Friday, January 29, 2016

A Tree Living Without a Forest

Michael L.

{Also published at Jews Down Under.}

israel nazi jewsI have in the past been accused of conflating the State of Israel with the Jewish people and very much hope to get so-accused heading into the future for a long, long time to come.

While it is true that Israel is not directly synonymous with the Jewish people - as any Jewish anti-Zionist can easily demonstrate - it nonetheless remains the case that Israel makes possible the self-defense of the Jewish people and thereby represents the great majority of us, no matter where we might reside.

One of the great pleasures of running a small political blog such as this one, aside from the occasional free book, is that I get to interact with people of similar concerns from all around the world. Like most US-Americans my relationships with other people through most of my life have been with other US-Americans. Now I find myself speaking with people from throughout Europe, Australia, and Israel, including the so-called "settlers" such as Yosef and Melody in Hebron.

Not all of these people, of course, are Jewish. What we all have in common, however, is an appreciation of the Land of Israel as the historical homeland of the Jewish people. I am even one of those who would go so far as to suggest that Israel represents the redemption of the Jewish people.

For Jews to exist without Israel would be something akin to a tree living without a forest.

We need Israel not only because, considering Jewish history, it is devoted to the survival and protection and well-being of the Jewish people, but because when it thrives we can also, as can our children. Look at Jewish history. It is no coincidence that the economic, creative, and political rise of Jewish prominence in the modern era coincides with the rise of the Jewish State of Israel.

Jews, prior to 1948, were a cowed and harshly discriminated-against people throughout the West. European Jewry, of course, was devastated by the Nazis and their European collaborators, including the French and the Brits. American Jews basically kept their heads down as the New York Times studiously ignored the Holocaust. I have no idea what Australian Jewry was up to at that moment.

But the point, of course, is that Israel needs the Jews just as the Jews need Israel.

What most people, including most Jews, do not realize is that the very word "Israel" refers to the Jewish people, not merely the modern state. Thus when hostile western-liberal anti-Zionists defame Israel and seek to diminish Israel and lie about Israel as a racist, colonialist, imperialist, militaristic, apartheid, racist state they are, on a certain level, condemning the Jewish people in much the same way that the Nazis did... and that all enemies of the Jewish people have done since the Romans came forth and kicked ass.

Criticism of the state is one thing. Defamation, however, is something else entirely.

Criticism seeks to be fair. Defamation seeks to slander and libel.

If we state the above, which is incontrovertibly true from a historical perspective, we are also sometimes accused of holding dual-loyalty.

As a citizen of the United States, a nation of immigrants, I assume that my feelings for the Jewish homeland is not so different from the feelings that French or German or Japanese Americans have toward their own.

The only difference is that no one credible is suggesting that France is not the homeland of the French or that Germany is not the homeland of the Germans or that the island of Japan is not the homeland of the Japanese.

Angela Merkel and the current EU immigration idiocy aside, everyone recognizes that Spain is Spanish, despite the fact that other ethnic minorities live there. Israel is obviously far older than is England or France or Germany or Spain and thus has, from an historical perspective, greater legitimacy as a nation-state than almost any other country on the planet.

Furthermore, as among the most persecuted people in history, the Jews require a safe haven and Israel would be it, but for the never-ending theocratic-bigotry of its violently hyper-conservative Arab-Muslim neighbors.

If American Jews who care about Israel seem to be "dual-loyalist" it is only because our tiny minority remains under siege by a much more populous Arab-Muslim majority in the Middle East that would see us dead.

I have no doubt that if Americans of Italian or Irish descent saw their countries of origin under siege they would be just as committed, as are many American Jews, to standing up for the land of their ancestors.

6 comments:

  1. I will just say this Mike.. While I vehemently disagree with you about almost everything these days, I have to give you complete kudos for this post. And not that it matters (or you may not even care or want my praise) I believe that this is really an excellent post on the matter.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I appreciate that, VB.

      Y'know, I bet if we went straight down the list on the issues, foreign and domestic, we would find that we are much more in agreement than in disagreement.

      On the domestic side I am a social libertarian and thus wish to keep the government out of the bedroom, but am also, therefore, a supporter of the second ammendment of the Constitution.

      I favor a woman's right to choose an abortion and am perfectly happy to attend my Gay friends' weddings.

      I favor a tax code that is preferable toward the poor and the middle-class and believe that men and women should receive equal pay for equal work.

      On foreign policy I absolutely oppose the rise of political Islam as it blossomed out of the so-called "Arab Spring."

      I think that "political Islam" or "radical Jihad" or "Islamism" - or whatever you want to call it - is an exceedingly dangerous and theocratically-fascistic political movement that is intent upon warfare with the West and the genocide of the Jews.

      VB, I think that you are a good guy and we've sat across the table over a pitcher of beer more than once.

      On a broad scale our policy differences are minimal, or so it seems to me, but please let me know how I am wrong.

      In terms of Israel, how would you describe our differences?

      Peace to you, please, my friend.

      Delete
    2. Well on general principles as you post here, we do agree more. I actually think most Americans regardless of labels (Conservative, Liberal, Progressive, Centrist) agree on the basic ideas stated here but I know when it gets down to details we may not.

      I do have to admit that I am not sure what the 2nd Amendment has to do with the Bedroom.. but ok....;)

      So on your points, I agree with you on Social Libertarianism. And while I shoot and train with tactical arms, I favor strict gun control (not bans though), so while I support the Second Amendment in general terms, I don't support the Modern NRA interpretation of it.

      Woman's Right to choose and Gay Marriage - Check - we agree

      Tax Code favorable to the Poor and Middle Class - Check we agree

      Fair Pay - Absolutely we agree.

      I too oppose the rise of Political Islam no matter how it rose up. And I agree that Radical Jihad and Islamism are proto fascist movements. I also feel this way about any strict religious movements that engage in politics.

      In terms of Israel - I support the views of Z.U. Chief Isaac Herzog, when he says that while there cannot be Two States right now, that there should be work towards that end. I think we are different there.

      Anyway, really... I just stopped in because despite my being critical in the past and to be honest still being critical, I thought this post really summed up things well. And I think it only fair to say that.

      Delete
    3. VB, I appreciate it very much.

      And, y'know, it is not that I am opposed to two states in peace next to one another, but that the Palestinian leadership has unquestionably convinced me that they are.

      My position remains that Israel should declare their final borders and remove the IDF to behind those borders. What those borders should be I leave entirely to them, because who am I to make such a decision?

      Delete
  2. Italy and Ireland don't have racist policies against Blacks and they don't kill thousands of Children.

    3.5 Million People died in the Armenian Holocaust, they don't use that as an excuse to kill children or to exempt them from Nuclear weapons inspections by the UN.

    It's time Israel changed it's ways. America is on the decline and wont have the ability to pay billions in Welfare to Israel.
    Israel should change.

    Before you label me antisemitic consider that 5 million non jews also died in the Holocaust and the Germans also killed 25 million Russians.
    No one uses those deaths to kill children.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. " Estimates suggest that between September 1943 and March 1945, about 10,000 Jews were deported(from ITALY.) The vast majority perished, principally at Auschwitz."

      http://www.ushmm.org/learn/mapping-initiatives/geographies-of-the-holocaust/the-holocaust-in-italy/

      soo guess what Mr Italian? You have no moral right to lecture Israel. So please stfu.

      As for good old Ireland:

      "A disturbing aspect of Ireland's history has been uncovered by research finding that leading Nazis were sheltered and welcomed by the Irish establishment after the war.

      A rogues' gallery that included fascists, Nazi collaborators and war criminals came to Ireland, including some who flourished and became respected members of the community."

      http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1538969/Ireland-welcomed-Hitlers-henchmen.html

      So stfu about those nazi bastards too.

      Delete