Israel is sliding toward McCarthyism and racism
How does a society professing the noblest values come to adopt policies of discrimination and persecution?
By David Landau Tags: Israel Egypt East Jerusalem Israel news Palestinians"In every generation a man is to consider himself as if he personally experienced the Exodus from Egypt." That is the central message of the Haggadah, of the seder night and indeed of Passover itself - the Festival of Freedom.
The message isn't necessarily confined to the experience of the Hebrew slaves, who were delivered from bondage. The entire epic of the Exodus is meaningful. Our generation, in particular, the generation of renaissance and occupation, might do well to consider the narrative from the Egyptian perspective.
In other words, how does a society professing the noblest values toward the Other - "In the best of the land bring your father and your brothers to live," Pharaoh urges Joseph (Genesis 47:6); "the foundations of freedom, justice and peace," Israel's Declaration of Independence proclaims - how does such a society come to adopt policies of discrimination, persecution and endless conflict? "Let's double-cross them," the new pharaoh, the one who "knew not Joseph," says of his Jewish minority. "Or else they'll grow demographically, and when war comes, they'll side with the enemy ..." Sound familiar?
How, then, does a society morph in this way? The answer seems to be, inadvertently. Since last Passover, over the first year of Benjamin Netanyahu's prime ministership, Israel has slid almost inadvertently a long way down the slope that leads to McCarthyism and racism.
Inadvertently. That must be the explanation. Otherwise, how to explain the dismal fact that during this year a heinous travesty was perpetrated against Naomi Chazan - and the streets of our cities weren't seething with mass demonstrations? Major crossroads around the country were adorned with a literally Sturmer-like cartoon portraying this hitherto respected and distinguished woman, until recently a deputy speaker of the Knesset, who heads a fund that pours millions of philanthropic dollars into educational and civil, social projects in Israel - and thousands of decent people were not out there shouting, 'Fascism shall not pass!' One needn't like all of the organizations that Chazan's New Israel Fund supports to be outraged and disgusted and frightened by the style of the campaign that was mounted against her. (Full disclosure: I've lectured on occasion for the New Israel Fund.)
What's so depressing about the Chazan affair is not so much the crude brutishness of her adversaries as the limp impotence of the many people who tut-tutted - and did nothing. When this form of inadvertence descends on an enlightened society, it numbs and paralyzes. That, perhaps, is how to understand a recent academic discussion broadcast on Army Radio about the "Nakba Law." A noted jurist explained that a bill submitted by a group of MKs, slapping a three-year jail term on anyone mourning the Nakba ["the catastrophe," as the Palestinians see 1948 and after] on Independence Day was unlikely to get through the Knesset. Even if it did, she went on, it would probably be struck down by the High Court of Justice. The criminal code, she explained, was not the appropriate means to deal with "the problem." However, she added, completely matter-of-fact, a bill cutting off state funding from any local authority marking the Nakba on Independence Day would probably get through. Its curtailment of freedom of speech could be deemed proportionate. (A bill in this vein has since passed its first reading.) Not a word of reservation from this jurist or her interviewer, who himself is an academic lawyer. No value judgment. Just dry academic analysis.
Without making any ghastly comparisons, listening to this radio program, one found oneself thinking that in other countries where the regime steadily transformed from democratic to non-democratic, there must have been liberal-minded, gently spoken academics who provided meticulous, legalistic analysis of malevolent laws enacted against minorities.
As history, both ancient and more recent, teaches us, there is another vital component in the inculcation of a whole society with xenophobia. It's the big lie, repeated over and over until ordinary people inadvertently come to regard it as truth. "Go and worship your God," Pharaoh pretended to Moses, time after time. His own people no doubt believed him.
In our own case, this past year, Netanyahu has incessantly repeated his mantra that he's merely doing in Jerusalem "what all my predecessors have done for 43 years." The purpose of this pretense is to erase from the public mind, at home and abroad, the fact that two of his predecessors negotiated with the Palestinians and the Americans over dividing the city. The purpose, too, is deliberately to blur the hugely significant difference between building in the Jewish neighborhoods that have been developed over decades and forcibly inserting Jewish settlers into all-Arab neighborhoods like Sheikh Jarrah. The purpose, basically, is to obliterate any chance of implementing the "Clinton parameters" - Jewish areas to Israel, Arab areas to Palestine, Holy Basin to God [or an international consortium representing Him] and thus reaching a fair compromise on Jerusalem.
The demonstrations taking place on Fridays at Sheikh Jarrah offer some smidgen of hope that not everyone has been duped and silenced. The Naomi Chazan front was abandoned. The "Nakba Law" front was lost without a fight. The battle line in Israel's war of survival as a Jewish and democratic state now runs through the Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem. There, alongside the few brave Israelis out demonstrating, the president of the United States has planted his pennant, too. Is that the line, at last, where Israel's decline will be halted?
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Sheikh Jarrakh protests 'offer hope'. |
| Photo by: (AP) |
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Landau fails to measure events from the honesty meter and loves to pull the emergency cord everytime his leftist drunken operators in Israel are taken to task for their irresponsible display of anti-zionism and anti-Judaism. He and his 'scripted henchmen' can say and write just about anything they want that serves their leftist goals, but when majority belief casts their obsessive agendas into the political trash heap, he and they cry foul play, racism, McCarthyism. We are not xenophobic restless Rose, we are seeking to counter balance the evil forces of your imaginary beautiful Israel which has been sewing seeds of anti-religion, of anti-zion, of capitulation with enemies. Your life is not threatened in galus, these people have wrecked havoc on innocent Jewish lives living in Israel. Landau and his ilk are the sources of most of Israel's problems today.
We just celebrated our Freedom from Egypt and are reminded that G-d understood that a people that lives under tyrants will only know to govern in the same manor. That is why the Jews had to wander so long until a new generation could arrive at the Land of Milk and Honey. Were Holocaust survivors ready to understand fair governing.
""[The State of Israel will be based on] the foundations of freedom, justice and peace, [as envisioned by the Prophets of Israel]" Israel's Declaration of Independence proclaims - how does such a society come to adopt policies of discrimination, persecution and endless conflict? "" - D. Landau The composition of the Jewish population of Israel today is very different from the one that established the State. Consider the new elements today: 1. About 1/3 of Israeli Jews come from families who immigrated to Israel from Arab lands after the establishment of the State. They brought with the Arab culture they have adopted during the long exile, including emotionalism and violent tendencies. 2. About 20% of Israeli Jews came recently from the former Soviet Union, and grew up in an atmosphere of brutishness, lawlessness, and racist tendencies. 3. About 10% of Ashkenazi Jews (based on Knesset representation of 11 seats) are religious and Haredi messianists who regard state law as something inferior to Talmudic law and act accordingly. Racism is specifically sanctioned. These three groups had very little representation among the founders of the state, but constitute some 65% of today's Jewish population. Rapid change can only happen with a massive Aliya from the US. Otherwise, we are in for a long re-educational process.
Difficult as it is to take this in, David Landau's thoughtful remarks mirror an Israel that seems increasingly xenophobic and bent on eliminating the 'Other'--including the Jew who refuses to support unjust actions. From an activist American Jew for whom Israel is of central concern, thank you.
Posted: "The tragedy is that you believe what you say but you do not know what you say. Please look at the whole picture but see the details as well, remember that things are often not what they seem and the voice of the many is often false." I think you meant to answer post #46, but regardless. I live in Israel and I know first hand that Israel is not now and never was a democracy. Your views of Israel and the rest of the world's views are distorted by Israel in an attempt to show how ALL Israelis love the way our government is running the country. For your information, there are quite a few, although small in numbers now but growing every day, who completely oppose the crimes our governments of past and present are committing against the Palestinains and for sure one day, hopefully very soon we will be the majority and we will make the right changes to bring peace to this region. Those who support the Israeli governemnt believe what they say but do not know what they say.
For decades the left has had control of the media the courts and been center stage. Now as they lose the power to control Israel's every move they cry McCarthyism. Where is the support for your country while Israel is threatened by a pro Muslim American leader. Israel will not be a safer place in Obama's middle east.
Just because other countries are opressive and racist cannot be used to justify the same policies in Israel. Just remember Sudan and Saudi Arabia stand no chance of being held up as examples of human rights and freedom in the world, Israel did set a good example once - lets hope it can do again
when they started to remove non-Jewish villagers from "their" land.
The tragedy is that you believe what you say but you do not know what you say. Please look at the whole picture but see the details as well, remember that things are often not what they seem and the voice of the many is often false.
From my perch in the States, it seems as if Israel crossed the threshold years ago, and now only pretends to be something it really never was. If we take the Jewish and the democratic out of Israel, what we have is apartheid South Africa.
Why do jews have the right to live in Sheikh Jarrah while the palestinians of the very same Sheikh Jarrah can not get a Construction Permit to add one or two rooms ,let alone a new home, to their existing home ? If that is not racism, then we live in a Lili Land
Joshua, I am sorry but you are dead wrong about ¨the SYSTIMATIC DRIVING OF PALESTINIAN CHRISTIANS OUT OF THE WB. Any palestinian can proudly tell you that in the palestinian society and long before the establishment of Israel there has never been discrimination or conflicts between muslims and christians and history proves it easily. You are also wrong about Hamas, control over the WB because Hamas won a clean, democratic elections but was ousted by the corupt PA with the help and encouragement of the U.S. and Israel. If Hamas won the elections then people want it in power and people know that Hamas is the future negotiator for peace with Israel.
Posted: "...When the people realize that little Israel can`t fight the whole world, they WILL rise up, and halt Israels slide to McCarthyism in its track." By that time it will be too late for Israel. Now is the time to stop the madness while Israel still has friends and still has the power to do the right things. To end the occupation, return the lands Israel stole back to the Palestinians and allow them to create their own state and determine their own destiny.
radical article, yet again. All is black and white and there is no light to show...why?
Israel is the most civilized nation on the planet. If any other nation had to put up with the unjust hatred Israel had to they would of long ago resorted to Barbarism and anihilated there enemies. No Nation on this planet can preach to Israel considering the history of this world. The entire world should consider taking lessons from Israel as too how to be civilized. The racism myth only exist in the minds of the hate Israel crowd. They are always looking for any reason to hate Israel and not looking at the hatred in there own hearts.
Vocabulary of idiocy happy to verbalize the shreds of imprecise memory of unrelated events. Revealing confabulation by the - formerly reddish currently rusted into brownish - Left.
lt is a fertilized ground for such.
But of course that does not fit in with the self-righteous, leftist narrative of people like Landau.
Indeed, you are a brave man for writing the truth. I hope the Israeli occupation army doesn't harass you because of this article. You are the hero of the Arab world.
No one in McCarthy's era would as openly identify with those who want to overturn the elected government and who would work as diligently to bring the ruin to other citizens (as in Gush Katif). So publicizing Chazan and NIF's pefidy (no less) or refusing to fund public displays of mourning over our insistence to live in our country is only the smallest and certainly legitimate expression of our dissatisfaction. And no. It doesn't compare to forbidding a person from living in his home and continuing to work as has been done to a score of residents of Yehuda and Shomron by our hypocritical champions of human rights.
Darfuris are predomenatley muslim. The Christians live in the south of Sudan. Kind of nitpicky I know, but the conflict in Darfur is Arabs attacking Africans over scarce resources, not different religious groups. That war is currently on hold until the referendum over independance is over.
unfortunately - one of the best summings up of israel today. bibi's other mantra is "come and talk peace" at the same time as greedily grabbing the unholy city real estate. out-of-touch americans seem to have responded strongly to the mccarthy analagy. Linda of dallas seems to have forgotten her own heritage of tragic wars and lynchings in the US of A, and ignored the fact that africa was plundered by european colonists for a couple of hundred years, so who are the good guys? only those who set their own moral standards here and now.
And right he was, george. Damn right! Nuff said?
Lots to think about at the seder table tonight.
If any of your readers believe Israel is occupying any territory, let them read the Treaty of Versailles.
Extremist right-wingers who believe God talks to them and ordered them to steal as much land as possible outside the borders of israel are a plague. Not only do they endanger Israel, but they act with sheer hatred and racism against their fellow Jews. The Nazis would have loved the caricature made of Chazan - what is unbelievable is that it was made by extremist Jews who are still roaming free in Israel despite this hideous, antisemitic act.
mohammed the truth is that the arabs are the most racist of nations.you persecute the blacks among you with names like "abd" or slave. witness the killings of black refugees on israel's borders by egyptian soldiers. ask any black man who lives in the arab world how he is treated.
Mr.Landau please write about Palestinian attitude towards Christian Arabs ,the systematic driving them out of the West Bank in particular Bethlehem and the "offers for land and their Homes"the Christian Arabs dare not refuse . Why do you support a Palestinian society that is bias towards any other religion that is exclusive and openly states as Hamas does that Israel is the enemy.and celebrates the killing of sodiers .I promise you one thing,even after Israeli withdrawl from the West Bank ,just like in Gaza Hamas will rule and advicate violence and then you will shift the goal post once more further to the left and blame Israel once more . Lucky for all of us ,you write but do not rule .
Let's be fair, it is most probably not only her guilt, the unsolved conflict of the past 60 years, and the merciless attacks by extremists on the Arab side have also taken their toll on the moral values of the Israeli people. And also the United States shares a whole lot of guilt for the current (sad) Israeli state of affairs by being a very lousy "daddy" and turning a blind eye on right-wing (and part of mainstream) Israels conduct for far too long. So you see, there are some valid excuses for Israels current behaviour. But that doesn't change the fact, that some of her attitudes/policies have become pure "evil" today.... ....with far reaching and very dangerous long term consequences for the security of the Jewish Diaspora and the image of the Jewish religion around the world.
at this very moment while this journalist preaches to us the brotherhood of man. friend we know how to behave.please do not lecture us.you are not better then us.
When we see Israeli demonstrators marching with Palestinians in the heart of Jerusalem, we see Jews who are willing to forgo their connections to their past, who call for what they mistakenly see as the dominant player, Israel, to give in to the weak party, the Palestinians. The media in Israel has been feeding this propaganda for the past 20 years and the radical Left has been eating this up to the detriment of long term Jewish interests. Judaism did not do well under Marxism and Communism. It is the Left who are the racists, not the Right and with big government and strong unions, Israel has been sliding Left.
Good point Marc. There certainly should be churches and synagogues in Saudi Arabia to serve the many Christian and Jewish citizen of that country! The lack of them is solid proof that Israel suffers from neither McCarthyite nor racist tendencies. Brilliant analysis !!!
Ah, yes that is why Aliyah is on the rise from all four corners of the world, and the same reason why gays around the world are flocking to the holy land on their vacations. Israels intolerance has atracted dozens of international firms and investors. Its "racism" has it on the brinx of joining the OECD. Israels intolerance attracts millions of tourists throughout the years, tens of thousands of international students on educational programs. Ah, yes..
... didn't we aspire to be a beacon-in-the- ME...? A light-unto-the-nations?...
One thing that history teaches us as humans is that history teaches us nothing, nada, lo clume, zilch. McCarthyism was alive and well in Israel in the 90s when the right in Israel labeled anyone who supported Rabin as a traitor. We all know what happened. Well, look at US today, same thing. If you disagree with mainstream GOP you are denying American values and undermining everything that our founding fathers stood for. Even worse, you are a "Socialist", not that most of these troglodytes have an inkling of what socialism is. Okay, McCarthyism is prospering, too bad.
Jews and Arabs often look alike and are always mistaken for each other and spy easily on each other because they are related, just as Hebrew and Arabic are related. So those calling Israel racist against Arabs are lying or have no understanding of the English word racism, which is defined in all dictionaries as prejudice based on difference in race. Jewish/Arab conflict has never been racial or racist. There is ethnic and religious discrimination on both sides but it has never been racial. Anyone who has been to Israel knows this, for it is most often hard to tell Jews and Muslims apart there, as they live close and work together every day. Of course this will not be reported by those on either side who stupidly try to accuse the other of racism.
Deny it all you want, but its true. The scary thing is many welcome this new form of jewish ultra-nationalism.
What you Zionists fail to comprehend is that Israel's zionists policies is the root problem.
You remember the man, this is what he said (per Wikipedia): "I did say that in general, Israel wants to be raped — I did use that word — by the U.S., and I myself have long felt Israel needed more vigorous U.S. intervention in the affairs of the Middle East." Nuff said?
Glad to see you standing up tall for McCarthy. He was indeed a great hero, and the fact that he is almost universally perceived as having gone down in total disgrace does absolutely nothing to tarnish the gleam of his historic heroism. Also, as a kid, I used to love seeing him perched there on (the ventriloquist) Edgar Bergen's knee, making wisecracks. (Or was that Charlie McCarthy, and not Eugene?)
mccarthy as hero? oh come on... at his death, he and his thinking was denounced. he became a recluse, and an alcoholic. Wisconsin has disowned him. His way of doing business in the world is a precursor to dictatorship and oppression of different points of view. and yes, it would appear that Israel is turning up more voices that are akin to mccarthy's. shades of the days before the assassination of Y. Rabin...
yawn
we are waiting
not a democrat. Although Israel is not officially a religious state. By declaring itself a Jewish state it is just that a religious state. Slowly, but surely religion has taken over in Israel. Also history shows us that an occupying state becomes arrogant. We should also remember, that a large number of the people that McCarthy persecuted were Jews. It was easy for him to hide his hatred of Jews behind the mask of calling them communists. McCarthy like the right wing in Israel uses fear as an instrument to galvanize the populous to their cause. Netanyahu uses the Iranian nuclear syndrome in this manner. Israel is now under siege from all it's friends. When the people realize that little Israel can't fight the whole world, they WILL rise up, and halt Israels slide to McCarthyism in its track.
McCarthyism has never left the state since it's birth, we are to deny our feelings that we were displaced, and dispossessed,My old Village Kweikat was never changed to Bet Haemek and my parents came from Marz
Why so many assholes publish their articles in Haaretz.
the mainstream media was full of Communists and McCarthy was trying to save the USA. Unfortunately the mainstream media and the Communists, like Hussein Obamao are winning at the moment... But McCarthy still remains a great hero, and he was absolutely 100% right.
Some of you Israeli's are as nuts as American Democrat's. Obama isn't your friend, he maybe the Antichrist. Over 400 times in the Bible/Torah its says GOD GAVE THE JEWS JERUSALEM. YOU can't divide Jerusalem. Arabs are pushy.They got plenty of desert, you need guts! There is an entire continent called Africa.It's full of nothing but Arabs & African's. There is not ONE successful country on it.Oil&diamonds don't count.Arabs kill each other.All they do is fight.Over 500 Bible Prophecies have been fullfilled.You must be athiest or Laodecian.Change that is my advice.We live in End Days. Ask the Pope.
Please help me. 300,000 Christians ethnically cleaned in Darfur, women stoned in Iran, 100 fellow moslems blown up every week....and Israel is rascist??????
...that when otherwise good societies perceive themselves to be under terrible threat (said perception being accurate or not), those same good societies can (and often do) countenance some god-awful bad stuff. (Plus you always have a certain number of cynical SOBs who quickly hop on the bandwagon for purely personal gain.) FYI, you can often identify someone from that last group because they typically ride in on a white horse, camel, mercedes--whatever--but you get the picture.