[lbo-talk] Gaza and anti Semitism

James Heartfield Heartfield at blueyonder.co.uk
Fri Jan 16 04:59:23 PST 2009


"SA" writes that the West's pro-Israel policy is changing, and actually, I agree.

I said that the old anti-imperialist case against Israel situated the struggle in that context. And SA is right to say that context is changing. (I only meant to describe what had gone before).

Right now, it has not changed, and Israel continues to enjoy official indulgence from American and European leaders. But the mood is definitely changing among foreign policy analysts and more broadly among the European intelligentsia (and the American intelligentsia, too? I can't tell).

The protests in Europe over Gaza clearly have vitality because they reflect the changing mood. The protestors' arguments are stronger because the media is willing to portray much more of the suffering of the Palestinians than they ever did in the past.

And the policy proposals being made, for the international community to impose its will on Israel, that Israel is the "rogue state" in the area, and that Hamas should be a part of the political process are all reflections of the subterranean shift in western strategy.

Right now, in the Middle East, those different policy options, the pro-Israel and the sponsorship of a Palestinian state are being acted out by people on the edge. The Israeli government has no interest in compromise, because its perception is that the more it ramps up the conflict, the more it is likely to scare the US into maintaining support. But long term, they are going to get shafted.

But if the west were to turn on Israel, as some of the liberal intelligentsia already have, I don't see that as being likely to moderate any underlying anti-Semitism, though. More likely it will get stronger.



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