[lbo-talk] Gaza and anti-Semitism

James Heartfield Heartfield at blueyonder.co.uk
Thu Jan 15 02:27:49 PST 2009


Giving voice to anti-Semitism, by Frank Furedi

"in recent years, especially since the eruption of the latest conflict in Gaza last month, anti-Israeli sentiments often mutate into anti-Jewish ones. Recent events indicate that in Europe the traditional distinction between anti-Zionist and anti-Jewish feelings has become confusing and blurred.

During a demonstration earlier this month, the Dutch Socialist Party MP Harry van Bommel called for a new intifada against Israel. Of course he has every right to express this political standpoint. However, he became an accomplice of the anti-Semites by choosing to do nothing when he heard chants of "Hamas, Hamas, all Jews to the gas" and similar anti-Jewish slogans. Many people who should know better prefer to keep quiet when they hear slogans such as "Kill the Jews" or "Jews to the oven" at protest demonstrations.

At a demonstration in London, such chants provoked little reaction from protesters who otherwise regard themselves as progressive anti-racists. Nor did they appear to be embarrassed by the sight of a man dressed up as a racist Jewish caricature - wearing a mask with a long, crooked nose - pretending to eat babies."

Article continues http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24913868-7583,00.html

A picture of the Jewish caricature on the London Gaza demo: http://www.spiked-online.com/images/baby_eater.gif



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