I write this is a Jew, ashamed of Israel's behavior.
Fascist, authoritarian Bebe Netanyahu holds power in Israel because of the influence of Fundamentalist, ultra-orthodox Jews who consider non-orthodox Jews to be "Goyim," which means, non-jewish.
These Haredi extremists consider Gazans to be subhuman animals. They are joined by Ultra orthodox Americans who come to Israel to get free land, which they obtain by stealing land from Palestinians who have had their properties for generations.
Israeli settler's attempt to justify forcible takeover of a Palestinian home sparks online anger 'If I don't steal it, someone else is going to steal it.' An Israeli settler's attempt to justify a forcible takeover of a Palestinian home in ...
(Image by YouTube, Channel: Middle East Eye) Details DMCA
These fundamentalists interpret the message that Jews are the chosen people to mean that they have extra privileges and rights over others. That is a contemptible, even pathetic interpretation. At my synagogue, the idea of Jews as the chosen people has been taken to mean that Jews have a particular responsibility to Tikkun Olam-- to heal the world and to make it a better place.
The rabid, genocidal vengeance that Netanyahu has wreaked upon the people of Gaza is approved of by his extremist fundamentalist supporters. This is understandably causing outrage, fury and hatred.
It would be one thing if this was aimed at the perpetrators, the fundamentalists empowering Netanyahu. But Israel's US surrogates, AIPAC and the ADL, are using this tragedy to attempt to redefine the meaning of anti-semitism and opposition to Zionism. They are attempting to equivocate criticism of Israel and criticism of aggressive Zionism, meaning taking of land from Palestinians in 2023, with anti-semitism. Criticism of Israel is not anti-Semitic. Criticism of Israeli policy is not anti-semitic and opposition or criticism of zionistic practices in 2023 that include taking of land from Palestinians, is not anti-Semitic.
And a majority of the world and Americans are not buying it. Even though Jewish billionaires are, through their proxy organizations, putting up billboards throughout the US attempting to sell their message, it is failing. The war crimes that Israel is committing are outraging people throughout the world including a majority of people in the United States.
And that includes a majority of American Jews. It is a certainty that I will, for writing this article, be called a self-hating Jew. But the reality is, I believe that the majority of American Jews are outraged and embarrassed and ashamed of the behavior of Israel, a nation which they want to support. And I am one of them. I want to be able to support the nation of Israel, but I cannot support their behavior or their policies which have been taken hostage by these Ultra extremist Jewish Taliban.
And there are other Jewish organizations in the United States that oppose the Netanyahu government and its policies, but their voices are overwhelmed by the hundreds of millions of dollars that AIPAC and the ADA and their surrogates receive from Jewish billionaires. These include JStreet, Jewish Voice for Peace and If Not Now.
Israeli mistreatment of Palestinians would be bad enough, but there is more that is problematic. Israel surrogates are now and have for a long time been aggressively attacking progressives. They fund opponents to primary Progressive incumbents and are often successful. I believe that this is foreign meddling in American politics, though it is complicated, because American Jews often put Israel first, and American politicians are terrified of standing up to Israel, with the fear that they will be attacked by AIPAC, and that they will be challenged and primaried as has happened before.
This has led American leaders to blindly allow Israel to engage in horrific behaviors without any supervision of the billions of dollars in aid that they receive.
Another reason that American politicians are so afraid of AIPAC is that Jews are generally a reliable voting block for Democrats, with 70 to 80% support. I believe that given the current circumstances, politicians would receive strong support from a solid percentage of Jews who are ashamed and disgusted by Israel's policies and behaviors. The politicians might lose 10 or 20% of the 75% that they had, but that would be more than made up for by regaining support from members of the Islamic faith who are disgusted by the support for Israel's genocidal behaviors. And it won't just be Muslims who will be swayed. It will also be members of younger generations.
Joe Biden and the leaders of the democratic Party are making a huge mistake in giving Netanyahu unrestrained support. If it continues, we can expect to see support for Joe Biden and the Democratic party decline even further, causing the loss of the House and Senate inthe 2024 elections, as well as the White House. This will not be because of anti-semitism. It will be because of outrageous fraudulent efforts by AIPAC and the ADL to use this tragic series of events to further their aims at legitimizing horrific Israeli policies.
The only way to stop the rising tide of anti-Semitism is for Jews throughout the world to call out the outrageous, totally unacceptable behavior and policies of Israel.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
1
1
