By Howard Galganov
March 6, 2007
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I read an interesting article the other day concerning Israel's declaration that anti-Semitism is as virulent now, as it has always been. And no matter how much the world pretends that anti-Semitism is no longer an issue, it just isn't so.
Therefore, the new Israeli position on anti-Semitism seems to be, that it is a disease we will have to live with forever.
It was perceived long before the Holocaust by early Zionists, that the recreation of a Jewish State in the Middle East, where Jews could find refuge, would somehow alleviate at worst, and eliminate at best, anti-Semitism.
But it wasn't so.
As a matter of fact, the creation of Israel has achieved the opposite effect. Because of Israel, the world has become even more polarized against Jews, but in a different context.
While it is unfashionable to be an open anti-Semite, it has become very fashionable to be an anti-Zionist; even amongst many Jews.
There are no shortages of Liberal Jews who have fallen into the anti-Zionist trap, thinking that Israel, like any other country should be held to a high degree of scrutiny and criticism.
But to show their "real" Liberal bona fides, these elitists hold Israel up to a higher standard than they do any other country. Why?
What they don't realize is that criticism of Israel has nothing to do with criticizing a nation on its policies, as much as it does with going after this specific nation (Israel) because of its cultural and religious foundation.
Israel is unlike any other country. Israel is the only exclusive home to Jews on this planet, where Jews can live without any fear of religious persecution from within.
Every other culture and religion on Planet Earth has a territory they can call home. Many cultures and religions have several territories they can call home.
Why not the Jews, especially since the Jewish religion and culture go back 5767 years throughout the Middle East?
Also: from the time of King David, some 3000 years ago, Israel is the only nation on this planet that has to fight for it's very survival from day to day. Just one military lapse, and Israel will be gone forever, with another 6 MILLION Jews lost in a Holocaust.
The reason why the world (with the exception of just a few countries) wants to see Israel destroyed and done away with has nothing whatsoever to do with so-called Palestinians and contrived refugee camps.
It is all about anti-Semitism.
The world cannot stand the reality that there is a sliver of land that is Jewish. And that this miniscule country is so incredibly successful that it has honest to goodness international ranking.
If Israel was Palestine, and the Palestinians were Israelis, and the Israelis were Palestinians, no one would utter a peep about a reversal of fortunes.
That's the reality of modern anti-Semitism.
As a matter of record, Israel is a net positive contributor to the worldwide human condition in every way possible.
The unbelievable hatred Nazi Europe had for Jews was so extreme, that even though European Jews made life better for all Europeans in all aspects of humankind, they were still dispossessed and slaughtered by the millions.
It doesn't matter how good Israel is for the human condition, and how much Israel contributes to the well being of humanity, anti-Semites will only see the flaws (perceived or real) of Israel.
How many brilliant minds, which could have made unbelievable discoveries to benefit mankind were murdered by the Europeans, just because those minds belonged to Jews?
If you think I'm over the top with this: think about the huge number of prominent Western Universities that boycott Israeli academics, and the tens, if not hundreds of thousands of teachers and professors in Western educational institutions who follow suit.
THAT'S ANTI-SEMITISM!
For some reason, even as a pre-teenager, I always felt that Jews would never be free from anti-Semitism. I always feared there could be another Holocaust given the "right" conditions, even in the country (Canada) of my birth.
The world doesn't hate Israel. It just hates the idea that Israel is a home for the Jews whom they hate so much.
How do Israel and the Diaspora fix this? They don't. This is a problem that cannot be fixed. It is a problem that can only be dealt with by a military deterrent unwilling to bend or compromise.
This is a reality Jews have lived with for thousands of years. And if we're lucky, we'll live with this reality for thousands more.
Views expressed by the author do not
necessarily reflect those of israelinsider.
 
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