One of the ways to identify an anti-Semite

[Toga]

When a non-Jew who is no Arab or Muslim passionately defends the Palestinians and harshly criticizes Israel there is a very good chance that he/she is a Jew-hater. They are can be easily identified just after a few questions.

1. Ask them why are they concerned about the Palestinians? There is a good chance they will answer, "I care about the Palestinians because I am a humanist".

2. Why did you pick that particular area and group considering there are starving Indians, hungry Africans, thousands of sick children in Bangladesh or Burma, persecution of women in Saudi Arabia, honor killings in Jordan, etc.? In addition, there are 100 conflicts in world: the annihilation of Black Africans in Sudan at the hands of the Arab militia, trouble in Kashmir, persecution of the Coptic Christians in Egypt, war in Uganda and Somalia, etc.? This is when they start to crumble, as there is no good answer. In this case they promptly revert to the issue of "occupation" and the Jewish "settlements".

3. At this point bring up Jesus. Was Jesus a Palestinian Arab from Bethlehem, Palestine or Bethlehem, Judea? How can the Jews be occupiers when your own Messiah comes from the Jewish state of Judea rather than Arab Palestine? Yet, the Palestinian Arabs claim that both Bethlehem and Jesus were Palestinian Arab.

4. Even if they are atheists they feel cornered. There is a good chance they bring up the Jews who are very critical of Israel as an excuse for their support of Palestinian Arabs. If they justify their focus on Israel, hatred of Zionism and Sharon, because of Jews who are critical of the Israeli government you are dealing with an intense anti-Semite.

The non-Jews who don’t harbor hatred toward Jews are not preoccupied or obsessed with Zionism or Israel.

[Leon]

At this point bring up Jesus. Was Jesus a Palestinian Arab from Bethlehem, Palestine or Bethlehem, Judea? How can the Jews be occupiers when your own Messiah comes from the Jewish state of Judea rather than Arab Palestine? Yet, the Palestinian Arabs claim that both Bethlehem and Jesus were Palestinian Arab.

I'm always tempted to ask that question to Christians who try to boycott Israel over its "occupation" of so called "palestinian land." If they were athiests, they can be forgiven. but Christians - especially nuns and priests? Perhaps they read a different bible featuring an Arab Palestinian Jesus and Mary (or Jihad and Moussa).

[andak01]

It's even simpler than you think. Any criticism at all of Israel by a non-Jew classifies the critic as an anti-semite and if possible a Nazi. Criticism of Israel by Jews is only done by "self-hating Jews". Why bother to ask them any questions at all? You shouldn't even be speaking to those people.

[Achihud]

When a non-Jew who is no Arab or Muslim passionately defends the Palestinians and harshly criticizes Israel there is a very good chance that he/she is a Jew-hater.

When a non-Jew who is no Arab or Muslim by occasion defends the Palestinians and criticizes Israel there is a very good chance that he/she is afraid and political-left thinking. (anti-globalism, oxfam, opposition against US foreign policy from left parties in Europe etc...)

They behave this way because they don't care what is going on in the world as long as it does not affect them directly. When something happens (elimination of sjeik Yasin) they want an assassination in return so that the score is even and they can continue with their lives without worrying about a possible escalation. If all the richness in the world is equally spread all friction will disappear, is their starting point. They always demand consession to keep the peace and if that does not work, the stronger is to blame. They just want peace at all cost. Political-lefties call righties aggressive, political-righties call lefties naive! Compared to the political-lefties who are with many the activists and jew-haters are not a force to take serious.

[Reffo]

It's even simpler than you think. Any criticism at all of Israel by a non-Jew classifies the critic as an anti-semite and if possible a Nazi. Criticism of Israel by Jews is only done by "self-hating Jews". Why bother to ask them any questions at all? You shouldn't even be speaking to those people.

No, no, no....that's very much an oversimplification (I know you are being sarcastic ?). You know very well that many well meaning neutral people get bamboozled and confused by the amount of Arab propaganda, the media hype and the myths perpetrated by various extreme left and right wing antisemites. Those neutral people out there who are not antisemites are the ones that we need to talk to in order to make sure that they hear the Israeli side of the story as well.

[b.scheller]

Isn't it funny, how pro-Arab the media is, and yet these anti-semites claim that the World Zionist Conspiracy is the sole perpetrator and owner of all media...

[b.scheller]

Another one, you forgot to add. People who claim that the World Zionist Conspiracy is the sole perpetrator and owner of all media, and is behind all the political control over America. Friggin wankers.

[Reffo]

Here are a few other general principles to apply in order to determine whether a criticism is Anti-Semitic or not. Anti Israel/Jewish statements ARE Anti-Semitic when:

• The statement uses stereotyping of Jews or Israelis (for example: hooked noses, usurers, money lenders etc)
• A statement uses adverse generalizations (for example: “all Jews or all Israelis are greedy and rich, capitalists, conspirators etc)
• Level the classic Nazi or historical Anti-Semitic libels (for example: Jews poison wells, the elders of the Protocols of Zion, murder of non Jewish children etc)
• They deny the Jewish Holocaust
• They accuse Jews/Israelis/Zionists of behaving like Nazis (no need to use the word 'Nazi' in order to say something bad)
• Claim that Jews control the world (as already mentioned by b.scheller)
• Claims that Jews are to blame for the hatred against them

[Ariksan]

It's even simpler than you think. Any criticism at all of Israel by a non-Jew classifies the critic as an anti-semite and if possible a Nazi. Criticism of Israel by Jews is only done by "self-hating Jews". Why bother to ask them any questions at all? You shouldn't even be speaking to those people.

You are starting to make sense. What happend?

[KettleWhistle]

It's even simpler than you think. Any criticism at all of Israel by a non-Jew classifies the critic as an anti-semite and if possible a Nazi. Criticism of Israel by Jews is only done by "self-hating Jews". Why bother to ask them any questions at all? You shouldn't even be speaking to those people.

I didn't know that propagandist lies and revisionist history qualify as criticism. But maybe it's just me. Or maybe it's just the case with Israel. Could you enlighten me?

[SteveK]

What should we Jews call ourselves when we talk about the "shwartzes"?

[andak01]

Palestinians and Israelis have a big problem. Both of them believe that self criticism may lead to their extinction. To make matters worse, they each have some enemies that would like them extinct, or that wouldn't mind seeing them go away.

To my own point of view, neither of you is self determined. You are both pawns in a very sick Great Game being played by Britain and the US. The strife caused by the Palestine conflict has acted as a wedge in the rest of the Middle East. But if the neo-con plan succeeds, Israel is no longer a necessary part of the puzzle. The stance of holding on to a religiously based state when the rest of the Middle East is secular would be more and more untenable. And there is little to say that the first act of a secular democracy wouldn't be to go to war with Israel.

Another scenario is that these newly formed democracies become great allies of the US. After all, don't we already count Afghanistan as part of the coalition of the willing? In that case, those economies would benefit greatly and at whose expense?

Israel has a short window of opportunity. Arrafat is gone and things are probably as good as they are going to get. It is a sad fact that the Palestinians percieve that they have nothing to lose. I don't think the average Palestinian has the slightest hope of ever achieving a state or for that matter the slightest hope of ever bettering their lot. That doesn't excuse terrorism, it simply is one explanation. I don't excuse a serial killer, but I may explain his behavior by citing child abuse or some other reason. Don't try to make such an explanation into affection or sympathy. I have no more sympathy with terrorists than I would for a serial killer. In fact, if it were me, I'd have the American troops swarming over G and WB instead of Iraq.

Having said what I said, you will rightly say that I am putting too much of the responsibility in this matter on the shoulders of Israel. The Palestinians also bear an equal responsibility to come to the table. But they aren't the ones who built the table, they don't decide what papers they need in order to travel to it. It's like the US getting annoyed at the Iraqis for not being immediately self determined. Well, yes. With an occupation, it may take a bit more effort from the occupier than from the occupied inhabitants. But they still have to make a huge effort. And they must be motivated to think that their efforts mean something both from within and without.

[Luke90]

I think Reffo's definitions make a lot more sense than Toga's.

[Sumud]

That's because Toga's made no sense at all.

Maybe it's just his/her addition to the Hasbara manual on propaganda tips to deflect criticism of Israel.

[SteveK]

That's because Toga's made no sense at all.

Maybe it's just his/her addition to the Hasbara manual on propaganda tips to deflect criticism of Israel.

Sumud,

Tell us about the all star "Palestinian Arab" cast of Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of Christ".