The assault on freedom of speech and on higher education in the US continues as if on steroids. And the mainstream media accepts and repeats the government actors using the pretense of defending against antisemitism and against “the enemy.”
The abduction, detention and jailing of students and faculty by ICE or other entities is being used to send a clear message to “shut up or else.” This is done with the tacit, and often even active, collaboration of local authorities and institutions, including universities.
To understand the various aspects of the use of antisemitism to justify these excesses, Timothy Snyder’s piece illustrates how they are manipulated and promote very tangible racist antisemitic ideas.
A big part of these attacks is centered on the denial of Palestinian humanity to "justify" the genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).
Just last week we had a well-attended and engaged discussion about the message that the film “The Palestine Exception” so clearly documents. (See below for info about Monday night showing on SUNY NP campus.)
The charge of “antisemitism,” along with other “sins” like promoting Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI), is being used as a pretext for defunding education and dismantling even the meekest policies to fight racism and discrimination.
A big stick in this campaign is the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism that gives “examples” to help identify antisemitism. Out of the 11 examples, seven are speaking or writing in opposition to Israeli policies such as:
· Claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.
· Applying double standards to Israel by requiring of it behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.
· Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.
· Applying double standards to Israel by requiring of it behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.
· Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.
If this was an abstract issue, it could be argued that it is just a question of opinions and nothing more.
But the IHRA’s statement has been adopted by federal, state and local governments and by non-governmental institutions as a weapon to silence any and all opposition to Israel’s policies and actions, including the massacres and ethnic cleansing of Gaza and the OPT. This goes well with the goal of creating a submissive population that will go along with the destruction of any semblance of democracy and civil rights.
But the IHRA’s statement has been adopted by federal, state and local governments and by non-governmental institutions as a weapon to silence any and all opposition to Israel’s policies and actions, including the massacres and ethnic cleansing of Gaza and the OPT. This goes well with the goal of creating a submissive population that will go along with the destruction of any semblance of democracy and civil rights.
Under the IHRA’s definition, even the current criticism against the government in Israel by millions of Israelis would make them "antisemites." Not to mention, of course, those Israelis that have been fighting for years alongside Palestinians against the racism of apartheid laws and policies. This includes organizations and groups focused on witnessing and informing the world of what is going on in the OPT as well as individuals refusing to serve in the army. These are being violently repressed and even imprisoned.
In the last several years, more and more Israelis, while still a small minority, have abandoned the false promises of the “Zionist dream” and joined with Palestinians in the fight for a truly democratic state with equal rights for all.
In the meantime, we stand every Saturday in solidarity with Palestinians as they struggle to survive Israel's genocidal assaults, starvation, and land theft. We demand an arms embargo on Israel--U.S. stop funding and enabling Israel's genocide. Join us!
Yakov