Doc's Talk: The Untold Truth: 150 Million Europeans Hate Israel

Sunday, July 21, 2013

The Untold Truth: 150 Million Europeans Hate Israel

Manfred Gerstenfeld

HR: Why do you think that is?

MG: My publisher, Rene van Praag of RVP Publishers says that just as many stories are too small for leading newspapers, a few are 'too big'.

HR: What does a 'too big story mean" in this case?

MG: Once it becomes widely known that out of 400 million adult EU citizens, 150 million have demonic antisemitic views; the possible consequences for the EU's image, its politics, and its need to act cannot be ignored. The EU presents itself as a "model of democracy and promoter of human rights." From the 150 million number of citizens with demonic views of Israel and the book's interviews, it also emerges as a conglomeration of anti-Israel hate-mongering and a widespread criminal worldview. In the 1930s, European countries had a huge number of citizens with a criminal worldview of the Jews. In view of the Holocaust thereafter and other atrocities this similarity pulls the bottom out of the image of a humanitarian Europe.

HR: Are there other possible consequences?

MG: It may, for instance, become difficult for the EU to avoid investigating who has contributed to creating this criminal worldview. That should lead to explosive results. One will, for instance, have to point at leading EU and national politicians in various countries. This would not only be a further assault on the EU's contrived humanitarian image, but also on some countries and political parties. These European hate-mongers do not necessarily believe themselves that Israel exterminates the Palestinians, or behaves like the Nazis. Their biased statements however, all contribute to this image. This is the method of "the thousands cuts." On an individual basis, none of these attacks has caused the dramatic results the studies show. However, together they have created them.

HR: What else has contributed to Europe's criminal worldview of Israel?

MG: Another element is the trivialization and partly hiding of major horrific events in the European countries' own past. In this way, a far too rosy picture of Europe's own history is painted. This is then compared to the greatly falsified picture of Israel. Very important is also the far too little attention given to the widespread criminality and hate-mongering in large parts of Palestinian society and many Arabic and Muslim states. If mass murders, terror attacks and other major crimes there were highlighted proportionally to the size of the population and misconduct in those countries, news about Israel would be comparatively negligible. Looking away from major crimes in the Muslim world is an example of what we might call "humanitarian racism". Many people ignore the crimes of people of color because they are perceived as weak. Such racists often falsely claim that they belong in the anti-racist camp.

HR: Any other possible considerations concerning the findings of your book?

MG: Another major consideration is that the widespread European criminal worldview of the 1930's was the precursor to major crimes committed in Europe in the 1940's. It raises the questions: what could the current criminal worldview lead to? Will it again lead to major European crimes, this time against Israel? Or will Europeans be criminal bystanders when many in Muslim countries will want to commit extreme crimes against Israel? My book thus exposes a potentially huge story.

HR: The emphasis in the introduction for Demonizing Israel and the Jews is on exposing Europe's massive criminal worldview of Israel, which to some extent overshadows the 57 interviews which are the main part of the book. What have you tried to achieve with these interviews?

MG: This is a collection of interviews with Jewish leaders, scholars, experts, politicians, journalists, important figures in Jewish organizations, and the like. Together they illustrate how widespread, intense and multifaceted hate-mongering against Israel and the Jews is. The book deals with many countries and disciplines. After reading these interviews, one better understands how the demonic worldview of Israel in Europe has been created. The book is divided into a section with interviews which primarily focus on Israel and another, which mainly addresses classic antisemitism.

HR: What countries do most of the interviewees cover?

MG: The interviews deal with more than ten European countries. There are also interviews with Gustavo Perednik on Argentina, Rifat Bali on the uncertain future of Turkey's Jewish communities, Maurice Roumani about what are attitudes in Libya with respect to its former Jewish community, Zvi Mazel on Egyptian anti-Semitism from Mubarak to Morsi as well as with Mitchell Bard on the powerful Saudi lobby in the United States. There is also an interview with Justus Weiner, which discusses how Muslims are driving out Christians from Palestinian territories.

HR: Many of your interviews address various groups of perpetrators of antisemitism and anti-Israelism. What are the main ones?

MG: The greatest hatred of Israel by far comes out of parts of the Muslim world. This could easily fill several books of interviews. In Demonizing Israel and the Jews, interviewees elaborate on some of its aspects. Richard Landes explains how Muslim conspiracy theories affect Jews; Gunther Jikeli addresses Muslim antisemitism among European youths; former Chairman of the French umbrella organization CRIF, Richard Prasquier, discusses Muslim antisemitism in France.

HR: We at HonestReporting are of course very interested in media bias.

MG: This, like so many other topics in Demonizing Israel and the Jews also merits a book in itself. One interview is with Simon Plosker, Managing Editor of HonestReporting. Another is with Andrea Levin of CAMERA. In a third one, litigation lawyer Trevor Asserson takes the bias of the BBC - as far as reporting about Israel is concerned - largely apart. On a different note, moviemaker Gloria Greenfield tells about her documentary Unmasked Judeophobia and the reactions to it.

HR: Another major source of Israel hatred comes from the extreme Left.

MG: Indeed, this is addressed for instance by Angelo Pezzana who explains how anti-Israel Italians, primarily extreme leftists, abuse Holocaust memory. Simon Epstein discusses 60 years of French intellectual bias against Israel, giving much attention to the Communists. Ken Sikorski analyzes the Finnish scene, including the Socialists.

HR: European Socialists and Social Democrats have also manifested strong anti-Israel attitudes.

MG: The leading Norwegian non-fiction writer, Hanne Nabintu Herland tells about how the "politically correct" hatred of Israel is promoted. She said that the Labor Party plays a major role in turning Norway into the most anti-Semitic country in the West. Ilya Meyer discusses how Sweden's third largest city Malmo, has become an internationally known hotbed of antisemitism. Part of this is due to the previous Labor Party Mayor Ilmar Reepalu, who has made frequent anti-Semitic remarks. Jehudi Kinar, former Israeli Ambassador to Belgium, details anti-Israelism in Belgian socialist parties.

HR: Yet, another source of Israel hatred comes from Christian circles.

MG: Far too little attention is paid to this. This subject also merits a special interview book. Dutch scholar Hans Jansen tells about the deep roots of Protestant antisemitism since its founding. His main focus is on church reformer Martin Luther. He also discusses the hateful Kairos document coming out of the part of the Palestinian Christian community. David Parsons explains how one can distinguish between pro-Israeli and anti-Israeli Protestants theologically. Dexter van Zile exposes the anti-Israel politics of the World Council of Churches.

HR: What about terrorism?

MG: Psychiatrist Daphne Burdman analyzes how Palestinian children are indoctrinated to genocidal hatred. Michael Whine gives an overview of how Jewish communities and Israelis abroad have been targeted by terrorists.

HR: What about self-hating Israelis and Jews? There aren't that many, but they do cause damage.

MG: Hebrew University Philosophy Professor Elhanan Yakira points out the similarities between Israeli and Jewish post-Zionists and Holocaust deniers. Harvard Psychologist Ken Levin diagnoses the Jews and Israelis who embrace criticism from extreme antisemites and anti-Israelis. He says that this phenomenon reveals great similarity to the responses of children subjected to chronic abuse.

HR: What about NGO's, hatred on the internet, etc.

MG: Gerald Steinberg discusses NGO bias against Israel, Rabbi Abraham Cooper explains the dangers of antisemitism and terrorism on the internet, while Ronald Eissens evokes the problems concerning internet hate on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

HR: Do you also discuss some of the tools of transmission of hatred in contemporary antisemitism and anti-Israelism?

MG: Certain media are perpetrators of antisemitism and anti-Israelism through editorials and their selection of news items. Through the publication of anti-Israel op-eds, they are tools of transmission of bias. Similarly, the United Nations is both a perpetrator and a tool of Israel hatred. The latter is illustrated in the interview with Yohanan Manor about the "Zionism is Racism" resolution. Cartoons are a very effective tool to promote and transmit hatred as Joel Kotek demonstrates. Another tool of transmission of hatred among many is language. Georges-Elia Sarfati stresses that words are not neutral, but serve to introduce a certain vision of an issue addressed.

HR: Are there also interviews on how to fight antisemitism and anti-Israelism?

MG: An important one is the interview with former Canadian Justice Minister Irwin Cotler. He lists political, diplomatic, economic and legal tools available to counteract the Iranian threat. Cotler says that there is enough proof to bring Iran before the International Court of Justice.

HR: Anything else?

MG: We would have to hold many other conversations like this one to cover all the major themes of the book.

Doc Emet Productions is a Massachusetts-based 501c3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening Jewish identity, Jewish peoplehood and the values of freedom and democracy. We depend upon your support to broaden and deepen our impact. To make a donation online, by mail, or phone, please click here.

Gloria Z. Greenfield, President
Doc Emet Productions, Inc.

No comments:

The IDF’s Minorities in Numbers and Pictures

In honor of IDF Diversity Week, we present diversity through numbers and pictures. Each year, more and more Muslims, Christians, Druze, Bedouin and immigrants from around the world take on the responsibility of defending Israel.

MUSLIMS:

Muslim Arab Israelis are not required to draft in the IDF, but there are many who volunteer. In 2013, there were over 200 Muslims serving in the IDF and over 300 in the reserves.

Bedouins:

Bedouins are nomadic Muslims who were in Israel when modern borders were set in place and are now considered Israeli citizens. They are not required to draft but a growing number choose to enlist. In 2012, there were over 1,400 Bedouin Muslim soldiers doing regular IDF service and almost 1,500 in the reserves.

Read more:http://www.idfblog.com/2014/02/27/truth-idf-numbers-pictures/#more-34027

Are you aware that in 2013, Middle class taxes go up-significantly?

In January of next year, the federal income tax rate for middle-class taxpayers is scheduled to rise from 25 percent to 28 percent, and the payroll tax is scheduled to rise from 13.3 percent to 15.3 percent… This drives the marginal tax rate based on the aforementioned three taxes to 48.12 percent. Add in state and local property, corporate, excise, and other state and local taxes, and the percentage of each additional dollar that is taxed hovers around 50 percent… When half of each additional dollar earned is taxed away, taxpayers experience a disincentive to start businesses or expand existing ones. This leads to fewer jobs being created.

Why is HAMAS Inside Tampa Schools?

Clare Lopez

Kelly Miliziano, who teaches history classes at Steinbrenner High School in the Tampa, Florida area apparently thinks it’s perfectly OK to invite a senior official of a HAMAS-affiliated organization into her classroom to discuss Islam with her students. According to local media reports, not only has this been going on for years, but in spite of the civil and criminal proceedings that could result from such reckless negligence, the Hillsborough County school superintendent, Mary Ellen Elia, and the chairman of the school board, Candy Olson, also expressed approval for students under their responsibility to be exposed repeatedly to guest speaker, Hassan Shibly, who is the Executive Director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in the Tampa area.
More...

Did You Know... Ignoring the Call to Islam will Bring Jihad

‘Conquest through Da’wa [proselytizing] that is what we hope for. We will conquer Europe, we will conquer America! Not through sword but through Da’wa.’
-- Yousef al-Qaradawi , Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader The Arabic word ‘Da’wa’ means the “call to Islam.” But do not think that Da’wa is the same thing as an invitation to an optional holiday event. The classical Islamic doctrine of jihad mandates that enemies must be given the opportunity to convert to Islam or pay the jizya tax before it is permissible to attack them.
Clare M. Lopez

Who is being discriminated-facts tell the truth

Religious bias

Hate crimes motivated by religious bias accounted for 1,409 offenses reported by law enforcement. A breakdown of the bias motivation of religious-bias offenses showed:

65.4 percent were anti-Jewish.
13.2 percent were anti-Islamic.
9.5 percent were anti-other religion, i.e., those not specified.
4.3 percent were anti-Catholic.
3.8 percent were anti-multiple religions, group.
3.3 percent were anti-Protestant.
0.5 percent were anti-Atheism/Agnosticism/etc.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/hate-crime/2010/narratives/hate-crime-2010-incidents-and-offenses.

On March 31, 1977, the Dutch newspaper Trouw published an interview

with PLO executive committee member Zahir Muhsein. Here's what he said:

"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct "Palestinian people" to oppose Zionism.

For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan."

In March 1977, Zahir Muhsein, a PLO executive, said:

"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct Palestinian people to oppose Zionism."

"For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan."

The Arab Apartheid

Ben-Dror Yemini
In 1948, the Arab countries refused to accept the UN partition proposal and they launched a war of annihilation against the State of Israel which had barely been established. All precedents in this matter showed that the party that starts the war - and with a declaration of annihilation, yet - pays a price for it. Between 550,000 and 710,000 Arabs fled because of the war and a larger number of 850,000 Jews were expelled or fled from Arab countries (the "Jewish nakba").
Population exchanges and expulsions were the norm at that time, occurring in dozens of other conflict points and affecting about 52 million people. In all the population exchange precedents that occurred during or at the end of an armed conflict, there was no return of refugees to the previous region, which had turned into a new national state.
Only the Arab states acted completely differently from the rest of the world. Instead of assimilating the refugees, they crushed them despite the fact that they were their coreligionists and members of the Arab nation - instituting a regime of apartheid. So the "nakba" was not caused by the actual dispossession, which had also been experienced by tens of millions of others. The "nakba" is the story of the apartheid, oppression, abuse and denial of rights suffered by the Arab refugees at the hands of the Arab countries. (Maariv)

International Law and Military Operations in Practice - Col. Richard Kemp

"Islamist fighting groups study the international laws of armed conflict carefully and they understand it well. They know that a British or Israeli commander and his men are bound by international law and the rules of engagement that flow from it. They then do their utmost to exploit what they view as one of their enemy's main weaknesses. Their very modus operandi is built on the correct assumption that Western armies will normally abide by the rules, while these insurgents employ a deliberate policy of operating consistently outside international law. "

Lost Historical Moments

What Rabin’s last Knesset speech really said:repudiation of a Palestinian state

Rabin ruled out a fully sovereign Palestinian state :

“We view the permanent solution in the framework of State of Israel which will include most of the area of the Land of Israel as it was under the rule of the British Mandate, and alongside it a Palestinian entity which will be a home to most of the Palestinian residents living in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. We would like this to be an entity which is less than a state, and which will independently run the lives of the Palestinians under its authority.”

Rabin ruled out a total withdrawal from Judea and Samaria and thus a return to the pre-June 1967 borders :

“The borders of the State of Israel, during the permanent solution, will be beyond the lines which existed before the Six Day War. We will not return to the 4 June 1967 lines.”

Rabin ruled out withdrawing form the Jordan Valley:

“The security border of the State of Israel will be located in the Jordan Valley, in the broadest meaning of that term.”

Rabin ruled out uprooting settlement blocs, like the Gush Katif bloc in Gaza (which was subsequently uprooted by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon):

“The establishment of blocs of settlements in Judea and Samaria, like the one in Gush Katif.

AND

Rabin ruled out removing any settlement before coming to a full peace agreement with the Palestinians:

“I want to remind you: we committed ourselves, that is, we came to an agreement, and committed ourselves before the Knesset, not to uproot a single settlement in the framework of the interim agreement, and not to hinder building for natural growth.”

Rabin insisted on Israel retaining full security control of the borders with Egypt and Jordan, contrary to Israel’s relinquishment of the Philadelphia Corridor on the border with Egypt:

“The responsibility for external security along the borders with Egypt and Jordan, as well as control over the airspace above all of the territories and Gaza Strip maritime zone, remains in our hands.”

Correcting Oslo Myths-Part 2

3) Kuttab laments that the post-1993 Oslo process resulted in a Palestinian Authority "whose ministers and legislators are not guaranteed passage between Gaza and the West Bank ...."

Before free passage or other perquisites, PA leaders were obligated, among other things, to eliminate the terrorist infrastructure in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, end anti-Israeli, antisemitic incitement in schools, mosques, and communications media, and resolve all outstanding issues through peaceful negotiations. They met none of these commitments, sometimes bolstering terrorism and greatly increasing incitement.

4) Kuttab complains that under Oslo the PA got "lightly armed police ---- but no real sovereignty over the land or contiguity between our communities in Gaza and the West Bank."

Oslo agreements repeatedly were revised, regardless of Palestinian non-compliance, until the authorized number of police grew from 8,000 to 40,000. Though they were to be the only armed forces in the territories, Israeli estimates early in the second intifada put the number of gunmen - police, "security services," terrorists, and armed gangs - at 85,000. Their armament reportedly included not only heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, but also anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.

Sovereignty was to be negotiated in the envisioned 1998 "final status" talks - after a five-year period of confidence-building. Palestinian leadership chronically undermined the process. Palestinian terrorism made the 1993 - 1998 Oslo period more deadly for Israelis than the 15 years preceding it.

The United States doesn't have contiguity between the lower 48 states and Alaska and Hawaii; territorial contiguity between the West Bank and Gaza Strip - that is, through the 20 miles of Israeli territory between them - was never promised and would destroy Israeli contiguity.

5) "Palestinians have been made to endure hundreds of checkpoints in the West Bank, an eight-foot wall deep in our territories, and tight Israeli control over borders."

The security barrier is not "deep in Palestinian territories," but rather encompasses less than 8 percent of Judea and Samaria, and is mostly a fence, rarely a wall; the land in question is not "our [Palestinian] territories" but disputed territory to which, according to the authors of U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, Jews as well as Arabs have claims; and there are no international borders, only the 1949 armistice lines with Jordan. Under 242, borders remain to be negotiated. As for checkpoints - like the security barrier and "tight Israeli control" - Palestinian Arabs precipitated these measures themselves. No terrorism and there would be no fence or tight Israeli control and few checkpoints - like before the first intifada.

Correcting Some Oslo Myths

1) In Oslo "Israeli, Palestinian and other world leaders promised that ... Palestinian sovereignty would be solidified."

No, they didn't. The 1993 Declaration of Principles and subsequent Oslo agreements outlined a process by which final status negotiations about the West Bank and Gaza Strip would be reached. The process required an end to anti-Israel terrorism and incitement and a commitment to peaceful negotiations. The PA, Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and other terrorist groups, sabotaged the process from the start.

2) "The reality is that, in defiance of U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, which states that it is inadmissible to occupy land by force, Palestinian territories are still under foreign military occupation."
Wrong again. Resolution 242 (1967) does note "the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war." It also affirms the right of every state in the area "to live in peace with secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force." There were no "Palestinian territories." Jordan occupied the West Bank, Egypt controlled Gaza. Israel did not have "secure and recognized boundaries," so retention of some of those territories was possible under 242. Israel is not a "foreign" military occupier in the West Bank but, pending final negotiations, the lawful military administrator as a result of a successful war of self-defense.

Doc's Talk