Thank you for a thoughtful, nuanced, and eloquent take on the thorny issue of antisemitism on the left. Nearly every day I find myself trying to reason with people on both sides: those who conflate anti-Zionism with antisemitism under all circumstances, and those who refuse to recognize that while the two are not synonymous, there is often some overlap (sometimes considerable overlap). It’s hard to maintain a non-binary perspective in a world that insists we go all in on one camp or another. I appreciate thinking like yours that addresses and wrestles with the complexities, and I regard you as a much-needed voice of moral clarity. Todah!
Thank you for this thoughtful reflection I have always found it wise when people talk about racism, homophobia, and Jew-hatred to defer to those who are actually experiencing them. I have no way of knowing what it is to experience Jew hatred and how that ties into Israel and Zionism.
I do know that Netanyahu is politically dependent on the extreme religious right in Israel who make no bones about their desire for the elimination of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, utterly reject the two state solution and do speak in terms of what is effectively ethnic cleansing.
The moral thing for Netanyahu to do (assuming his will to power can be curbed) would be to reject this extremist support. It means that other coalitions of Israelis would form a different government that might have reasonable policies that might lead to peace. That is not to say that the Palestinians will match that ambition in good faith but it might be worth a try.
Otherwise thank you, again, for giving me some incite into your experience and perspective on the awful and irrational reality of Jew hatred as it is being manifested today.
"They do not define it as requiring that Palestinian society be eradicated, hospitals in Gaza bombed, or settler thugs allowed to conduct pogroms in the West Bank. Of course, it is the official policy of the current Israeli government to do all of these."
So - Your one sided (completely erroneous) take/editorial on current Israeli politics - Is astonishing!
Israel has never started a war but has been existentially besieged by it's Arab neighbors since it's begiinning! - The only Democracy in the Middle East fighting for it's security based on nothing but Jew hatred!
Netanyahu is way to authoritarian but obeys the Israel Constitution and Supreme Court to the letter!
He knows security is everything and there is , not even remotely, any secure partner for peace from it's next door neighbors!
In October 2,700 innocent men women and children were butcherd like animals and their neighbors danced in the streets!
Think what trump's America would do in response to a terrorist attack of similar circumstances - The world trade tower response was like NOTHING compared to such an event in a country with 382 million vs Israels 9.7 million.
It is absolutely not "clearly false" that anti-Zionism is antisemitic. What's more accurate is to say that most people who adopt the identity "anti-Zionist" are confused about what that entails and whether it applies to them.
Thank you for a thoughtful, nuanced, and eloquent take on the thorny issue of antisemitism on the left. Nearly every day I find myself trying to reason with people on both sides: those who conflate anti-Zionism with antisemitism under all circumstances, and those who refuse to recognize that while the two are not synonymous, there is often some overlap (sometimes considerable overlap). It’s hard to maintain a non-binary perspective in a world that insists we go all in on one camp or another. I appreciate thinking like yours that addresses and wrestles with the complexities, and I regard you as a much-needed voice of moral clarity. Todah!
Thank you for this thoughtful reflection I have always found it wise when people talk about racism, homophobia, and Jew-hatred to defer to those who are actually experiencing them. I have no way of knowing what it is to experience Jew hatred and how that ties into Israel and Zionism.
I do know that Netanyahu is politically dependent on the extreme religious right in Israel who make no bones about their desire for the elimination of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, utterly reject the two state solution and do speak in terms of what is effectively ethnic cleansing.
The moral thing for Netanyahu to do (assuming his will to power can be curbed) would be to reject this extremist support. It means that other coalitions of Israelis would form a different government that might have reasonable policies that might lead to peace. That is not to say that the Palestinians will match that ambition in good faith but it might be worth a try.
Otherwise thank you, again, for giving me some incite into your experience and perspective on the awful and irrational reality of Jew hatred as it is being manifested today.
"They do not define it as requiring that Palestinian society be eradicated, hospitals in Gaza bombed, or settler thugs allowed to conduct pogroms in the West Bank. Of course, it is the official policy of the current Israeli government to do all of these."
So - Your one sided (completely erroneous) take/editorial on current Israeli politics - Is astonishing!
Israel has never started a war but has been existentially besieged by it's Arab neighbors since it's begiinning! - The only Democracy in the Middle East fighting for it's security based on nothing but Jew hatred!
Netanyahu is way to authoritarian but obeys the Israel Constitution and Supreme Court to the letter!
He knows security is everything and there is , not even remotely, any secure partner for peace from it's next door neighbors!
In October 2,700 innocent men women and children were butcherd like animals and their neighbors danced in the streets!
Think what trump's America would do in response to a terrorist attack of similar circumstances - The world trade tower response was like NOTHING compared to such an event in a country with 382 million vs Israels 9.7 million.
Dave, a correction here: Apparently, you're mistaken about the Israel Constitution. Like Great Britain, Israel does not have a constitution.
He very clearly said he was talking about American Jews. You cut that out of the quote for some reason?
It is absolutely not "clearly false" that anti-Zionism is antisemitic. What's more accurate is to say that most people who adopt the identity "anti-Zionist" are confused about what that entails and whether it applies to them.