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The Forum > Article Comments > Criticising the Israeli government or anti-Semitism? > Comments

Criticising the Israeli government or anti-Semitism? : Comments

By Dave Smith, published 14/5/2009

It has become politically fashionable to equate any criticism of the government of Israel with anti-Semitism.

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"The problem is that it has become politically fashionable to equate any criticism of the government of Israel with anti-Semitism, and this serves as a convenient mechanism for deflecting valid international concern about the way the Israeli government treats its Palestinian population..."

What bollocks. The only people who tend to make this accusation are those who can't mount a decent defence of their criticisms of Israel.

As various other people associated with the Jewish community have sugested in recent times, I challenge you to name a single leader or representative of a mainstream Australian Jewish organisation that has reflexively labelled someone who criticises Israel an anti-Semite. There have been such accusations made, of course, but as a result of deliberation and thought, not a knee-jerk response.

Moreover, the term antisemitism was coined in 1879 by Wilhelm Marr, an anti-Jewish propagandist in Germany, to describe hatred of the Jews. It has no relation to people of Semitic origin, which includes Arabs as well as Jews.
Posted by Elder of Zion, Thursday, 14 May 2009 10:49:08 AM
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A timely article clearing the confusion that seems to exist in our community about anti-semitism and the State of Israel.
There is no doubt the world was horrified when the extent of Nazi genocide in the Holocaust was revealed and there was much support for the migration of survivors to their 'promised land' in 1948.

The development of Zionism within the state of Israel and the violent ethnic cleansing that has occurred against the non jewish inhabitants of Palestine was not anticipated.

However, with events such as the September 11 attack on the US, the Bali bombings, The Iraq invasion, The Taliban / Afghanistan war,The increased violence in Pakistan and more recently, the excesses of Israeli retaliation in Gaza has focussed on the actions of the Israeli Defence Forces and the Zionist nature of the State of Israel.

The compassion extended to the Jewish people is waning with the revelations of their actions being compared to that of their German persecutors of 1940 and Gaza becoming the 'warsaw ghetto' of the Palestinians.

The game is up for the perpetuation of Israeli Zionism and time for a just solution to the problem by primarily recognising that to criticise the actions of the Israeli government is not anti-semitic
Posted by maracas1, Thursday, 14 May 2009 10:50:04 AM
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No matter what reasons other people have for criticising Israel, I hope Smith is not suggesting that Ahmadinejad isn’t anti-Semitic! We all know the old one about Arabs also being ‘Semitic’, but the unhinged president of Iran hates Israel and its people, and there is no place for semantics when the world’s leading maniac calls for Israel and, therefore, Jews to wiped off the face of the earth. Unlike Smith, I have no time for Rudd, but his ‘anti-Semitic’ response to an Islamist lunatic is no worse than Muslims incorrectly calling people who speak against their religion ‘racists’, when religion has nothing to do with race.

Everything about Smith’s article points to his own anti-Semitism, which, like most critics of Israel, he doesn’t like to be accused of.

Not much notice can be taken of a person who wrote an article on 14/11/09 entitled: “Shiek Hilali had a point!”

Smith, who is keen to tell everyone that he is a “martial arts master” and “pro boxer”, and uses the word “hate” too much for me in this current article, is not a person to be heeded.

We should all remember, too, that the religion Smith represents practised more than its fair share of anti-Semitism over the ages, and still does, seemingly preferring to kowtow to Muslims
Posted by Leigh, Thursday, 14 May 2009 10:52:40 AM
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Thanks Father Dave.

As someone who has also been accused of being anti-jewish in the Australian by a prominent zionist for of all things comparing price fixer Richard Pratt to Somali pirates, I found this article enlightening and helpful.

I too read the Iranian President's speech at Durban II. It is a completely defensible attack on imperialism and Zionism's role in that. There is an article in Socialist Alternative this month along the same lines defending the Iranian President's Durban II speech.

The fact that the only countries to walk out were white colonial or colonial settler states tells you something about the racist nature of the walkout.

The accusation of anti-semitism means, to the defenders of Israel, that they can ignore the issues and hope that others do too. They don't want to talk about the genocide of the Palestinians, the apartheid and racist nature of Israel, or even its war crimes in Gaza.

Any rational examination of these issues would conclude that they are in fact correct. So Zionists want to deflect rational discussion with accusations of anti-semitism.

The solution to my mind is one state - a democratic and secular Palestine where all who want to can live.

The apartheid analogy I find very convincing. The ANC wanted to destroy the racist state, not its people. It won.

A rainbow state works in South Africa. It can work in Palestine.
Posted by Passy, Thursday, 14 May 2009 11:08:27 AM
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Leigh,

"Everything about Smith's article points to his own anti-Semitism",really,what precisely?
Smith's religion is irrelevant when considering the article on its merits.Of course critics of Israel don't like to be accused of anti-semitism when it's a transparent attempt by Zionists at ad hominem diversions. Israel is a nation state and its actions should be judged as a nation state,do you dispute the claim that Israel discriminates against non Jews? Evidence please.Smith cites Jews who criticise Israel's atrocious behaviour,how are they to be categorised?
Posted by mac, Thursday, 14 May 2009 11:25:15 AM
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Mac Your right on all counts.
Dave Smith is correct in his assumptions and yes the truth is the truth regardless of who says it(Dave's) religion is irrelevant.
The only criticism I do have is Dave claims he dislikes Arm* I would ask the father side of him to explain how that conforms to his objectivity and religion. That is shouldn't Dave despise what Arm* does not the man after all he doesn't know him.
I have real concerns about what Arm* does but haven't a clue on the man in specifics how much of the man his culture and internal politics and he as a human.
Like wise I detest equally the Israeli internal politics that define its international behaviour.I use stronger words simply because I know more about Israel than I do about Iran. Partially because of my Jewish daughter and ex Israeli resident.
Posted by examinator, Thursday, 14 May 2009 12:11:17 PM
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