Antisemitism is Not About the Jews

 

I have friends who care for Israel but soften their criticism with “If only they had better public relations.” 

Israel has the best public relations in the world. 

They are responsible citizens of the world. Whenever there is a disaster Israel offers to send help. The Arab nations usually refuse but Israel offers. That’s the nation’s humanity, often denied. The 57 Muslim nations in the world can’t bear the thought of being helped by that one sliver of a Jewish state — because that might justify its existence. 

The Palestinians got the chance to prove themselves responsible citizens when Israel withdrew in 2005. Instead they smashed up the greenhouse industry left them and proceeded to launch attacks on Israeli civilians, prompting the embargo that has chafed them since. But whether against Jews or Christians, apparently Muslim terrorism doesn’t damage their image. Good PR?

One might also claim PR value in Israel’s remarkable contributions to medicine, science, tech, agronomy, the arts, etc.. Especially when they have had to spend so much money and human power simply to defend its existence against surrounding mortal enemies throughout their brief state life. Just last week they revealed a revolutionary method of spinal transplant —the latest of hundreds of breakthroughs Israel has shared. 

By the way, there was no outside outcry when a major Israeli science center was bombed by Hamas. But hit a Palestinian hospital openly dedicated to military use and terrorist salvation? Israel is Evil.,

Or this for PR? Even amidst an all-out attack from their genocidal enemies Israel still gives full free medical services to that enemy officers’ families. Or this: a convicted murderer serving a life sentence has a mortal brain tumour removed by an Israeli doctor. The patient may have been grateful, but when he was released in one of those imbalanced swaps — e.g., one Israeli hostage for 100 criminal Palestinians —that prisoner proceeded to plan and direct the October 7 invasion, slaughter and atrocities. Of course there was outrage when an Israeli rocket killed him.

Or this for PR: Retired British Officer Richard Kemp has called Israel the most moral army ever, for its care to minimize enemy civilian deaths. The civilian death rate is also extremely low for an urban ground war. 

        How does that translate? Israel is waging genocide and infanticide against those pathetic victim Palestinians. Israel is accused of doing what its ostensible victims are actually doing to them — while intending even worse. This is the point in Beth Stuart's inflammatory statement in her exhibition at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.

Israel saves enemy lives by advance warning of attack to enable their flight to safety. So? Israel is condemned for forced evacuations. 

Nothing can excuse Israel because what Israel is and what Israel does are irrelevant to the Jews being useful — century after century — to bear the guilt and responsibility for everything awry in the world. Why look within when you can blame them?

Israel’s success in staving off Hamas’s two-year genocidal attack is making the Jewish state even more a pariah. Its critics swell in rage and number. But we should not blame Israel for that. Attacking a scapegoat responds to the society’s needs more than the nature of the imputed villain. And when the Jews have been demonized for centuries, who better to assail when occasion arises?

For antisemitism really has nothing to do with the Jews. Indeed, you don’t need Jews to have antisemitism. Indonesia has Few Jews and Much Antisemitism. The Jews’ ill-reputation doesn’t precede them. It’s a figurative substitute for their real being. 

Antisemitism is wholly irrational. The scapegoat it provides needs no factual basis or pertinence. It’s a historical pathology that periodically takes hold and drives the community to madness. There is no logic, no foundation and certainly no positive effect in a society suddenly blaming the Jews for its ills. 

Note that the calls to end the current war are primarily directed at Israel, not at the instigator and primary continuer, Hamas. The world blames Israel for the phantom famine, the physical destruction, the civilian and especially children’s deaths. But that is all due to Hamas violating war conventions by militarizing their supposedly safe areas — schools, playgrounds, temples, hospitals — and hiding their own soldiers among their civilian population. 

Yet Israel is considered the primary transgressor — for its existential self-defence. Occasionally we get an afterthought, like “free the hostages.” And “Islamophobia” quickly follows any politician’s courageous mention of “antisemitism” — as if there were any equivalence between the historic hatred of the Jews and the current coinage intended to defuse any criticism of radical Islam. The Left media are particularly prone to this pervasive prejudice. Typically, the CBC reports Hamas casualty figures as coming from “Gaza health officials.” But Israeli stats are “not confirmed by other sources.” 

This persists despite the innumerable exposure of Palestinian lies. Remember that hospital that Israel bombed at the current war’s onset, killing 500? Of course, it was a misfired Palestinian rocket, toll around 50, but the myth and eager gullibility persist. Hamas is like Trump in cruelty, selfishness and constant lying. Canada’s submission threatens a future no better than theirs. 

Little wonder Israel is so demonized — for daring to prevent Hamas’s pledge to repeat their October 7, 2023, atrocities “throughout Israel and the West Bank.” The “genocide” label is hung on the Jewish army’s self-defence instead of on Hamas’s constitutional pledge (Article 7) to eradicate world Jewry. Israel accepted the 2-state solution in 1948. The Palestinians did not. They also rejected eight land-for-peace offers since (six by Israel), without negotiation,  insisting on a statehood that would eliminate the Jews. 

Yet the world hangs the “genocide” tag on the Jews’ selfdefense. 

The primary solution now proposed is that Israel stop the war. France, Britain and Canada (alas!) have in effect promised to reward Hamas by recognizing Palestinian statehood in the fall sitting of the UN. 

        Set aside that this would make October 7 the primary modus operandi for jihadist movements throughout the world. 

Set aside that this would — indeed already has — hardened the Hamas resolve not to make any concessions re:hostages, truce, vacating the land. Even set aside that this promise could have little positive realization because the Palestinians fall obviously short on the major requirements of a new statehood. Even then, this promise can only compel Israel to ratchet up its attacks now in hope of reducing the military and political antagonism then to be consolidated. 

There’s yet one more lesson in October 7, 2023, when Hamas invaded Israel, murdered over a thousand, kidnapped,, raped, mutilated, microwaved a baby and through it all shot their own videos to celebrate. Palestinians applauded ecstatically. 

Briefly Jews felt some rare sympathy from the world at large. Then within days — before Israel even began its response to the attack — there was an eruption of pro-Palestinian demonstrations, encampments, etc., on our campuses as well as on defaced walls,. Their slogans called for the annihilation of Israel — indeed, even of the Jews outside  (“Bring the Intifada”). 

Antisemitism has nothing to do with the Jews —except their historic targeting. What they are, what they do, how they react, nohow are they responsible for the resurrection of that historic hysteria, that global pathology — antisemitism. 

Its root? Here’s a possibility. Hitler was asked if anything he did ever disturbed his conscience. “No, conscience is something invented by the Jews,” he replied. Enough said. Our ancient forefathers refined our godhood and passed on, inter alia, the ten commandments. Reason enough to draw eternal resentment — and worse.