Saturday, May 10, 2008

Consider the Source

by Rachel Raskin-Zrihen

Anti-Israel and anti-Zionist means anti-Jewish.

So, naturally, there are protests planned worldwide against Israel on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of its rebirth as a nation.

As one would expect, these exercises in loud, celebratory anti-Semitism are taking place all over Eurostan, in
Exercises in loud, celebratory anti-Semitism are taking place all over Eurostan.
countries like those still technically known as England, France and Germany. They are to be led primarily by the continent's rapidly expanding Muslim population.

And these events are attended also by the unfortunately increasing throngs of if not-yet religiously Muslim converts, then certainly Islamic-attitude converts. These misguided souls have been brought into the fold by a combination of factors, including the Muslim world's highly refined and effective propaganda machine, the Jews' seeming inability to counter it, and the escalating fear among Europe's non-Muslim population of confronting its growing and demonstrably violent radical Islamic menace.

What strikes me about these types of events, outside the obvious basic ignorance making them possible and increasingly popular, is the incredible hypocrisy their organizers and participants manage to ignore.

What if I started organizing an anti-England or anti-Germany or anti-France movement? What if I loudly and publicly expressed the conviction that I don't believe those countries or the people in them deserve to live, and I can click off reams of reasons why?

England, for instance, tends to believe itself entitled to empire and has created all sorts of havoc all over the world with this attitude - problems with which the planet contends to this day. The French, one could suggest, cannot be trusted to defend themselves or others. And the Germans, well, if you take your eyes off them for a second, you're likely to find them trying to violently take over the world.

For the common good, these failed and evil nations must be destroyed.

You scoff. I know you do.

But why does it sound ridiculous - and it does - to suggest the dismantling of these states and destroying or dispersing their people, but to suggest exactly the same thing about Israel and the Jews somehow is not ridiculous?

Because of the relative newness of the state?

Can't be.

Israel, first of all, in its original incarnation, dates back thousands of years. But even if we take it from its 1948 rebirth, Israel is no younger than most of the re-configured Arab nations surrounding it.

If you don't believe me, look it up.
Try to examine the real origin of your animus.

And no one is suggesting, for instance, that Jordan is an illegal occupier of Palestinian land, although a strong case could be made that it is.

I've got news for those marching in the streets ostensibly for Palestinian Arab rights: anti-Israel and anti-Zionist means anti-Jewish, whether or not those espousing it consciously admit it. And I'll bet those who insist they are not anti-Semitic, but merely anti-Zionist, if pressed to break what they mean by that down to its basic components and the desired final outcome, will hear themselves sounding eerily Nazi-like in their answer.

So, if you're planning to attend an anti-Israel event this coming week, try to examine the real origin of your animus.

As for me, I'll be out celebrating the miraculous fulfillment of ancient Biblical prophecy that is the state of Israel.

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