Saturday, January 24, 2009

The new face of anti-Semitism

Jack Engelhard

Israel is a Jewish State. Is that your problem?
Frankly, given a choice, I prefer the skinheads and other brutes who express their anti-Semitism openly. In such places, we know the enemy.

But please spare me the pieties and the righteous indignation of those "good people" protesting throughout Europe against Israel's defensive operation in Gaza. True, thousands have taken up banners in support of Israel. At the same time, however, the streets of Europe (and even some in America) are in an uproar. These are the "humanitarians" - the good, the noble, the refined, who chant "peace." Now you're up and about? Now you speak? Where were you when, throughout the years, thousands of jihadist bombs fell on Israel? The streets of Europe were empty. There were no pictures in the newspapers of grieving Jewish mothers and fathers. You called it "peace" as long as the Arabs were doing the killing and the Jews were doing the dying. All was well with the world.

Suddenly, as Israel answered back, you found your Cause; and how self-righteous you are in your Cause.
You are the best and the brightest of Europe. You are educated. You attended the finest schools. You care for the birds, the bees, the bears, the trees. You favor free speech and freedom of religion. Strange it is that the one and only place in the Middle East that shares your world-view is Israel, and it is Israel that you slander.

Israel is a Jewish State. Is that your problem? At the first hint of Jewish self-defense, how quickly you show your true colors.

I've seen the photos of your candlelight vigils along the streets and boulevards of Europe, all of it; all these tears in the service of those terrorists whom you call your brothers. Indeed you are related to Hamas (and Fatah) as once before, a mere generation ago, you were related to Hitler's stormtroopers. Your angelic faces are touching - and disgusting. Your hypocrisy is transparent and nauseating.

You speak of disproportion. You want proportion? Give Israel a population of 300 million residing in 22 countries, similar to the Arab Muslims who surround and ambush Israel - instead of five and a half million Jews in one single country. There's plenty of "proportion" coming from your BBC, which delights in presenting one side of the story and picks up where Der Sturmer left off. Now, with this type of "news", we know how Europe was conditioned for a Holocaust.

Already we see Nights of Broken Glass. Thank you, Europe, for reminding us why America was discovered just in time (and why Israel was redeemed many generations too late). You dare judge Israel? In your deportations, your expulsions, your forced conversions, your inquisitions, your pogroms, you have no moral authority over Israel or even within your own borders. You gave all that up from 1492 to 1942.

To those on the Left who sought peace, well, dear peace-lovers, peace brought this on. "Land for Peace" made this happen, as Land for Peace became Land for Jihad. "Painful Concessions" caused this war.

"Goodwill Gestures" backfired. Want more "peace"? Give up the Golan Heights. Give up the entire West Bank. Give up Jerusalem. Imagine the "peace." As for those "innocent civilians" in Gaza, they were given a choice and they chose Hamas. They chose this pestilence.

As for those "refugee camps" - why are they "refugee camps" when Israel handed over all that territory for a nation to be built in peace and security alongside Israel? Why are all Palestinians automatically refugees even after they've been given a home? The only true refugees are the thousands of Israelis who were driven from Gaza and still live in trailer parks. No tears for them in this world that still dreams of Auschwitz.

On this day, in response to a column I wrote about Theresienstadt, someone responded that I was incorrect; that Theresienstadt was not a prelude to Auschwitz, but rather "a vacation resort." I wrote back wishing this person a lifetime in such vacation resorts. I wish the same lifetime vacation resorts to all those parading throughout the streets of Europe with banners crying, "Death to Israel."

God bless the IDF! Go Israel!

Jack Engelhard is the author of "The Bathsheba Deadline" and "Indecent Proposal", as well as the award-winning memoir of his experiences as a Jewish refugee from Europe, "Escape From Mount Moriah".

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This is copy of an ad place in the Los Angeles Jewish Journal this week
“Use Jews as fossil fuel.”
”Put Jews back in the oven.” –Samples of hate speech statements made
at recent anti-Israel rallies
Update: On Monday, January 19, our committee met with Rabbi Allen
Freehling, Executive Director of the City of Los Angeles Human
Relations Commission. As a result of our meeting, Rabbi Freehling
will pursue a number of avenues in the hope of creating a more
positive climate. There will be a follow-up meeting in two weeks,
and we will inform the community as to the results.
Mr. Robin Toma, Executive Director
Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations
Hall of Records - Suite 1184
320 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Rabbi Allen Freehling
City of Los Angeles, Human Relations Commission
City Hall, Room1625
Los Angeles, CA 90012
January 13, 2009
To the Leaders of Our Community,
As a committee of citizens and residents of Los Angeles, we are writing to you with concerns relative to
the escalation of anti-Semitism in the greater Los Angeles area. Across our city, Jews and their supporters
have recently experienced vicious verbal abuse from anti-Israel and pro-Hamas demonstrators at various
rallies throughout the city.
In light of the recent Gaza crisis between Hamas and Israel, emotions locally, nationally and internationally
have reached a fever pitch that have the potential to result in very dangerous repercussions for members of
the Jewish community both here in Los Angeles and throughout the country.
Under the protection of the First Amendment, the pro-Hamas anti-Israel movement has allowed or encouraged
the use of inflammatory words to be hurled at and about Jews, reminiscent of Nazi Germany. It
should be noted that in1995, pursuant to Executive Order 12947, the U.S. designated Hamas as a
terrorist organization and, in 1997, as a foreign terrorist. Hamas was also designated as a “global
terrorist” under Executive Order in 2001. It is our hope that when Hamas or Hezbollah flags are brought
to rallies, the rally organizers formally distance themselves from such flags and any accompanying
hateful speech.
Vicious chants, such as “Put Jews back in the oven,” “Rest in peace, Hitler” and “Use Jews as fossil
fuel,” have been heard along with threats of violence at an accelerated rate from Florida to Los Angeles .
These anti-Semitic chants are being circulated throughout the world via the Internet. History teaches
us that, if allowed to continue or intensify, such words can become the norms of society and have the
potential to lead to ethnic strife and even violence.
We find it difficult to understand that people of decency would stand by silently as demonstrators
wearing a Hezbollah jacket and flying Hamas flags praise Hitler in the streets of Los Angeles while calling
for the “ovens to be re-fired.” We call on the mayor of Los Angeles, the County Board of Supervisors and
the Los Angeles City Council to publicly denounce such dangerous and egregious rhetoric about Jews
and the state of Israel.
Examples of hateful speech can be seen on YouTube by searching for “Dueling Rallies in LA by Israeli
Consulate” and at www.wikio.com/video/755087. On this video, you can hear statements like,
“Put Jews in ovens.”
Our committee would like to meet with you as soon as possible. Please let us know when you are available
so that we can bring further materials reflecting these very serious concerns to your attention.
Thank you,
Allyson Rowen Taylor and Katy Haber
People Against Hate Speech and Anti-Semitism