the palestinians have dispossessing in common, perhaps you might wish to argue that. the isomorphic palestinian/kurd has significant problems. once being the palestinians only recently acquired the definition which defines what one might today consider a palestinian. at one time they were considered part of syria. other arabs have called them jordanians.

"The people are in great need of a 'myth' to fill their consciousness and imagination...."
- Musa Alami, 1948

In an article entitled, "The Lesson of Palestine," printed in the Middle East Journal, October 1949, Arab activist, Musa Alami, wrote, "how can people struggle for their nation, when most of them do not know the meaning of the word? … The people are in great need of a "myth" of imagination. The myth of nationality would create "identity" and "self-respect."

chomp on that for a while.

[nobody]

while your are chomping away, digest this bit of arab offering:

Before the birth of the State of Israel, Arab leaders themselves denied the existence of an Arab country called Palestine. In 1937, Arab leader, Auni Bey Abdul-Hadi said, "There is no such country [as Palestine]! 'Palestine' is a term the Zionists invented! There is no Palestine in the Bible. 'Palestine" is alien to us; it is the Zionists who introduced it." In 1946, a distinguished Princeton professor and Arab historian said, "There is no such thing as Palestine in Arab history, absolutely not."

[kurdistani]

Are you saying that the Palestine does not have a right to exist?
no, but not at the expense of israel. it should be remembered that the largest pluality of israelis are the dispossessed jews from arab countries.

Ok but.... What does 'at the expense of Israel mean'... Israel will have to give up some of the land and settlements for peace.... Obviously.. Israel would be crazy to allow all the Arabs ethnicily cleansed from Israel in 1948... (like wise... no one is advocating the return of the Greek population to Izmir... it is a tradgey but you cannot go back too far in time)... but Israeli has to give....
On the second point.... What have Palestinian Arabs kicked out or who fled form their homes in the late 1940s to do with... the ethnic cleansing of Jews from the Greater Middle east.... Do two wrongs make a right? no.... There is no moral justification for either the ethnic cleansing of Arabs or Jews from their homes....

I don't agree that the Palestinians are part of an undifferenated Arab mass.. there is a distinct Palestinian nationalism... and its appeal to Pan Aranism is becasue of its need for Arab support.... but Palestinian political leaders act in a Palestinian political field first not a Greater arab field...

since the palestinians do no see themselves as a separate indentity/existence from the other arabs, perhaps the concept of palestine was merely a tactic as alluded to in the quote. there are plenty of other quotes from palestinians saying pretty much the same thing. if you think the kurds and the palestinians have dispossessing in common, perhaps you might wish to argue that. the isomorphic palestinian/kurd has significant problems. once being the palestinians only recently acquired the definition which defines what one might today consider a palestinian. at one time they were considered part of syria. other arabs have called them jordanians.

\"The people are in great need of a 'myth' to fill their consciousness and imagination....\"
- Musa Alami, 1948

You are right... there was no Palestine 100 years ago... but there was no Israel either... most of the great grandfathers of the Modern Israeli population would have seen themselves as German... French... Ottoman.... Iranian... Moroccan... or even Russian....

[Moishe3rd]

I don't agree that the Palestinians are part of an undifferenated Arab mass.. there is a distinct Palestinian nationalism... and its appeal to Pan Aranism is becasue of its need for Arab support.... but Palestinian political leaders act in a Palestinian political field first not a Greater arab field...

The problem you face here is that the Arabs who claim "Palestinian" rights are a large, undifferentiated mass.
The 4 or 5 million Arabs that have been locked up in concentration camps by their Arab neighbors for 50 years? These are Palestinians?
The tribal / sectarian peoples who make up Gaza and the West Bank who daily murder each other in the name of their tribe or clan or religious sect? These are Palestinians?
The nationalism of "Palestinians" was a deliberate invention of their founding father, Arafat the Rotting, who was nothing if not an international murderer, like his uncle the Grand Mufti, both of who believed in the power of death, guns and money and had absolutely no regard for any "Palestinian" people.
It's very simple.
If the Arabs called Palestinians can invent a country; an economy; a justice system of Laws and government - at least as effective as the Kurdish one in northern Iraq - then they will be a people. Just as the Kurds are recognized, in spite of everything, as a people.
If the Arabs called Palestinians continue in their tribal gang warfare insanities, they will rot forever....

[HayArsen]

Check out this concept wizard presentation on anti-zionism/anti-semitism and Islam:
Pipeline of Hatred
Clear and simple.

wtf lol why are Armenian and Georgia represented as Muslim states?

[Udi John]

Hi Kurdistani,

I think there is actually a lot of sympathy for the Kurds around the world--though they don't have the media pull of the Palestinians--including in Israel (where there is a large Jewish community from Kurdistan that strongly identifies as "Kurdish" in a way the Jews from the Arab world don't tend to regard themselves as "Arab"; see [and hear]: http://www.israel-music.com/itzik_kalla/ana_kurdi/ and http://www.israel-music.com/ilana_eliya/ilana_eliya/).

I personally believe that the Kurds are as deserving of a homeland as anyone else in the world, and I am sure I am by no means alone in this belief. Unfortunately, the political reality is extremely difficult, as the majority-Kurdish areas have been parcelled out among Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and arguably parts of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia. I'm sure many Americans and Europeans sympathize with the idea of an independent Kurdistan in northern Iraq, but are afraid of the geopolitical fallout of allowing Iraq to be dismantled.

I personally don't believe that anti-Zionism = anti-Semitism, but many anti-Zionists are in fact anti-Semites (some without even realizing it). For example, some ultraorthodox Jews are fervently anti-Zionist (Satmar Hassidim, etc.) without being anti-Semites. Also, Anarchists who don't support the existence of ANY states are not singling out Jews when then don't support Zionism and therefore not anti-Semitic. This is clear. On the other hand, it is equally clear that there are groups who opposition to Zionism is due to hatred of Jews, such as (neo)Nazis and many (though not all) Islamic fundamentalists.

The complication it that most anti-Zionists are neither Orthodox Jews nor Nazis, and their views have to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Questions used to evaluate whether someone crosses the line from anti-Zionism to anti-Semitism would include:

1) Are they attributing to the State of Israel/Zionists actions or attitudes traditionally ascribed by anti-Semites to Jews? For example, are Israelis being characterized as hating or feeling contempt for non-Jews in general?

2) Are they singling Israel/Zionists out for criticism? I.e., it's OK for Syria to occupy Lebanon or Morocco to occupy Western Sahara, etc., but Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza should be subjected to strident criticism.

3) Are they holding Israel/Zionists to an unjustified higher standard of behavior? For example, it may not be anti-Semitic for an American to criticize Israeli policies in the West Bank/Gaza but not criticize Russian actions in Chechenya--given America's special relationship with Israel--but for English or French or Italian people to do so is arguably anti-Semitic.

4) Are they criticizing Zionism or Israeli policies in terms that tend to dehumanize Israelis and/or Jews? For example, are Israeli actions in the West Bank, Gaza, etc. equated with the Holocaust?

5) Are they denying Jews something which they support for any other ethnic or national group? For example, do they support national self-determination for Palestinians, Bosnian Muslims, Chechens, etc. but claim that Jews are not a people and therefore do not deserve self-determination as a group?

etc.

If we analyze anti-Zionism from this framework, it's clear that not all anti-Zionists are anti-Semites, but equally clear that there is a large body of anti-Zionists out there who are objectively anti-Semitic, probably without even being aware of it.

I want to caution my fellow Jews and supporters of the State of Israel regarding the labelling those who criticize Israeli policy as "anti-Semites." Blurring the line between anti-Zionism and and anti-Semitism is not in the best interests of the Jewish People.

On the other hand, my world travels have taught me that the Palestine issue is an unhealthy obsession in many parts of the world and rampant anti-Semitism many be a factor. I ask my progressive non-Jewish comrades to ask yourselves questions such as the ones above before you claim to be an ally of the Jewish People.

Peace,
John

[Darkseid]

People are weird. Actually I support the creation of Israel, it is something that god said was going to happen. If it going to happen, suppose to happen, then why stop it? Why fight god? Persian and the rest of you guys willing to not accept Israel's existence might as well call yourselves athiests, because you are attacking what god does. You are questioning god's will. Forbidding god's plans.

In the Koran it specifically states that all people bounded by the same god, follow the same god. The manner of which they do so is of their own and god allows this because he allows us to have free will. If we did not have free will then we would all be robots and everyone would be sunni, shiite, sufi, or whatever it is god programs us all to be.

But you see the Israelis have allowed the Dome of the Rock to continue to exist. They could just demolish it and fight the swarms of Muslims like they did before and be victorious like they did before.

But guess what? They didn't. Why? Because they respect your worthless hides even while you try to annihilate them and pray to exterminate them all. They still respect you and allow you to venture towards the Dome of the Rock as you please.

Here are other things the Israelis could have done.

1) They could have decided to keep the Sinai Peninsula under their occupation, but didn't.

2) They could have decided to nuke all of the Middle-East right now. But they didn't and won't. Why? Because they don't want to. Why? Like I said, they respect you even while you will to obliterate them.

3) They could have decided to take over Lebanon during that battle against Hezbollah. Did they?

4) They could have decided to take over Syria when they took the Golan region. Did they?

5) They could have took Palestine and wiped it off the map. Did they?

Israel is the little underdog state that can take on all of the Middle-East and has done so in the past under a great number of occassions. And yet, they have never decided to take over the Middle-East.

RESPECT THEM for their merciful intent and seek to co-exist with them, since they never did any real harm that they could have as mentioned above. You can disrespect their government, but you should respect the people and the state.

All the occupation they have done are the results of the wars they have been involved.

Here is something else you must know. Palestinians, Syrians, Lebonese, Hatayans, Egyptians, Northern Africans, Iraqis, and a good majority of Jordanians are not Arabs.

Palestinians are ethnically related to native Israelis. They are cousins like Sweden and Norway. They are both Levantine people, the same people. They share different religions and different languages. But the swiss also share different languages and different religions, but they are still swiss now aren't they?

Syrians are ethnically Levantine, not arab.

Jordanians (mostly just those from Palestine which makes up the majority) are Levantine.

People from Lebanon are Levantine.

Hatayans which are people from the province of Hatay in Turkey are Levantines.

If there should be any nationalistic movement. It should be for a united Levantine in a federation of states that have adopted their traditional Levantine culture and language (rather than Arabic which comes from Arabia and not the Levant).

Egyptians are Egyptians, not Arabs.

Other Northern Africans are Bebers, not Arabs.

Iraqis are Babylonians. They are the descendents of people from the ancient civilizations of Sumer, Akkad, and Babylon.

There are some actual Arabs in these regions but they make up a very small minority, except in Jordan and in the Sinai area of Egypt.




Now, now, now....

There are things Israel has done that are unforgivable. But... that is why you need to unite all of the Levantine lands under one federalize domain, so you can have some sort of an authority to keep Israel from doing these sorts of things and allow Palestine the right to exist.

[concheet]

Now, now, now....

There are things Israel has done that are unforgivable. But... that is why you need to unite all of the Levantine lands under one federalize domain, so you can have some sort of an authority to keep Israel from doing these sorts of things and allow Palestine the right to exist.

What?! what things?! Who's doing the forgiving? Who is the YOU that gets the authority that you speak of? What 'sort' of things must Israel be kept from doing? How is Israel denying Palestinians existence? What authority would allow Israel the 'right to exist'? Does Hamas believe that Israel has the 'right to exist'? What Arab countries acknowledge Israel's right to exist? Arabs have a 'right to exist' in the West Bank and Gaza/"Palestine" ....do Jews have the 'right to exist' there?