PrintThe New Anti-Semitism
I never thought I would see an open anti—Semitic political campaign in my lifetime. But after fifty years of skulking in the shadows, the old hatreds are rising like Count Dracula from his mouldy grave. According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, The London Guardian is reporting that the academic boycott against Israel's universities is being revived in Britain. It is all part of the tireless campaign against the existence of Israel, presumably financed by the Saudis behind the scenes, with the collusion of the United Nations, and driven most of all by the ideological Left. In spite of all denials, it is beginning to look like the old, discredited race hatred, barely disguised.
The new anti—Zionist campaign calls for the abolition of Israel as a nation, but its supporters on the Left assure us it has nothing to do with racism. It was George Orwell who once wrote that the first obligation of decent people is to say the obvious. Well, here is my obvious thought for the day: in spite of what the Left says, anti—Zionism equals racism, pure and simple. In fact, anti—Zionism, now spreading like wildfire among leftist churches, shows a particularly despicable kind of racism.
The Left tells us that it is not anti—Semitic. But consider the source. These are the folks who lied about Soviet imperialism for seventy years ——— and still do. Today, they are convinced that the world appeal of Coca Cola is proof of American imperialism. As Orwell knew so well, manipulating the meaning of words like "imperialism" and "anti—Semitism" is a standard gambit of the Left.
I used to think that some Jews were much too sensitive about anti—Semitism.
For decades after World War II it seemed that the old kind of anti—Jewish hatred was a thing of the past, at least in America and Western Europe. Who would be stupid enough to believe the Czarist Protocols of the Elders of Zion? Some people might harbor racist feelings in secret, but no civilized person would say so in public.
That is no longer true, not in Europe, and certainly not on the hard Left, even in the United States. Today we can see a New Anti—Semitism rising without shame, spilling out in university campuses all over the Western world. Even Cindy Sheehan, as she fades from sight, managed to blame the Jews. Leftwing anti—Semitism has been building for a long time, but it is now coming to a boil. The flames are being whipped up by Islamist propaganda, in open alliance with fascists like George Galloway.
In perhaps the most shocking display of the new anti—Semitism, the Anglican Church is leading a disinvestment campaign against Israel. We know about Winston Churchill's "bloody—minded professors," who supported Hitler and Stalin even while they were killing milions of people. But today, to their shame, we can even see bloody—minded bishops leading the campaign against Israel.
One of the biggest lies on the Left these days is that there is a difference between anti—Zionism and anti—Semitism. Anti—Semitism means advocating the genocide of Jews. Anti—Zionism means advocating the genocide of Jews who live in Israel. I'm puzzled. What's the difference supposed to be?
When the Anglican Church calls for delegitimizing the State of Israel it doesn't use words like "mass murder" or "ethnic cleansing" ——— but that is clearly implied. No sane person believes that five million Israeli Jews will simply hop a plane to Argentina or Germany, leaving the land of Israel to the tender mercies of Hamas and Hizbullah. Israeli society is deeply rooted in the love of its land. It can only be driven out with overwhelming force, like the nuclear weapons the Mullahs of Tehran are telling us they are building just for that purpose.
What the Anglican Church is therefore demanding is the abolition of an entire people in their land. That is the political program of Pol Pot, Stalin and Hitler. It is simply monstrous coming from Christian church leaders.
No sane person objects to reasonable criticism of Israel. Every society is imperfect. Every country needs open debate to stay healthy. But that is hardly the same as open hatred, or the obsessive, day—after—day propaganda attack that is now carried on by major media in Britain, France and yes, even Germany itself.
Anti—Zionism is a call to destroy a nation. That is without parallel in contemporary politics. No other country is targeted for extinction by the enlightened Left ——— not the genocidal regime of Sudan, nor Stalinist North Korea, nor China, which kills tens of millions of newborn girls every year.
To call for the elimination of homosexuals or African Americans is morally hideous. But somehow, on the Left it is a sign of high moral sensitivity to call for the elimination of five million Jews in Israel. The question "Should Israel exist?"is asked over and over again. The Left has a consistent track record of promoting genocide around the world, so we can guess what they have in mind.
The New Anti—Semitism has all the earmarks of a coordinated campaign, financed, probably, by Saudi money. It is traceable to our friends at the United Nations. The campaign routinely uses Jewish spokespeople, presumably because Jews cannot be anti—Semites. But that is nonsense. If that were true, Benedict Arnold could not be an American, and Lord Haw Haw could not be English. If Noam Chomsky calls for the abolition of Israel he is logically an anti—Semite, in spite of the fact that his parents were devoutly religious Jews. Chomsky's real models are not his own parents, but people like Marx and Engels, both viciously anti—Semitic.
To be a racist, all you need to is to call for the persecution of a people.
The Left today is therefore unmistakably anti—Semitic and racist.
The history of the Jewish people is filled with the poetry of Zion, going back to Psalm 137, written 25 centuries ago.
Modern Zionism stems from the conviction that the Jews needed a nation of their own. In 1948, when Israel achieved independence, the Holocaust was just becoming known around the world. It was clear to all that Jews could never again feel safe in Europe. The current wave of anti—Semitism of the Left, especially in Europe, makes it tragically clear how little has changed.
James Lewis is a frequent contributor.
