Here is a comment from a NY Times reader, 'Hakim':
"Once again, Israel has demonstrated its thirst for blood and callous disregard for human life and international law. The carnage they leave behind in Gaza will fuel hatred and violence in the region for many generations to come and they will surely pay for it sooner or later!."
It is worth noting that sixty-one years after the establishment of the State of Israel, no one worries that the fact that no Arab country or party recognizes Israel as a Jewish State or that Hamas is committed to Israel's destruction will fuel hatred and violence on the part of Jews will for 'many generations to come'.
Showing posts with label Gaza. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gaza. Show all posts
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Can Jews be Antisemitic?
My answer is yes, definitely, 100%.
My definition of antisemitism is based on four ideas:
Nationality: The antisemite denies that Jews are a nationality or people. He says, "Judaism is a religion, they have no right to a land or country. The idea of a Jewish country is racist"
Religion: The antisemite expresses a wish or desire to legally or illegally interfere with or restrict the practice or practices of the Jewish religion, expecially Orthodox Judaism. An example would be agitating for laws against kosher meat slaughter, or insisting that the separation between men and women at the Kosel (Western Wall) must be abolished.
Jewish actions: The antisemite expresses disapproval of the acts of individual Jews by pointing out that these people are Jews, and that there is some link, either explicit or implied, between this individuals behavior and Jews or Judaism as a whole.
Genocide: The antisemite believes that all Jews must be killed.
Clearly, Jews are not going to advocate genocide for the Jewish people, but individual Jews have been guilty of the first two, expecially when these individuals don't identify with their Jewish nationality or with Orthodox Judaism.
I don't mean to imply that any criticism of Israel or of Orthodox Judaism is antisemitic, but when it denies Jewish nationality or wants to interfere with the free practice of Judaism, it is antisemitic, even when it comes from a Jew.
My definition of antisemitism is based on four ideas:
Nationality: The antisemite denies that Jews are a nationality or people. He says, "Judaism is a religion, they have no right to a land or country. The idea of a Jewish country is racist"
Religion: The antisemite expresses a wish or desire to legally or illegally interfere with or restrict the practice or practices of the Jewish religion, expecially Orthodox Judaism. An example would be agitating for laws against kosher meat slaughter, or insisting that the separation between men and women at the Kosel (Western Wall) must be abolished.
Jewish actions: The antisemite expresses disapproval of the acts of individual Jews by pointing out that these people are Jews, and that there is some link, either explicit or implied, between this individuals behavior and Jews or Judaism as a whole.
Genocide: The antisemite believes that all Jews must be killed.
Clearly, Jews are not going to advocate genocide for the Jewish people, but individual Jews have been guilty of the first two, expecially when these individuals don't identify with their Jewish nationality or with Orthodox Judaism.
I don't mean to imply that any criticism of Israel or of Orthodox Judaism is antisemitic, but when it denies Jewish nationality or wants to interfere with the free practice of Judaism, it is antisemitic, even when it comes from a Jew.
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