Fear of anti-Semitism

Editorial

There is an old bit of bumper-sticker wisdom that states "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean everyone isn't out to get you." It might be an aged adage, but its inversion of logic has a certain resonance today. There is a phenomenon occurring in the debate over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that sounds equally sinister, if not as humorous.

At a public meeting at Vancouver's Langara College last week – and elsewhere in recent months – there are hints of a new inverted logic and arguments that twist so many times they become pretzel-like in their structure. (See story, page 1.)
It all hinges on accusations of anti-Semitism. Defenders of Israel have always been very careful not to brand all criticisms of Israel as motivated by anti-Semitism. Israel is a nation in the world and, as such, is subject to fair criticism just like the United States, Canada or any other country. Zionists and others have avoided using the accusation of anti-Semitism precisely because it has the potential power to negate open discussion. To accuse someone critical of Israel of anti-Semitism is to imply that their views of Israeli policy are based not on sound reasoning, but on prejudice – and therefore not in the realm of fair discourse.

This has presented difficulties, of course, because, sometimes, anti-Israel comments are based on anti-Semitism. As Jews and Zionists, we have restrained ourselves for so long, that we bite our tongues now, even when our hearts tell us that something other than empirical logic is behind world criticism of Israel.

We cannot see inside people's heads to determine the motivation for their beliefs. But we can isolate trends and speculate on why such inordinate attention is devoted to criticism of Israel.

The world sometimes seems obsessed with Israel's "oppression" of the Palestinian people. Yet, hardly a word is spoken about the Syrian domination of Lebanon and the Lebanese. Critics howl over the fact that Israel has not created a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, but ignore the fact that the Palestinian people chose not to create such a state in 1948 and, after 1948, Jordan also did nothing to support Palestinian self-determination.

Never mind that the Arabs living in Israel after 1948 were made citizens of Israel while Palestinians in Arab states have now spent three generations in "refugee camps," held hostage by their own Arab brethren. And never mind that Arabs (and Jews) in Israel enjoy the only democracy in the region while almost all Arab countries are viciously oppressing their female citizens, countries like Iran are jailing and killing religious minorities, countries like Iraq use chemical weapons on their ethnic minorities, and being a trade unionist, a gay or lesbian or an opinionated artist can get you killed in almost any Arab state.

It is one thing for Arabs to oppress Arabs, it seems, but quite another when Israelis dare to defend their very existence.

So, let's examine our terms here. Anti-Semitism need not be the stereotype of hooded klansmen defacing synagogues. Anti-Semitism may be far less violent and far less self-conscious.

Is it anti-Semitism when Israel is held up to different standards than other countries? Perhaps we only "expect better" from Israel – a "light among nations" – than we do from others?

Is it possible that the old stereotype of the wealthy, controlling Jew is what really wrankles those who criticize the fact that Israeli settlements have swimming pools while neighboring Palestinian villages barely have water? Palestinians would have swimming pools and fresh water, too, if their leaders would put down their arms and dedicate their energies to emulating the Israeli example of nation-building. Had they spent the last 50 years pursuing a dream of a better life, an independent country and a democratic government, they too would be able to boast a higher standard of living.

Last weekend, a major conference on anti-Semitism in Canada began. It is a brave move, since the very suggestion of anti-Semitism now tends to be smashed down with accusations that we are unfairly attempting to stanch discussion or, as Vancouver city councillor Anne Roberts put it, "chilling" the debate over Middle East affairs.

Jews and other Zionists have learned, over the years, not to throw about the term "anti-Semitism" lightly. We've learned that lesson well. But we may have gone too far in the other direction. We should consider a new slogan for our bumper stickers: Just because we don't like to call our critics anti-Semites doesn't mean they're not prejudiced against Jews.

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