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THE BALLAD OF THE ANTIZIONIST

STEVE PLAUT | 30.03.2004 12:29

THIS PIECE TRIES TO FIND AN INTERNAL LOGIC IN "ANTI-ZIONIST" MENTALITY

Say what? Anti-Semites? Who, us anti-Zionists? Us?

We have nothing against Jews as such. We just hate Zionism and Zionists. We think Israel does not have a right to exist. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such. Heavens to Mergatroyd. Marx Forbid. We are humanists. Progressives. Peace lovers.

Anti-Semitism is the hatred of Jews. Anti-Zionism is opposition to Zionism and Israeli policies. The two have nothing to do with one another. Venus and Mars. Night and day. Trust us.

Sure, we think the only country on the earth that must be annihilated is Israel. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.

Sure, we think that the only children on earth whose being blown up is okay if it serves a good cause are Jewish children. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.

Sure, we think that if Palestinians have legitimate grievances this entitles them to mass murder Jews. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.

Naturally, we think that the only people on earth who should never be allowed to exercise the right of self-defense are the Jews. Jews should only resolve the aggression against them through capitulation, never through self-defense. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.

..


We only denounce racist apartheid in the one country in the Middle East that is not a racist apartheid country. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.


....
We refuse to acknowledge the Jews as a people, and think they are only a religion. We do not have an answer to how people who do not practice the Jewish religion can still be regarded as Jews. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.

We think that all peoples have the right to self-determination, except Jews, and including even the make-pretend "Palestinian people". But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.

We hate it when people blame the victims, except of course when people blame the Jews for the jihads and terrorist campaigns against them. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.

We think the only country in the Middle East that is a fascist anti-democratic one is the one that has free elections. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.

We demand that the only country in the Middle East with free speech, free press or free courts be destroyed. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.

We oppose military aggression, except when it is directed at Israel. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.

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We really understand suicide bombers who murder bus loads of Jewish children and we insist that their demands be met in full. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.

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We do not think that Jews have any human rights that need to be respected, and especially not the right to ride a bus without being murdered. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.

..



There are Jewish, leftist anti-Zionists and we consider this proof that anti-Zionists could not possibly be anti-Semitic; not even the ones who cheer when Jews are mass murdered. These are the only Jews we think need be acknowledged or respected. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.

.

We think the only conflict on earth that must be solved through dismembering one of the parties to that conflict is the one involving Israel. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.

We do not think murder proves how righteous and just the cause of the murderer is, except when it comes to murderers of Jews. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.

We do not think the Jews are entitled to their own state and must submit to being a minority in a Rwanda-style “bi-national state”, although no other state on earth, including the 22 Arab countries, should be similarly expected to be deprived of its sovereignty. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.
..
We think that Israel’s having a Jewish majority and a star on its flag makes it a racist apartheid state. We do not think any other country having an ethnic-religious majority or having crosses or crescents or “Allah Akbar” on its flag is racist or needs dismemberment. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.

We condemn the “mistreatment” of women in the only country of the Middle East in which they are not mistreated. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.



We condemn the “mistreatment” of minorities in the only country in the Middle East in which minorities are not brutally suppressed and mass murdered. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.

We demand equal citizen rights, which is why the only country in the Middle East in need of extermination is the only one in which such rights exist. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.

We have no trouble with the fact that there is no freedom of religion in any Arab countries. But we are mad as hell at Israel for violating religious freedom, and never mind that we are never quite sure where or when it does so. But that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.



So how can you possibly say we are anti-Semites? We are simply anti-Zionists. We seek peace and justice, that’s all. And surely that does not mean we have anything against Jews as such.


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STEVE PLAUT

Comments

Hide the following 2 comments

Depends how you define 'zionist'

30.03.2004 13:40

This rant seems to misrepresent the position of all anti-zionists except perhaps Hamas, Islamic Jihad etc who clearly think mass murder is acceptable and are clearly anti-jewish. I have not spoken to any pro-palestine activists who think mass murder is ok, although many seek to understand the situation which is *not* capitulation.

It is also a misrepresentation to suggest only Israel draws criticism from human rights activists. Israel does indeed draw much criticism as it is the primary beneficiary of western (mostly US) support people in the West feel obliged to do something. The same is true of many other middle-eastern states, particularly Saudi Arabia. However, the activities of for instance anti-arms trade activists highlighting the appaling repression of Saudi Arabia and others are largely ignored. The Palestine conflict is also seen by many as the cause of much resentment and violence elsewhere in the world, as well as a propaganda tool for genuine anti-semites. As far as I am aware no other middle-eastern nation (despite some undoubtedly unsavoury dictatorships), and with the exception of Turkey in Kurdish areas, is currently deploying war-fighting technology to repress a civilian population under its control.

If you define 'zionist' as one who believes the state of Israel has a right to exist; then many people are zionists, including Yassir Arafat. Being opposed to this kind of zionism *may* be anti-semitic since many israelis are semites.

If you define 'zionist' as one who believes the state of Israel should be purely jewish then thats as racist as the BNP's 'all white britain' objective and opposition to such a racist and segregationist idea is in no way in itself anti-semitic. It may in some people be motivated by anti-semitism, but that is a distinct point - perhaps some anti-apartheid activists were anti-white racists, but that wouldn't invalidate the anti-apartheid movement.

It is demonstrative of ignorance to use the term 'anti-semitism' so liberally since many Palestinians are ethnically semitic and many Israelis are not. Perhaps you mean 'anti-jewish', which of course is a less loaded phrase and so less apt to deflect criticism of the policies of a nation state?



Tom


Define the word "irony"

30.03.2004 14:37

Erm, I don't think you're supposed to take this entirely seriously Tom............

Try re-reading it with your less gullible head on.......

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