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November 30, 2003
Oldest hatred, latest chapter
Fascinating developments at the Guardian. On Saturday, announcing her departure to the Times, Julie Burchill denounced the Guardian's institutional hatred of Israel and the Jews and asserted that the distinction between anti-Zionism and antisemitism is spurious. A sample of Julie's deathless: 'If you take into account the theory that Jews are responsible for everything nasty in the history of the world, and also the recent EU survey that found 60% of Europeans believe Israel is the biggest threat to peace in the world today (hmm, I must have missed all those rabbis telling their flocks to go out with bombs strapped to their bodies and blow up the nearest mosque), it's a short jump to reckoning that it was obviously a bloody good thing that the Nazis got rid of six million of the buggers. Perhaps this is why sales of Mein Kampf are so buoyant, from the Middle Eastern bazaars unto the Edgware Road, and why The Protocols of The Elders of Zion could be found for sale at the recent Anti-racism Congress in Durban. The fact that many Gentiles and Arabs are rabidly Judeophobic, while many others are as horrified by Judeophobia as by any other type of racism, makes me believe that anti-semitism/Zionism is not a political position (otherwise the right and the left, the PLO and the KKK, would not be able to unite so uniquely in their hatred), but about how an individual feels about himself'. And much more in this vein. Glorious stuff. However, on the very same day the Guardian published a great piece by Emanuele Ottolenghi headlined: 'Anti-Zionism is antisemitism; behind much criticism of Israel is a thinly veiled hatred of Jews'. Ottolenghi did not mince his words. 'If Israel's critics are truly opposed to anti-semitism, they should not repeat traditional anti-semitic themes under the anti-Israel banner. When such themes - the Jewish conspiracy to rule the world, linking Jews with money and media, the hooked-nose stingy Jew, the blood libel, disparaging use of Jewish symbols, or traditional Christian anti-Jewish imagery - are used to describe Israel's actions, concern should be voiced... 'The fact that accusations of anti-semitism are dismissed as paranoia, even when anti-semitic imagery is at work, is a subterfuge. Israel deserves to be judged by the same standards adopted for others, not by the standards of utopia. Singling out Israel for an impossibly high standard not applied to any other country begs the question: why such different treatment?... 'Despite piqued disclaimers, some of Israel's critics use anti-semitic stereotypes. In fact, their disclaimers frequently offer a mask of respectability to otherwise socially unacceptable anti-semitism. By describing Israel as the root of all evil, they provide the linguistic mandate and the moral justification to destroy it. And by using anti-semitic instruments to achieve this goal, they give away their true anti-semitic face...' He exposed anti-Zionism for denying to Jews alone the right of self-determination, and pointed towards the terrible truth that anti-Zionists support Jews only when they die: 'By negating Zionism, the anti-semite is arguing that the Jew must always be the victim, for victims do no wrong and deserve our sympathy and support'. And he demolished the odious claim, now trotted out almost daily, that those of us who draw attention to the upsurge of antisemitism are distracting attention from Israel's 'crimes': 'The argument that it is Israel's behaviour, and Jewish support for it, that invite prejudice sounds hollow at best and sinister at worst. That argument means that sympathy for Jews is conditional on the political views they espouse. This is hardly an expression of tolerance. It singles Jews out. It is anti-semitism'. It certainly is. But look where he was writing this -- in the paper which has become a byword for this phenomenon. So what's going on? Is the left finally waking up to the outpouring of anti-Jewish prejudice, hatred and violence in Britain and Europe that it has either ignored or helped whip up? Has the Guardian begun dimly to discern the role it has itself played in this? Or is it still telling itself that the devastating analysis which, to its credit, it hosted on its pages yesterday somehow referred only to others but not to itself?
Posted by melanie at November 30, 2003
Comments
Now that Julie Birchell has become a "heretic," just wait for the inevitable trashing of her by her betrayed comrades on the loony left. I was somewhat shocked but pleased to finally read two intelligent articles in al Guardian. Posted by: Samantha at November 30, 2003 09:21 PMBeing anti-Israel is being anti-semitic, for two reasons: 1) the attacks on Israel are attacks on the Jewish nature of the country. 2) other countries, such as Sudan, are never subjected to the same sort of criticism as is Israel, despite being indisputably engaged in actual genocide (as opposed to theoretical). Posted by: Murph at November 30, 2003 10:38 PMIt's a sad day indeed if La Burchill has become a poster girl for the Right. The Guardian is better off without her. She won't be missed. Posted by: M Wilkins at December 1, 2003 12:03 AMTo M. Wilkins: It is a bit abusive and manipulative to call her a poster girl for the Right. There is nothing in her article that's by definition politically conservative. Nothing at all. And she's moving to the Times, not to some reactionary paper. Perhaps you believe that anyone who criticizes anti-Semitism on the Left should be branded automatically as a Right-winger. It might occur to you that her objections to anti-Semitism may be grounded in her own progressive sensibilities, which lead her to oppose prejudice and hypocrisy on no matter whose part. Maybe she should be elected as poster girl for integrity. Posted by: Joanne at December 1, 2003 01:51 AMJoanne, Julie B has not "become" a heretic. Julie Burchill has never been 'one of the Left'. For starters, she's an ardent supporter of George Bush, pro-death penalty and hostile to Europe. She's also extremely tiresome, with her faux working-class rants (life must be SO hard for amongst the bohemia of Brighton, darling), dislike of male homosexuals (but not lesbianism, oddly enough)and personal (and endless) vendetta against her ex-husband. I don't recall her having written about anti-Semitism before, but then again I rarely pay much attention to her columns these days. For the record, I am neither pro- nor anti-Israeli. As I've stated before, Israel is of no real interest to me. Posted by: M Wilkins at December 1, 2003 11:19 AMOf coure, you mean't neither pro or anti-Israel, didn't you, M Wilkins? Not Israeli. Or Jewish. You'd never be pro or anti individuals on the basis of their nationality or religion, would you? The above is slightly tongue-in-cheek. I am sure you possibly meant Israeli in a wider sense, but language is important in these discussions. The Guardian has been getting worse at that recently. Their new guy in Jerusalem seems unsure when to write Israel, Israelis, Jews and the Jewish State. So just tends to use the word Jew wherever he can. Posted by: Jonny at December 1, 2003 11:41 AMI'm hoping Polly Toynbee will weigh in on this. I haven't read a word of hers since she savaged Auberon Waugh the day after he died but I would read her about La Burchill. Separately, since M. Wilkins says, "As I've stated before, Israel is of no real interest to me", I can't help wondering why he/she continues to post on the subject. Posted by: Theodopoulos Pherecydes at December 1, 2003 11:52 AMOn the clock, it is almost midnight for the Jewish people of Europe. In France, Jews are already being murdered: Ritual Murders of Jews in Paris http://frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=11062 Posted by: Edmond at December 1, 2003 02:28 PMFront Page Mag is a really ludicrous propaganda sheet run by some shadowy people of indeterminate sanity. The Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse are riding.......have you been watching Lord of The Rings Again ? The Nazgul have you apoplectic. Edmond is offering one-way tickets to Israel....buy up household goods cheap on Janglo from those leaving Posted by: Trianon at December 1, 2003 03:08 PMFront Page Mag is a paid advocacy Website run by a PR Lobby Firm in Los Angeles. President is called David Horowitz
Domain Name: FRONTPAGEMAGAZINE.COM Administrative Contact: Record expires on 07-Jul-2004. http://www.mediatransparency.org/people/david_horowitz.htm David Horowitz represents one of the right's favorite kinds of people: lapsed leftists (See Marvin Olasky). He is the president and founder of the Center for the Study of Popular Culture (CSPC), which is a well-funded ($350,000 + from the Bradley foundation alone in 1998) launching pad for his and others attacks against supposed liberals, the supposedly liberal media, and public television in particular. Horowitz's holds a bachelor's degree from Columbia University (1959) and a Master's degree from the University of California, Berkeley (1961). Shortly after graduating from Berkeley Horowitz became a leader of what was called the " New Left " movement, editing the influential left wing magazine Ramparts. Horowitz's big career move came in the 1980s, when he and his partner Peter Collier reversed their ideological perspective, coalescing in their 1989 book, "Destructive Generation: Second Thoughts about the Sixties." Collier and Horowitz also created a project of the CSPC called the Committee on Media Integrity (COMINT), designed specifically to attack Public Television. PFAW has also reported that more than 50 percent of the CSPC's budget in 1992 came from three foundations: Olin, Bradley and Sarah Scaife (joint contributions totaling $482,500). COMINT itself was begun with $125,000 in start-up funds from the Sarah Scaife Foundation in 1988. Grants Horowitz has a long history of racism himself. In marketing his last book, modestly titled "Hating Whitey and other Progressive Causes," Horowitz was caught and had to apologize - for the second time - for twisting critical quotes about his awful books so he could use them as blurbs (one of the authors whose words he had twisted subsequently called Horowitz a "demented lunatic"). Even someone who might agree with Horowitz calls him "smug," "cold," and "dismissive." Guess that's why the Bradley foundation gives him so much money.
Re Horowitz, it's worth noting that his movement to the right happened because of cold-blooded murder perpetrated by activists on the left. Posted by: Theodopoulos Pherecydes at December 1, 2003 03:39 PMJonny, language can be a tricky thing, I grant you. But I think you understood the gist of my point; I am neutral with regards to Israel and the plight of its people. Some very good friends of mine are Jewish, and similarly, some are Muslim. It doesn't concern me. I take a similar stance on fox hunting btw (another topic to get the green ink brigade going); I don't support it, but I don't think it should be outlawed either. But that's going off into different waters. Posted by: at December 1, 2003 03:43 PMI think it's important to use words very precisely in this debate. Is someone who criticizes current policy of the Israeli government 'anti-Israeli' or 'anti-Israel'? And what of someone who opposes the existence of Israel? I i) believe in the right of Israel to exist; 2) acknowledge the fact that Israel is the only democracy in the region and therefore a guardian of everything that flows from that (pluralism, civil rights, mixed economy etc; 3) understand why a hard line is necessary in order to defend herself from terrorists; yet 4) disagree with some of the current Israeli government's policies - partic in relation to settlements. I fervently oppose discrimination of any kind based on a person's race or religion. However, I have Jewish friends who are far more critical than I am about Israel's current strategy and tactics in response to the intifada. What does that make them? Anti-semitic, anti-Israel or anti-Israeli...anyone care to attempt to define? Posted by: David at December 1, 2003 04:51 PM"Edmond is offering one-way tickets to Israel" Far, far better that the Jews of Europe die fighting in Israel, or, alternatively, live in respect in the US, than they are, yet again, machine-gunned into open pits or herded into gas chambers by Europeans. "buy up household goods cheap on Janglo from those leaving" Ah, he smells the scent of a bargain in his nostrils. How they do like to take advantage of Jewish tragedies. Utterly incalculable is the property of Jews who were murdered that is still being held by the government and individuals of all those countries in Europe which were occupied by the Germans and Austrians during World War II. Like last time though, Jews will also take their genius and the incredible contribution they have made to Europe; how it has been so utterly wasted on individuals like Trianon. But still, isn't it so rich when *they* accuse Jews of being money hungry? For, it wasn't Jews but their very own spiritual forbears who murdered millions of individuals in cold blood and then stole all their property. Those who dismiss out of hand, without any evidence whatsoever, crimes such as the murders of those two Jews in Paris, are, invariably, exactly the same people who are not-so-secretly glad that Jews are once again being killed in Europe. Posted by: Pooh at December 1, 2003 05:04 PM"I fervently oppose discrimination of any kind based on a person's race or religion." I take it then you are utterly shocked by the vicious anti-Semitism and discrimination that is so embedded in present-day Islamic countries. I take it you condemn them at regular intervals? Have you also condemned the wave of anti-Semitism in Europe? Posted by: Pooh at December 1, 2003 05:08 PM"What does that make them? Anti-semitic, anti-Israel or anti-Israeli...anyone care to attempt to define?" Those who hold Israel to a different standard to the rest of the world are anti-Semitic. Those who call for the destruction of Israel, however that is accomplished, are anti-Semitic. Those who obsess about Israel to the total exclusion of everything else are anti-Semitic. Those who care not a whit about Jews who have murdered by terrorists, yet give a free pass to the most appalling terror and prejudice in the Arab world are anti-Semitic. Above are just a few examples. It matters not whether those guilty are Jews or not. Every nation has its traitors after all. It also matters not at all whether a person intended to be anti-Semitic, for does anyone really care whether a death camp guard actually hates Jews or not? Posted by: Pooh at December 1, 2003 05:13 PMPooh, 'I take it then you are utterly shocked by the vicious anti-Semitism and discrimination that is so embedded in present-day Islamic countries. I take it you condemn them at regular intervals? Have you also condemned the wave of anti-Semitism in Europe?' Yes, I do and have done verbally on many occasions and on this site. However, the point I was making was that I disagree that opposition to some of the current Israeli government's policies is anti-semitism. I think that by branding such criticism as anti-semitic will not help defeat real anti-semitism. That was my point. Posted by: David at December 1, 2003 05:27 PMI think M Wilkins needs a bit of support here. Commenting to the effect that one was not particularly bothered about the subject of an original post might sound like a bad case of keyboard love IF one was referring solely to oneself. But M Wilkins gist is that lots of Brits (me, too) are suffering from anti-semite fatigue. My country and its people do not, of course, hate British jews. Indeed, Melanie's post title is somewhat offensive, implying as it does a kind of original sin in my heart, my children's heart and the hearts of all my people. It is a thoroughly racist notion and I deprecate it. In reality, I have never heard a word of criticism of British jews from a respectable source. But, golly, I roll my eyes every time a Guardianista attacks Sharon or Bush's Neocons because it's only too obvious that a thousand hyperbolic barbs have already been sharpened and launched in reply. Up goes the anti-semitic hue and cry and another poor bastard is left trying to explain that his sister is engaged to a jewish dentist and he has many jewish friends and he never meant to imply etc, etc. It is all deeply unedifying. But if ever there was evidence for the dreaded Kevin MacDonald's thesis about jewish evolutionary strategy and the hyper-ethnocentricity of jews it's here, on display in these red hot reflexes. M Wilkins and I might be parochial and small minded in our interest in the National Interest and issues pertaining thereto. But that is our right. M Wilkins is on the left, I am on the right. Speed the day when I can hold a happy argument with him (her?) on this blog. Posted by: Guessedworker at December 1, 2003 05:40 PMIf anyone needs evidence that Pooh is mentally unbalanced and in need of psychiatric treatment read the post 5 levels up from this. It is pure satire. If there is anyone with such a festering paranoia as to twist every word, and malign Europeans in the racist and inflammatory manner Pooh uses, it is clear they are writing from the asylum. It is impossible to take Pooh seriously, and I shall consider all further comments from him/her/it as being purely satirical......Pooh is after all ....a Troll Posted by: Trianon at December 1, 2003 06:05 PMTrianon, Re your comment: I've noticed in some of your posts that you are quick to label those with whom you disagree as mentally unbalanced, 'racists' or 'frauds'... Ever thought about trying to win arguments on their merits rather than by use of such offensive and ultimately counter-productive tactics? Posted by: David at December 1, 2003 08:19 PMDavid, it is Pooh I called racist. I note you approve of his diatribes against the British.....don't you feel any pride in this country ? I still consider Pooh to be unbalanced....but I note your approval of what has been said. I take your criticisms to be those of one fully supportive of comments by Pooh. Posted by: Trianon at December 1, 2003 08:28 PMTrianon, A little word of advice: read carefully what people actually post. 1) I do NOT approve of Pooh's views on the British and have not posted anything supportive of them; 2) I do feel some (but not complete) pride in Britain and have not posted anything to the contrary; 3) I have agreed with the following comments made by Pooh but clearly not all of his comments: -- there is vicious anti-Semitism and discrimination embedded in present-day Islamic countries; -- there is a wave of anti-semitism in Europe. If you do not realise that these statements are true I don't know what planet you are living on! Posted by: David at December 1, 2003 08:40 PM"-- there is vicious anti-Semitism and discrimination embedded in present-day Islamic countries; -- there is a wave of anti-semitism in Europe."
Guessedworker thank you for your support in this matter. (and btw I'm a bloke) Posted by: M Wilkins at December 1, 2003 10:44 PMOk Trianon - I understand your point now! Posted by: David at December 1, 2003 10:50 PMM Wilkins, Please get onto the 'gay marriage'/'same-sex partnership' thread quick. your support is needed!! Posted by: David at December 1, 2003 10:52 PMWell, as an American, I find it highly amusing that Brits and Euros libel one another as to who is or is not anti-Semitic. ;-) As a very frequent traveler across the pond, my take is that Europe as a whole—the UK included—is quite anti-Semitic and cloaks that in being anti-Israeli. Based on what Euros have personally told me, as well as what one reads in the press, it is really quite shocking the amount of Jew hatred that "old Europe" still has. Yes, that is painting the whole continent and the island nation with a broad brush. However, there was just a poll. . . and the proof of the pudding is in the attacks on Jews continent wide. Those attacks get swept under the rug and are largely unpunished. I also find it interesting that no matter what murderous terrorist acts the Islamofascists commit, they are excused because they whine of victimization by Jews who "control the world" and won't give Muslims an even break. One is always asked to "look at the root cause" of islamic terrorism. As if the disappearance of Israel would stop Islamic terrorism. A more attainable goal might be the re-writing of the Qu'ran. Thank God the Jews control the world because if Islam controlled the world we'd all be living in the the 7th century. Thanks for the chuckles one and all. :-D Lili Posted by: Lilith Paloma at December 2, 2003 12:06 AM
Manifestations of anti-Semitism in the European Union http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1070259994583
What follows is an as yet unpublished EU report on anti-Semitism in Europe. This report was leaked to The Jerusalem Post by the CRIF, the umbrella body representing the French Jewish organized community and by the European Jewish Congress, an affiliate of the WJC. Manifestations of anti-Semitism in the European Union First Semester 2002 Synthesis Report on behalf of the EUMC [European Monitoring Centre] on Racism and Xenophobia by Werner Bergmann and Juliane Wetzel Zentrum fur Antisemitismusforschung / Center for Research on Antisemitism Technische Universiteit Berlin. Vienna, March 2003 Preface Although we know – and opinion polls show - that anti-Semitism is permanently present in Europe in a more or less hidden way, many of us have hoped that manifest forms of anti-Semitism will not see any revival in Europe again. At present, Jews are rather well integrated economically, socially and culturally in the Member States of the European Union (EU). But the attacks in New York and Washington on September 11 and the conflict in the Middle East have contributed to an atmosphere in Europe, which gives latent anti-Semitism and hate and incitement a new strength and power of seduction. Even rumours that Israel was responsible for 11 September 2001, for the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, and that Jews bring about a situation in their interest in order to put the blame on somebody else, found a receptive audience in some places. Anti-Semitic conspiracy theories are spreading over the Internet, which provides a cheap vehicle for the distribution of hate. Immediately after 11 September our primary concern was increased Islamophobia in the European Union. Right away the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia implemented a monitoring process in the Member States. The country-by-country results and a synthesis report have already been published. But early in 2002 there was additional concern about open anti-Semitic incidents in several Member States. The European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia found it necessary to carry out a more detailed investigation of the prevalence and kinds of anti-Semitism and to study, how it affects Jewish people living in Europe. It is the first study of this kind. It provides a flashlight on anti-Semitism in each of the 15 Member States. The EUMC, through its RAXEN Information Network of National Focal Points in the EU Member States, received reports on anti-Semitism in the 15 Member States. The Center for Research on Anti-Semitism (CRA), Berlin, supplemented the country reports and brought them into a European perspective. The report shows clearly an increase of anti-Semitic activities since the escalation of the Middle East conflict in 2000 with a peak in early spring 2002. But it reveals also positive developments. By 2003 the legal basis to fight against any discrimination on ethnic or religious grounds will be implemented in each of the EU Member States; all the governments and leading statesmen condemned anti-Semitic events and attitudes; many leaders of religious communities, political parties and NGOs are currently cooperating in the fight against anti-Semitism. On the other hand, the EUMC is aware that more than only short-term measures have to be done. There is a need to implement activities on a continuous, long-term basis. For that end the report offers examples and recommendations to various groups of society on how to proceed and succeed in the struggle against the shadows of the European past. Bob Purkiss, Beate Winkler Executive Summary Alerted early in 2002 by worrying news on anti-Semitic incidents in some Member States the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) decided to commission a report on "Manifestations of Anti-Semitism in the EU" covering the first half of 2002. The report is based partly on short-term information provided to the authors by National Focal Points (NFPs) of the EUMC, giving special emphasis to the period between May 15 and June 15. The NFPs are the contact points to national networks in the Member States reporting regularly to the EUMC within its European Information Network RAXEN. In their reports the National Focal Points were asked to cover the following issues: The situation in the EU Member States During the first half of 2002 the rise of anti-Semitism reached a climax in the period between the end of March and mid-May, running parallel to the escalation of the Middle East conflict, whereas factors which usually determine the frequency of anti-Semitic incidents in the respective countries, such as the strength and the degree of mobilisation extremist far-right parties and groups can generate, have not played the decisive role. In the months following the monitoring period the sometimes heated discussions about the Middle East conflict in the public sphere and the media died down and the number of incidents decreased. In countries like Denmark, Greece, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Finland there are only a few or no incidents known for the period after July 2002. In some Member States like Belgium, France and Sweden anti-Semitic incidents, including violent attacks and threatening phone calls, increased again in September and October, but not that much as in the period monitored. Anti-Semitic leaflets, hate mail and phone calls were also reported for Germany and the United Kingdom. This leads to the conclusion that the increase in anti-Semitic attacks was in this case set off by the events in the Middle East, a foreign event that however exerted a varying impact on the individual Member States. An exact quantitative comparison is not possible because of: While there is no common pattern of incidents for all countries, some similarities occur. But it must be underlined that some countries (such as Germany, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom) have a very effective data and monitoring system, and this is not the case elsewhere . There are a number of EU Member States, namely Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal and Finland, where the Jewish communities are rather small and anti-Semitic incidents in general seldom occur. This was true during the monitoring period. At most, threatening letters were sent to the Israeli consulate or to local Jews. Portugal and Finland each also suffered one attack on a synagogue. On the other hand, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK witnessed rather serious anti-Semitic incidents (see the respective country reports) such as numerous physical attacks and insults directed against Jews and the vandalism of Jewish institutions (synagogues, shops, cemeteries). Fewer anti-Semitic attacks were reported from Denmark and Sweden. Other countries also experienced incidents of anti-Semitism. Greece suffered desecrations of cemeteries and memorials by the far-right . Anti-Semitic statements and sentiments often linked to Israeli government policy were found in the mass media and were also expressed by some politicians and opinion leaders. Spain, where the traditionally strong presence of neo-Nazi groups was evident suffered a series of attacks by people with a radical Islamist background . Italy showed a certain similarity with Germany; although no physical attacks were evident, there were threatening telephone calls, insulting letters, slogans and graffiti. From Austria no physical attacks were reported; and few verbal threats and insults. Anti-Semitic stereotypes in relation to Israel were to be found essentially in right-wing newspapers and amongst far-right groups. In the public domain in Spain, France, Italy and Sweden, sections of the political left and Arab-Muslim groups unified to stage pro-Palestinian demonstrations. While the right to demonstrate is of course a civil right, and these demonstrations are not intrinsically anti-Semitic, at some of these anti-Semitic slogans could be heard and placards seen; and some demonstrations resulted in attacks upon Jews or Jewish institutions. In the Netherlands pro-Palestine demonstrators of Moroccan origin used anti-Semitic symbols and slogans. In Finland however, pro-Palestinian demonstrations passed without any anti-Semitic incidents. In Germany, and less so in Austria, public political discourse was dominated by a debate on the link between Israeli policy in the Middle East conflict and anti-Semitism, a debate in which the cultural and political elite were involved. In Germany and the United Kingdom the critical reporting of the media was also a topic for controversy. In other countries such as Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, and Finland there was no such heated public discussion on the theme of criticism of Israel/anti-Semitism (see country reports). Perpetrators and kinds of anti-Semitic activities Nevertheless, from the perpetrators identified or at least identifiable with some certainty, it can be concluded that the anti-Semitic incidents in the monitoring period were committed above all either by right-wing extremists or radical Islamists or young Muslims mostly of Arab descent, who are often themselves potential victims of exclusion and racism ; but also that anti-Semitic statements came from pro-Palestinian groups (see country report Italy: public discourse) as well as from politicians (see country reports Germany, Greece, Finland, Austria) and citizens from the political mainstream (see anti-Semitic letters, e-mails and phone calls in Germany as well as in other countries). The following forms of anti-Semitic activities have been experienced: –In the extreme left-wing scene anti-Semitic remarks were to be found mainly in the context of pro-Palestinian and anti-globalisation rallies and in newspaper articles using anti-Semitic stereotypes in their criticism of Israel. Often this generated a combination of anti-Zionist and anti-American views that formed an important element in the emergence of an anti-Semitic mood in Europe. Israel, seen as a capitalistic, imperialistic power, the "Zionist lobby", and the United States are depicted as the evildoers in the Middle East conflict as well as exerting negative influence on global affairs. The convergence of these motives served both critics of colonialism and globalisation from the extreme left and the traditional anti-Semitic right-wing extremism as well as parts of the radical Islamists in some European countries. –More difficult to record and to evaluate in its scale than the "street-level violence" against Jews is "salon anti-Semitism" as it is manifested "in the media, university common rooms, and at dinner parties of the chattering classes". Media Some commentators discuss the possible influence of the mass media on an escalation of anti-Semitic incidents. The question at issue is whether this escalation was merely an agenda setting effect of the daily media coverage of the violence in the Middle East or whether the reporting itself had an anti-Semitic bias. –The Jewish communities regarded the one-sidedness, the aggressive tone of the reporting on Israeli policy in the Middle East conflict and references to old Christian anti-Jewish sentiments as problematic. –Observers point to an "increasingly blatant anti-Semitic Arab and Muslim media", including audiotapes and sermons, in which the call is not only made to join the struggle against Israel but also against Jews across the world. Although leading Muslim organisations express their opposition to this propaganda, observers assume that calling for the use of violence may influence readers and listeners. Internet The Internet reflects a development observable since 2000, namely the networking of the extreme right via links with sections of radical Islamists, some sites from anti-globalisation campaigners and from the anti-American far left. Since the end of the 1990s there has been a dramatic increase in the number of homepages present on the web from far-right groups and parties, which quite often also have ties to radical Islamic fundamentalists. In addition, the Internet provides easy access to music from the far right, which glorifies violence and is often anti-Semitic. Sales and distribution centres for such music are mainly located in Scandinavia. Up till now, state organs have paid too little attention to the Arab language publications which spread anti-Semitic propaganda in European countries, whether through newspapers, audiotapes or the Internet . Prevalent anti-Semitic prejudices As almost all reports emphasise, Jews in the EU Member States are well integrated socially, economically and culturally, and as such the typical motives of xenophobia (fear of competition for jobs, housing and social welfare, linguistic and cultural otherness of migrants, external appearance) are hardly of consequence. Instead, the Jews are basically imagined to be a nationally and internationally influential group, allegedly controlling politics and the economy. Hence, anti-Semitism has other motives and a different structure from racism. –The dominating assumption of contemporary anti-Semitism is still that of a Jewish world conspiracy, i.e. the assumption that Jews are in control of what happens in the world, whether it be through financial or media power, whether it be the concealed political influence mainly exerted on the USA, but also on European countries. This basic assumption is applied to explain very different phenomena. The Holocaust denial assumes a central role in European right-wing extremism. It is purported that the Holocaust has never taken place and that the Jewish side, exploiting their victim status, use the "Auschwitz lie" to apply moral pressure on mainly European governments (restitution, support for Israeli policies), but also to influence US policy towards Israel. Furthermore, the thesis of the "Auschwitz lie" naturally also negates the assertion that the foundation of the state of Israel was historically necessary in order to create a secure homeland for the survivors of the Holocaust and Jews in general. Precisely at this point, extreme right-wing propaganda becomes employable ideologically for radical Islamist groups in their struggle against Israel, for the victim status and Israel's right to exist are challenged by the "Auschwitz lie". Here a learning process has taken place in which "revisionist" thought has been adopted by some people in the Arab world. The influence of these ideas is supported by a number of Western Holocaust deniers like J rgen Graf, Gerd Honsik, Wolfgang Fr hlich who fled prosecution in their homelands and found asylum in Arab countries, and last but not least by Roger Garaudy who was hailed as a hero throughout the Middle East when he faced prosecution by the French government for inciting racial hatred. Via Arab-language media (newspapers, satellite TV and internet) in Europe these notions reach a small section of the Arab speaking population in European countries. –Following September 11, 2001, some hold that Islamist terrorism is a natural consequence of the unsolved Middle East conflict, for which Israel alone is held responsible. They ascribe to Jews a major influence over the USA's allegedly biased pro-Israel policies. This is where anti-American and anti-Semitic attitudes could converge and conspiracy theories over "Jewish world domination" might flare up again. In the form of anti-Semitism it could be said that the tradition of demonising Jews in the past is now being transferred to the state of Israel. In this way traditional anti-Semitism is translated into a new form, less deprived of legitimacy, whose employment today in Europe could become part of the political mainstream. –Israeli policies toward the Palestinians provide a reason to denounce Jews generally as perpetrators, thereby questioning their moral status as victims that they had assumed as a consequence of the Holocaust. The connection between anti-Semitism and anti-Israeli sentiment lies in this opportunity for a perpetrator-victim role reversal. In particular there is an attempt by the right-wing to compare Israeli policies with the crimes perpetrated against Jews throughout history in order to minimize or even deny the guilt and responsibility of their own nations. –The fact that the Middle East conflict is taking place in the Holy Land of the Christians has led in a number of countries to a revitalisation of anti-Judaist motives by church leaders, and confessional and some liberal newspapers. Recommendations The upsurge of anti-Semitic criminal offences and verbal assaults against Jewish citizens and institutions, but also against Muslims, indicates that joint action has to be initiated. This action should not be restricted to one area of society, but has to deal with a multitude of combined activities. Actions on the political level should be backed by sound data and information about the phenomena in question. The civil society has to be mobilized to establish dialogues, the press, TV and the Internet has to be addressed to report about ethnic and cultural groups in a responsible way. Also for large-scale sporting events, preventive measures fighting racist attacks have to be implemented. We recommend that the EUMC requests state authorities to acknowledge at the highest level the extraordinary dangers posed by anti-Semitic violence in the European context. Legal The EUMC should propose to the Member States to adopt the proposed framework decision on combating racism and xenophobia (COM 2001/664) as soon as possible and call on the Council of Ministers to ensure that it is amended to be as effective as possible to deal with reported incidents of anti-Semitism. The EUMC should propose to the European Commission and to the Member States that they consider a decision for police cooperation according to Article 34 of the Treaty of European Union, which shall bind all Member States to collect and disseminate data on anti-Semitic offences. This decision should also involve EUROPOL and EUROJUST. To achieve effective regulation of the Internet concerning racist propaganda, it is essential to extend the jurisdiction of European courts to include detailed provisions on the responsibility of Internet service providers. Registering anti-Semitic incidents State institutions must assume responsibility for monitoring anti-Semitism in the individual EU Member States. These institutions should work in accordance with well-defined categories enabling them to recognise an anti-Semitic element within any politically motivated criminal offences they register, and to then incorporate them into their statistics. In some Member States racist attacks are not identified separately in crime statistics while others have at their disposal state-sponsored instruments which monitor and pursue anti-Semitic incidents. We recommend joint strategies for action to be developed, whereby those countries possessing years of experience in this regard should pass this on to the other Member States. In those countries in which racist and anti-Semitic incidents are already registered by the security authorities, a swifter processing and publication of the results must be ensured and not first presented – as in current practice – in the middle of the following year. There is a need to distinguish clearly in reporting between acts of violence, threatening behaviour, and offensive speech, and to make transparent government norms and procedures for registering and acting upon crimes and offences motivated by anti-Semitism. Only in this way can a genuinely comparative basis for incidents be attained for European countries. Education and sport We recommend that the governments of the EU Member States still absent should undertake initiatives to become members of the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research, whose purpose is to mobilise the support of political and social leaders to foster Holocaust education, remembrance and research. We recommend that NGOs engage in initiatives of intercultural and inter-religious exchange and inter-religious dialogue, and cooperate in educational information campaigns against racism and anti-Semitism. National ministries of education should organise round tables and seminars on mutual respect and tolerance; all teachers in the EU should be required to learn about different religions and faiths, cultures and traditions; history books used in schools around Europe should be examined for prejudice, or one-sidedness. In the area of European football a whole series of initiatives have been started in the last few years, which combat racism and anti-Semitism in the stadiums. We recommend that these activities be encouraged and extended. Research We recommend that research studies should be carried out on anti-Semitic incidents in specific fields – e.g. sport, entertainment, public services - and placed in an overall European context in order to establish a comparative perspective on their occurrence. Across all Member States there should be implemented a coordinated programme of victim studies to overcome the problem of underreporting with regard to incidents of anti-Semitism. To date there has been no well-founded media analysis on how the European press exploits and perpetuates anti-Semitic stereotypes. We recommend the implementation of research studies to fill this gap. Internet State authorities, academics and research institutions engaged with racism and anti-Semitism should establish joint committees at national and international levels to monitor anti-Semitism on the Internet. Through mutual exchange these committees should establish a basis for an improved recording and combating of racist and anti-Semitic developments on the Internet. Recent developments have shown that partly impeded or completely obstructed access to some homepages at least hinders the possibility of placing racist propaganda on the Internet. Thus private and state organisations should exert continuing pressure on large Internet providers to remove racist and anti-Semitic content from the net. The enormous potential of the Internet for educational purposes has not yet been recognised and utilised. We recommend that projects are developed to utilise the Internet far more in order to combat anti-Semitic and racist content with serious counter-information. Full Report Here: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1070259994583 To enter: jpost/jpost Lilith, The EUMC is chaired by Bob Purkiss, a former member of Britain's Thought Police, the Commission for Racial Equality....the nearest thing Britain has to The Inquisition.
His politics are shared by perhaps 5% Britons who are lumbered with this political apparatchil because of Jack Straw and Tony Blair. The EUMC is a pain in the neck, and represents the antithesis of democracy in that most anti-democratic of institutions, the Supreme Soviet of European Union....... It is about as representative of European opinion as the Reichssicherheitshauptamt was under Kaltenbrunner when it ran most of Continental Europe. You add insult to injury by associating the people of Europe with these apparatchiks as if they were in any way democratically accountable or removable. Posted by: Trianon at December 2, 2003 07:20 AMHowever, the point I was making was that I disagree that opposition to some of the current Israeli government's policies is anti-semitism. David, you realize that NOBODY, from Melanie to Ariel Sharon, has EVER said that opposition to some of the current Israeli policies is anti-semitism, right? You are fighting a straw man. (It's possible I missed out the one person who has said it, but unlikely. I tend to be pretty well-read on the subject.) The vast majority of the commentary on the issue goes something like this, "Of course, criticizing this or that Israeli government policy is not anti-Semitism. After all, Jews and Israelis do it all the time. However...") If you criticize Israel for actions for which you do not criticize other countries (Chechnia, anyone?); if you criticize Israel disproportionately; if you can find nothing to criticize Israel's enemies for (what did happen to that UN resolution on protecting Israeli children from suicide bombers?); if you believe every accusation about Israel implicitly (a hundred million dead in Jenin!), no matter how ludicrous, but take every Israeli claim with a pound of salt; if you believe that harassing French or British jews is a valid expression of anger at Israeli policies; if you think that a huge Jewish conspiracy is running the world... Well, you may not be anti-Semitic, but you can see why people may get confused. If you believe that some Israeli government policies, just like some British government policies, or American policies, or Swiss policies, of Jamaican policies, are wrong, either morally or strategically, join the club. No anti-Semites allowed. Posted by: angua at December 2, 2003 07:30 AMIf you criticize Israel for actions for which you do not criticize other countries (Chechnia, anyone?); "
Looking for consistency in politics is a futile activity, for it is an amoral business. Posted by: Romulus at December 2, 2003 08:48 AM"He is a former Merchant Seaman, an official of the T & GWU Union, promoted on his political contacts to climb the ladder of Anti-Racism Entreprenurship building every greater divides in society. I am totally "lost" here, Trianon. Why would pointing out racism bring greater divides in society? I would applaud anyone who could make Anti-Racism an entrepreneurial business—provided— criticisms are applied equally. "You add insult to injury by associating the people of Europe with these apparatchiks as if they were in any way democratically accountable or removable." Well, if the shoe fits! The report points out what is going on in Europe today. It has been retracted and will apparently not be published because it highlights Muslim racism too much. The only reason it is available is because someone leaked it to the Israelis. In my personal experience (which is rather extensive in your part of the world) I believe Europe today to be EXTREMELY racist against many people, but especially Jews. Fortress Europe is not too crazy about Muslims either, but they haven't got the guts to be non-PC because of terror threats. The squelching of the report certainly bears that out. ". . .Looking for consistency in politics is a futile activity, for it is an amoral business." Politics directly reflect the people from which they come, particularly in Western democracies, Romulus. It will be interesting to see whether the US gives GW a new "mandate" by voting him in for real this time around and whether Europe continues on its suicidal, anti-Semitic path because it thinks that it can save itself from Islamic terror by appeasement. Lili Posted by: Lilith at December 2, 2003 05:42 PMI see Lilith you know Bob Purkiss and his views. That is most interesting. Then you will accept his view that the report must not be published because it will inflame the sentiments of Muslim residents in Europe; and you have stated that you "would applaud anyone who could make Anti-Racism an entrepreneurial business"
You speak of Fortresss Europe, if only it were ! Britain alone takes in more immigrants each year than the US; and if the Us were to match England's population density you would need another 2 billion inhabitants. Here we are only 20% Muslim in this city; just what proportion of your city is MUslim Lilith ? The synagogue is in the middle of the Muslim area....I assume it is still used ? Of course Bob Purkiss knows how "multicultural" certain cities are today, and he does not want problems caused by a report which blames North African Muslims for most acts of Anti-Semitism....you too recognise this because you smear all Europeans. That will be unfortunate then, because you support the unelected apparatchik against the people. Democratic accountability does not seem to concern you, as it does the disenfranchised people of Europe. One thing you know very little about is the structure of the European Union, but democracy will vanish from this continent if it continues in its current form. Posted by: Romulus at December 2, 2003 08:46 PMThis is your friend Purkiss Lilith http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2002-05/23/article70.shtml The EUMC began a program of monitoring racism against Muslims September 12, 2001, according to the report. National Focal Points (NFP’s) in each of the 15 EU member states were asked to look at acts of violence and aggression, as well as changes in attitude, of the EU populations towards Muslims and any other group that might become a new target related to the events of September 11. Racism and xenophobia against Muslims and others after September 11 were more prominent in Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden, Winkler said in the AFP report; in other states, notably Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg and Portugal, little increase in xenophobic sentiment from before September 11 was noted. http://www.nicedoggie.net/archives/003395.html The report's authors responded yesterday by saying their findings had been shelved because criticism of Muslims did not fit in with the centre's agenda. They had found that young Muslims, particularly immigrants from the Middle East and North Africa, were responsible for much of the rise in anti-Semitism. The far-Right and some Left-wing anti-globalisation activists were also partly to blame, they said. As well as physical assaults, they had considered verbal abuse, newsletters, survey findings, newspaper articles and other information, mostly from the centre's databases. Prof Werner Bergmann said the centre repeatedly asked for the draft report to be changed to soften its conclusions about young Muslims
Mr Purkiss added that the work was never intended for publication, but was supposed to be the basis for a larger study that the centre will conduct next year, with a view to publishing a report then. Under the heading, "Divisive statements" it remarks: "The authors assert a direct connection between anti-Semitism and 'Arab/North African Muslims', 'the Muslim population', 'the Arab-Muslim population', 'young Muslims' in Europe. "The authors assert a direct connections [sic] between anti-Semitism and 'immigrants'."
http://www.morocco.com/forums/showthread.php3?threadid=7397&pagenumber=2
Will someone please tell Julie(Burchill)re:her valedictory in the Guardian that she writes "Gentiles and Arabs....."when she should write, Gentiles including Arabs. Posted by: Miss December at December 3, 2003 06:05 PMRomulus, what, pray tell, does any of this have to do with the fact that the report on anti-Semitism was suppressed and not published because it pointed to Muslims as the primary perpetrators of anti-Semitism in Europe? Why not simply publish the report? No guts? Truth hurt? WHAT??? Lili Posted by: Lilith at December 3, 2003 11:36 PMLilith I try to lead this horse to water but you will not drink. Bob Purkiss is head of EUMC which did not publish a report because it conflicts with his main thesis. His thesis from the CRE is "white people are racist"...."Black people cannot be racist: this is definitionally true" and that "Muslims are oppressed and subject to racial and religious bigotry" and that "Irish are a minority group like Blacks". These are the shibboleths of the CRE in Britain. Ergo, it is White hostility that causes antipathy towards Muslims, and media coverage in newspapers such as the Daily Mail. This is the logic flow used by the CRE crowd. So, when you set someone up to look at "anti-Semitism" the conclusions they should reach are that "Whites of a right-wing orientation are attacking Jews and Muslims" these groups should then stand together in an "Anti-racism front". How then to get this unity of Jew and Muslim against the White society ? Does this report help in this ? At least people like Pooh are not bothered it is "all Europeans" that are evil, but the EUMC wants Jews to identify with Muslims and share their pain. This is why a conclusion that North Africans are hostile to Jews and destroy their security or structures in Europe, is at variance with the political agenda.
These are the ways of the Left Orthodoxy to make Islam a central part of their own culture. There are 150.000 Jews in LOndon and 607.000 Muslims acc to the 2001 Census as reported, but Muslims are very evident as shrouded pillars of salt......and they preserve their illage way of life in the midst of major cities, reinforced by fear and ignorance. The most integrated Jewish population in Europe was in Germany, <1% population in total, but easily rooted out from professions and trades.......but the "ethnic minority" n modern day Europe is a large ethnic 'minority" concentrated in constituencies where lEft wing parties gather votes, and are most fearful of an emerging Muslim Party. Jack Straw - Blackburn - Muslim clique in his Constituency Labour Party Clare Short - Birmingham - same thing Why do you think Straw abolished the Primary Puropose Rule on gaining office in 1997 ? Why do you thik he has attacked the English and Britain just like Pooh ? What do you think people feel about men like him as they start to warn us of Muslim terrorists in our midst ? Who in his right mind would want to be branded a "racist" for exposing a terrorist ? You have no idea of the politics behind that suppressed report; you operate on too superficial a level, and have no inkling f the personalities involved and their agendas. Posted by: Romulus at December 4, 2003 07:35 AM"You have no idea of the politics behind that suppressed report; you operate on too superficial a level, and have no inkling f the personalities involved and their agendas.
Can ah kiss your ring and tech the hem of yor garment oh unsuperficial, all knowing Grande Poobah? It is out whether they want it out or not. It will not go away! You may read the report here: http://haganah.us/hmedia/euasr-00.html Trust me, it will continue to be available. The Jews are good at publicity. They own that too. LOL Lili Posted by: Lilith at December 4, 2003 09:56 PMTHank you Lilth, your profession of ignorance is the first step on your path to understanding ! Posted by: Romulus at December 5, 2003 07:58 AMIt is interesting that Julie Burchill is leaving the Guardian for the Times and her future influence upon readers of a much-wider circulation newspaper should not be underestimated. Good. Posted by: David at December 5, 2003 03:10 PMJulie Burchill is a twerp.....a real self-promoting non-entity. Is she writing in The Tabloid Times ? Keep her away from the grown-up (barely) paper ! Posted by: Didact at December 5, 2003 03:18 PMDidact, Burchill is occasionally good at expressing strong arguments in clear terms with clever turns of phrase. She was good in the article she wrote in the Guardian last week on anti-semitism. She will gain a wider and more appreciative readership at The Times. As for being 'tabloid' - nearly all British newspapers ARE tabloid apart from the whining, hand-wringing, wet Guardian. Whether Burchis a self-promoting twerp is unimportant - you could apply the same label to nearly anyone with a high profile and popular following in the British media.
The Times is like The Express in the 1970s and completely unlike The Times in the 1970s......Burchill is just one more column to skip along with Matthew Parris, the Editorial, Melissa Kite, and Libby Purves.......all in all....it is a bit trashy, especially at weekends when it is expensive trash Posted by: Didact at December 6, 2003 06:34 PMAll sentences that seem true should be questioned. Posted by: Jones Ari at January 21, 2004 09:54 PM |
