Hey George, you don’t know me but you have me blocked on Twitter – probably because I have been calling you out for a long time now on what many see as your hatred of Israel.
You have taken to suing a lot of people for calling you antisemitic – a move destined to fail spectacularly for you.
Granted, you are very careful to distinguish between “Judaism” and “Zionism.”
http://youtu.be/hMcgQTSEfto
And between “Jews” and “Israelis”
But let’s first look at the definition of “antisemitism.” According to the European Forum on Antisemitism, the working definition is:
“a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
It adds:
In addition, such manifestations could also target the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity.
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Examples of the ways in which antisemitism manifests itself with regard to the State of Israel taking into account the overall context could include:
- Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.
- Applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.
- Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.
- Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.
- Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.
However, criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic.
According to this definition, you can see why many are calling you antisemitic. You are denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor, and you draw comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.
Many would argue your hatred for Zionism – which is nothing more than the “nationalist and political movement of Jews and Jewish culture that supports the reestablishment of a Jewish homeland in the territory defined as the historic Land of Israel” – is extremely problematic. Why shouldn’t the Jews have a homeland? You contend the palestinians should, yet the Jews are the indigenous people of the land. And even if you claim it is the palestinians who are indigenous – a claim many of us reject – why do you invalidate the Jewish claim despite all the historical evidence?
Also, despite your claims, Zionism is entrenched in Judaism. The Jews who oppose Israel whom you describe are the lunatic fringe. They may “look like Rabbis” but they do not represent Judaism. They number in the thousands out of the 14 or so million Jews in the world, the majority of whom do support Israel.
So according to established definitions of antisemitism, it could be argued you are on shaky ground with the way you single out Israel and deny Jewish people their right to self-determination in their historical homeland.
But there’s more.
Look at those you support.
You have recognized Hamas and delivered money to them, despite them being blatantly antisemitic and having a problem with Jews, not “just” Israel. This is from their charter.
Introduction
For our struggle against the Jews is extremely wide-ranging and grave, so much so that it will need all the loyal efforts we can wield, to be followed by further steps and reinforced by successive battalions from the multifarious Arab and Islamic world, until the enemies are defeated and Allah’s victory prevails.
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Article Seven: The Universality of Hamas
The prophet, prayer and peace be upon him, said:The time will not come until Muslims will fight the Jews (and kill them); until the Jews hide behind rocks and trees, which will cry: O Muslim! there is a Jew hiding behind me, come on and kill him! This will not apply to the Gharqad, which is a Jewish tree (cited by Bukhari and Muslim).
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Article Thirteen: Peaceful Solutions, [Peace] Initiatives and International Conferences
Those conferences are no more than a means to appoint the nonbelievers as arbitrators in the lands of Islam. Since when did the Unbelievers do justice to the Believers? “ And the Jews will not be pleased with thee, nor will the Christians, till thou follow their creed. Say: Lo! the guidance of Allah [himself] is the Guidance. And if you should follow their desires after the knowledge which has come unto thee, then you would have from Allah no protecting friend nor helper.”
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Article Fifteen: The Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine is an Individual Obligation
When our enemies usurp some Islamic lands, Jihad becomes a duty binding on all Muslims. In order to face the usurpation of Palestine by the Jews, we have no escape from raising the banner of Jihad.
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Article Twenty: Social Solidarity
The Nazism of the Jews does not skip women and children, it scares everyone. They make war against people’s livelihood, plunder their moneys and threaten their honor. In their horrible actions they mistreat people like the most horrendous war criminals.
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Article Twenty-Eight
We cannot fail to remind every Muslim that when the Jews occupied Holy Jerusalem in 1967 and stood at the doorstep of the Blessed Aqsa Mosque, they shouted with joy: “Muhammad is dead, he left daughters behind.” Israel, by virtue of its being Jewish and of having a Jewish population, defies Islam and the Muslims. “Let the eyes of the cowards not fall asleep.”
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Article Thirty-Two: The Attempts to Isolate the Palestinian People
Within the circle of the conflict with world Zionism, the Hamas regards itself the spearhead and the avant-garde. It joins its efforts to all those who are active on the Palestinian scene, but more steps need to be taken by the Arab and Islamic peoples and Islamic associations throughout the Arab and Islamic world in order to make possible the next round with the Jews, the merchants of war. “We have cast among them enmity and hatred till the day of Resurrection. As often as they light a fire for war, Allah extinguishes it. Their effort is for corruption in the land, and Allah loves not corrupters.” Sura V (Al-Ma’idah—the Table spread), verse 64.
How can you support those who hold such antisemitic views when you claim to oppose antisemitism?
The same goes for your support of Hassan Nasrallah and Hizbullah, who have made vile antisemitic statements.
Robert S. Wistrich devotes an entire chapter of his comprehensive, worldwide history of anti-Semitism, A Lethal Obsession, to Hezbollah and other like-minded anti-Semitic groups. In the book, Wistrich described Hezbollah’s anti-Semitism as “contempt normally reserved for weak and cowardly enemies. Like the Hamas propaganda for holy war, that of Hezbollah has relied on the endless vilification of Jews as ‘enemies of mankind,’ ‘conspiratorial, obstinate, and conceited’ adversaries full of ‘satanic plans’ to enslave the Arabs. It fuses traditional Islamic anti-Judaism with Western conspiracy myths, Third Worldist anti-Zionism, and Iranian Shiite contempt for Jews as ‘ritually impure’ and corrupt infidels.”
Jeffrey Goldberg, staff writer for The New Yorker, described the group as a “very, very radical, anti-Semitic organization.” He stated that Hezbollah has embraced an ideology “melding of Arab nationalist-based anti-Zionism, anti-Jewish rhetoric from the Koran, and, most disturbingly, the antique anti-Semitic beliefs and conspiracy theories of European fascism.”
An article by Jeffrey Goldberg published in The New Yorker in 2002 quoted Ibrahim Mousawi, the director of English-language news at Al Manar, calling the Jews “a lesion on the forehead of history.”
The Hezbollah-owned and operated television station Al-Manar was criticized for airing “anti-Semitic propaganda” in the form of a television drama depicting a Jewish world domination conspiracy, and for making accusations that Jews deliberately spread AIDS.
Hezbollah also used antisemitic educational materials designed for 5-year-old scouts.
In 1996, Hezbollah called on Muslims to boycott the movie Independence Day, calling it “propaganda for the so-called genius of the Jews and their alleged concern for humanity.”
In the movie, a Jewish scientist played by Jeff Goldblum helps save the world from an alien invasion. Goldblum replied that “Hezbollah has missed the point: the film is not about American Jews saving the world; it’s about teamwork among people of different religions and nationalities to defeat a common enemy.” Hezbollah’s anti-Jewish crusade, Goldblum added, “does not sit well with me.”
Amal Saad-Ghorayeb, a Lebanese writer and political analyst, devoted an entire chapter of her book Hizbu’llah: Politics and Religion to an analysis of Hezbollah’s anti-Jewish beliefs. Sadd-Ghorayeb argues that although Zionism has influenced Hezbollah’s anti-Judaism, “it is not contingent upon it” because Hezbollah’s hatred of Jews is more religiously motivated than politically motivated.
According to Shaul Shai, The Hassan Nasrallah has often made sharp anti-Semitic statements that not only revile Israel as a state, but also the entire Jewish people, while using themes taken from classic and Muslim anti-Semitism
And there’s more.
Just recently, you tweeted in support of Gilad Atzmon, whose views are not merely “anti-Zionist” but blatantly antisemitic – so much so that even fellow haters of Israel have asked him to tone down the rhetoric
In fact, you have previously said you were “enthralled” by his antisemitic book The Wandering Who.
And what about your endorsement of Asghar Bukhari?
There are plenty more examples. Like this tweeter, who tweets out antisemitic filth like this:
https://twitter.com/TippleJack/status/573760653774688256
https://twitter.com/TippleJack/status/573548280229068800
https://twitter.com/TippleJack/status/573469858731425795
Yet you do not seem to have any problem with him.
https://twitter.com/Olvagga/status/573512096656289792
And have even favorited some of his tweets (although not the blatantly antisemitic ones).
https://twitter.com/LouiseMensch/status/573593979993911296
And what’s the deal with retweeting a tweet by someone going by the name The Great Hitler God?
You’ve also favorited this tweet, which is very problematic.
Incidentally, that tweeter has disseminated the antisemitic theory that today’s Jews are not related to the Hebrews of old.
You also follow Dr Alishba Khan on Twitter.
Here are some of her other tweets.
https://twitter.com/dralishbakhan/status/572310894035783681
https://twitter.com/dralishbakhan/status/558841815554863104
https://twitter.com/dralishbakhan/status/571502363913162752
Again, you’d think someone who claims to detest antisemitism would stay far away.
So George, don’t play dumb. The accusations of antisemitism are not coming out of thin air.
