Renowned British Historian: Anti-Semitism Causes Anti-Zionism

[Mosby]

The antipathy displayed by many on the Left towards Israel is not an example of anti-Zionism morphing into anti-Semitism, but a sign that anti-Zionism is caused by anti-Semitism, the distinguished British historian Simon Schama argued in the Financial Times Friday.

Schama noted the escalation of anti-Israel events in the UK in recent months. Most notably, former Israeli intelligence chief Ami Ayalon’s speech at the Kings College London Israel Society was “violently interrupted by a chair-hurling, window-smashing crowd.” The resulting atmosphere of intolerance towards Israel prompted Alex Chalmers to resign as co-chair of the Oxford University Labour Club, saying that the student Left “have some kind of problem with Jews.”

Schama observed that some on the Left, such as Guardian columnist Owen Jones, have made efforts to “confront this demon head on.” However, “criticism of Israeli policies has mutated into a rejection of Israel’s right to exist.”

-snip-

http://www.thetower.org/3000-renowned-british-historian-anti-semitism-causes-anti-zionism/

[King_David]

1. That is the truth,

Even demonstrated in our group here.

[Little Tich]

2. According to Simon Schama, Israel can't do anything wrong, and therefore, all criticism of Israel

must be anti-Semitism.

He's promoted that argument before, and wrote an opinion piece about it together with Anthony Julius, comparing the call for a boycott of Israel with the nazi persecution of Jews:

John Berger is wrong
Source: The Guardian, 22 December 2006

The call for a cultural boycott of Israel is banal, gestural and morally compromised.
(snip)
Last, it has a creepy desire to demonstrate its pro-Jewish credentials - especially in support of its most defamatory allegations and implications. A Primo Levi quotation insinuates that most obscene of anti-Israel tropes, that relates Zionists to Nazis; a reference to "the Jewish Ronnie Kasrils" supports the apartheid analogy. What possible relevance, we ask, is Kasrils' religion of birth to his stance on Israel? Ethnicity is not a criterion of competence in moral judgment. In any event, history is full of examples of Jews who have made common cause with anti-semites.

This is not the first boycott call directed at Jews.

On April 1, 1933, a week after he came to power, Hitler ordered a boycott of Jewish shops, banks, offices and department stores. In 1945, barely 12 years later, the Arab League initiated a boycott of Jewish Palestinian businesses. One year later, the ban was extended to prohibit contact with "anything Jewish" (as the Palestine Post reported, quoting a League announcement). This economic warfare continues to the present day. Of course, while self-declared enemies of the Jews imposed the 1933 and 1945 boycotts, the 2006 boycotters are anxious to demonstrate that they have Jewish support.

But this does not free this latest boycott of the taint of anti-semitism. Indeed, the boycotters' language is drawn, as if irresistibly, toward anti-semitic formulations. As one supporter put it, "Let [Israel's] citizens feel the rejection from Europe." Well, Europe's "rejection" has been experienced once before - lethally - by many Israeli Jews, and many more of their immediate forebears. In the very week when the President of Iran hosted a conference promoting Holocaust denial and once again anticipated with pleasure the end of Israel (events which apparently escape the notice of our boycotters), we do not shrink from the conclusion that any boycott of Israel is reprehensibly deaf to those practices of stigmatization and exclusion that characterized anti-semitism's offence against Jews for two millennia.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2006/dec/22/bergerboycott

[shira]

3. Nonsense. Schama opposes the occupation & settlements...

He makes it clear that he is a committed Zionist, who believes 100 percent in a Jewish state, but not one that excludes Palestinians from having their homeland too. Nor is he keen on any Jewish state that makes Arabs live as refugees in their own country.

“I am passionately invested in the survival of Israel and everything Israel represents. But I am extremely critical of much of its policy,” says Schama unapologetically. “I believe that the occupation must end. And if it doesn’t, it will end Israel. I’m not in favor of settlements.

“I’m an old style Zionist. All my life I’ve always believed that a Jewish State and a Palestinian state should exist alongside each other. But that just puts me in common with large numbers of Israelis, who have an equally critical view. I believe in peace for land.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/historian-simon-schama-says-the-occupation-will-end-israel/

We've already concluded here that BDS is without a doubt an antisemitic movement. Your article shows Schama only stating the obvious, which is why the Obama admin., US, UK, and French parliaments oppose BDS as a hate movement.

What Israel haters believe is that no matter how critical of Israel Schama may get, he'll never slander, demonize, or Nazify Israel. So he doesn't go far enough because he doesn't incite constant hatred against Jews.

So that's really what is meant by Schama being against "all" criticism of Israel. If he doesn't make Israel out to be pure evil & just as bad as the Nazi Empire & S.Africa combined, then he's 100% Likud.

[Little Tich]

4. Opposing the occupation and the illegal settlements isn't anti-Semitic.

There are a lot of attempts to make it look as it is, but BDS is about protesting the occupation and the illegal settlements, which isn't anti-Semitic. I avoid buying settlement products, and I don't feel like I'm anti-Semite, anyway.

If Simon Schama thinks a two-state solution can be possible without criticizing Israel for the settlements and the occupation, then I think he's wrong. He's definitely wrong when he's connecting criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism, which is not only logically incorrect, but also a dangerous thing to do, as it plays into the hand of bona fide anti-Semites.

[oberliner]

5. That's not what BDS is

It's just what you say that it is.

Go to their website. They explain themselves there.

Ending the occupation and settlements does not end BDS.

[Little Tich]

7. What influence, if any, does the self-proclaimed "BDS movement" have over what is actually subject

to BDS?

The problem with your argument is that actual acts of BDS must be directed in some way by the "BDS Movement" in order to be valid. I haven't seen any real evidence of that at all. All actual acts of BDS only target companies and other entities that are involved with the illegal settlements or the occupation. There are no boycotts of companies doing business with Israel that stay away from the illegal occupation and the occupation.

Please, show me at least one example of an actual act of BDS that is directed by the "BDS Movement" or even in line with their hardline ideology, so that I can understand what you mean. As it is, I don't believe that the self-proclaimed "BDS Movement" has any more power over BDS than a fake Napoleon in a straight-jacket has over the politics of France.

[shira]

9. The BDS movement boycotted an American Jew named Matisyahu.

Here's Ali Abunimah and Rania Khalek arguing >60,000 Jews should have been left to die in Germany.

Check out these gross tweets from Abunimah...

http://www.israellycool.com/2016/02/25/ali-abunimah-rania-khalek-attack-those-who-helped-jews-escape-nazi-germany/

That's the BDS movement.

That's Mondoweiss too, as they're on the exact same page as Abunimah and Omar Barghouti.

[Little Tich]

13. Matisyahu? I vaguely remember that name from somewhere...

He was allowed to perform after all, so perhaps it was no biggie? I think it was also his perceived "anti-Palestinian" stance rather than him being Jewish that caused a problem. I'm sure Gilad Atzmon would have been welcomed with open arms...

[shira]

16. Mondoweiss defended boycotting a Jewish American citizen, not a settlement....

That's nothing for BDS to be proud of, as racists have been boycotting Jews for a long, long time. They did it before, when they defended an academic advocating BDS who boycotted an Israeli girl:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1134120604

That's BDS you support, right?

And no comments about Abunimah and Khalek preferring 60,000 Jews die in Germany? Is this the good BDS or 100% racist BDS?

[Little Tich]

17. This is getting off-topic.

It's no use trying to pin what others do on me - I don't support banning artists from performing due to their politicial views, nor do I support boycotting children under any circumstances. When it comes to the retired teacher, I don't think her views on what constitutes BDS is shared by any normal person.

There's no evidence that the campaign to cancel the Matisyahu show was grounded in anti-Semitism. I still personally think that it's wrong to boycott artists due to their political views, but there are others who think it's an OK form of BDS.

There's an article from Mondoweiss that clarifies the motivation behind the campaign to cancel the Matisyahu show, and while I disagree with their argumentation, I think I'll buy their explanation that it wasn't motivated by anti-Semitism:

Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel clarifies position on campaign to cancel Matisyahu show
Source: MondoWeiss, August 26, 2015

The campaign for cancelling Matisyahu’s concert at the Rototom Sunsplash festival objected specifically to his defense of Israeli war crimes and gross violations of human rights, incitement to racial hatred, and connections to extremist and violent fundamentalist groups in Israel.

Furthermore, Matisyahu has performed for AIPAC, fundraised for Israel’s occupation army, which is directly responsible for massacres and other egregious war crimes against Palestinians, and collaborated in propaganda initiatives to paint Israel’s “prettier side” with the Israeli Foreign Ministry. This evidence is a far cry from Matisyahu’s absurd claim, “I do not insert politics into my music.”

Source: http://mondoweiss.net/2015/08/palestinian-clarifies-matisyahu/

[oberliner]

14. Go to the website

The Palestinian BDS National Committee is "a wide coalition of the largest Palestinian organisations, trade unions, networks and NGOs."

If you would like to see examples of the many acts of BDS that have been initiated by that coalition, you will find them on the website.

The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, for instance, is one of the organizations within that coalition.

They have directed a wide variety of BDS actions and initiatives over the past ten years (those can be found on their website as well).

[Little Tich]

18. There's too much clutter on that website (http://bdsmovement.net/)...

Do you have any evidence of any actual BDS targeting companies or entities that are not connected to the illegal settlements or the occupation?

[shira]

8. Right, Schama is against settlements, occupation but not antisemitic...

He's proof that people can be critical of Israel but not cross over the line into antisemitism, like the BDS movement does.

Got it now?

You just wrote he's against all criticism of Israel, and you were dead wrong about that.

[Little Tich]

10. I would personally define Schama's criticism of Israel as weak or even non-existent.

However, he's staunchly defending Israel's actions and is trying to deflect criticism of the illegal settlements and the occupation.

Simon Schama defending the bombing of Lebanese cities in 2006:
Simon Schama & Vivienne Westwood
After another grim week in the Middle East, we turned to historian Simon Schama and the human rights campaigner Vivienne Westwood for their Take Of The Week.
Source: BBC, 24 July 2006
(snip)

Simon Schama
In my view, what Israel's doing - bombing city centres - is ultimately not going to help its own attempt to get rid of a mini-army like Hezbollah that's devoted to its own destruction.
But it has to do something. It has to actually act in some way which is going to make it more likely that there will be proper inter international intervention, a truce, a much bigger United Nations presence and, in the end, the disarming, as called for by a United Nations resolution, of Hezbollah.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/this_week/5210018.stm

Simon Schama denying that non-Jews are discriminated against in Israel and the West Bank:
John Berger is wrong
Source: The Guardian, 22 December 2006
(snip)

Advocates of the boycott of Israel repeatedly invoke the boycott of South Africa. The parallel they draw between Israel and apartheid South Africa is false.

The Palestinian, Druze and other minorities in Israel are guaranteed equal rights under the basic laws. All citizens of Israel vote in elections. There are no legal restrictions on movement, employment or sexual or marital relations. The universities are integrated. Opponents of Zionism have free speech and assembly and may form political organizations. By radical contrast, South African apartheid denied non-whites the right to vote, decreed where they could live and work, made sex and marriage across the racial divide illegal, forbad opponents of the regime to express their views, banned the liberation movements and maintained segregated universities.

In any event, the relations between Israel and the Palestinians of Gaza and the West Bank are not governed by Israeli law, but by international law. "Apartheid," as a set of discriminatory laws governing the nationals of one state, is simply not the appropriate model here.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2006/dec/22/bergerboycott

Compare the above defense of Israel's actions with his "criticism" of Israel:

Historian Simon Schama says ‘the occupation’ will end Israel
Source: Times of Israel, March 29, 2014
(snip)

He makes it clear that he is a committed Zionist, who believes 100 percent in a Jewish state, but not one that excludes Palestinians from having their homeland too. Nor is he keen on any Jewish state that makes Arabs live as refugees in their own country.

“I am passionately invested in the survival of Israel and everything Israel represents. But I am extremely critical of much of its policy,” says Schama unapologetically. “I believe that the occupation must end. And if it doesn’t, it will end Israel. I’m not in favor of settlements.

“I’m an old style Zionist. All my life I’ve always believed that a Jewish State and a Palestinian state should exist alongside each other. But that just puts me in common with large numbers of Israelis, who have an equally critical view. I believe in peace for land.

Read more: http://www.timesofisrael.com/historian-simon-schama-says-the-occupation-will-end-israel/

[shira]

11. You see what you want to see & deny what doesn't fit the narrative

Simon Schama denying that non-Jews are discriminated against in Israel and the West Bank:

Where did he claim that?

Israeli Arabs are guaranteed equal rights by law. He didn't say there was no discrimination, which happens in every country on the planet.

You're in Australia, right? Wanna talk discrimination & apartheid there?

[Little Tich]

12. Only mentioning the positive things implies that there are no negative things to say.

It would be wrong for me to praise the civil rights situation in Australia without mentioning the crappy treatment of the Aboriginals.

[shira]

15. You made a false claim about Schama, as you did the Arab MP's supporting terror....

Last edited Sat Feb 27, 2016, 09:59 AM - Edit history (2)

You ignored the BtS representative in the video who was caught lying, repeatedly.

If your advocacy is dependent on bullshit & lies, what are you really advocating?

====================

As to Australia, that's not only discrimination - it's Apartheid. But because there are no settlements, that's apparently okay & the racist BDS movement can simply ignore it, because Jews. I find it fascinating that with real genuine apartheid throughout the world, even slavery in some countries, BDS focuses only on Jews.

Coincidence?

[aranthus]

19. We know what Tich is advocating.

I gave him a chance, but I have now concluded (as I think have others) that Tich is a typical Leftist anti-Zionist trying to masquerade as reasonable.

[leftynyc]

6. Chair throwing, window smashing crowd

the bds supporters must be so proud. This is a surprise to nobody who pays attention.