Criticizing Israel not automatically anti-Semitic

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/01/2017 (3172 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Growing up in the East End of London with a Jewish father, I discovered the meaning of anti-Semitism at a fairly young age. Not that it was common in Britain in the 1960s and ’70s — far from it — but when the malodorous old ghoul did rise from the grave, it was entirely obvious. Generally we had a suitable, if not genteel, way of dealing with it. They were earthier times.

The point is, however, that while anti-Semitism is obscene, so are empty, baseless and politically manipulative accusations of Jew-hatred. By the way, anti-Semitism is precisely that; the term was coined in the 19th century to exclusively describe hatred of Jews. Because it is such a repugnant charge, we’d better get it right when we use it.

Yet in the past two weeks, numerous right-wing supporters of Israel have accused U.S. President Barack Obama and his team of anti-Semitism because they dared to abstain from a United Nations vote calling on Israel to leave the occupied territories.

The UN Security Council decision needs to be analyzed, of course, but I can assure you that millions of Israelis and diaspora Jews support it, are vehemently opposed to settlements in the West Bank and would even debate the future of East Jerusalem. Whatever the case, an informed, balanced and moderate criticism of certain Israeli government policies is not anti-Semitism. More than this, it is a disgusting libel that insults the leadership of the United States and — important, this — diminishes and devalues the authentic nature and meaning of anti-Semitism.

Yet social media, blogs, television pundits and even newspaper columnists in this country have implied racism influenced Obama’s decision. They also throw countries that supported the motion, such as Britain and New Zealand, into the racist pot. New Zealand has had three prime ministers of Jewish heritage in its fairly brief history. Obviously, it is a bastion of anti-Semitism.

The British writer G.K. Chesterton — alas, a man with his own anti-Semitic demons — once wrote that, “‘My country, right or wrong,’ is a thing that no patriot would think of saying. It is like saying, ‘My mother, drunk or sober.’” In other words, blind support for a nation, whatever it does, is not friendship but dangerous obsession.

This, surely, is how we should consider the UN vote and Obama’s approach. This is a man who has approved the giving of billions of dollars to Israel, who was formed politically and socially by Jewish people, who numbers Jewish people among his closest friends and who we know from diaries is appalled that any Jewish person should consider him anything other than a comrade.

On the other hand, it was Egypt and Russia that were prepared to back Israel in postponing the vote, and neither country has a shining example of treating Jews with respect and equality. It’s simply crass and chilling to mingle sensible foreign policy with gutter racism, and if it doesn’t stop soon, Israel will lose many more allies.

One of the ironies of all this is that insisting all Jewish people have to think in an identical way about Israel is in itself anti-Semitic; it assumes a Jewish person’s race or religion dictates their views about Middle Eastern politics. Jewish people think whatever they want; they can even be anti-Zionist if they like. It’s up to them, and thank God they and all of us have that fundamental freedom.

Anti-Semitism does certainly exist and some critics of Israel are undeniably motivated by a dark dislike of Jews. But that’s a small minority. Most Palestinians hardly knew who or what a Jew was until the 1930s, and while Arab governments may often be hypocritical, they are generally far more hostile to their own people and to other Arabs than they are to Jews.

Motives are seldom pure, politics rarely clean, the Middle East always confused, racism never rational. But those of us who care about peace and justice for Jew and Arab alike and who know that the Israeli right speaks for only a segment of the Jewish state, are sick and tired of abuse replacing discussion on such a delicate and vital issue.

And no, I’m not a self-loathing Jew. Not even a self-loathing half-Jew. Mind you, I don’t like myself very much half the time.

Michael Coren’s latest book is Epiphany: A Christian’s Change of Heart and Mind over Same-Sex Marriage (Random House).