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The Globalization of Antisemitism
By DANIEL JONAH GOLDHAGEN
http://www.forward.com/issues/2003/03.05.02/oped1.html
Daniel Jonah Goldhagen, an affiliate of Harvard University's Center for European Studies, is the author of "A Moral Reckoning: The Role of the Catholic Church in the Holocaust and Its Unfulfilled Duty of Repair." He appeared at "Old Demons, New Debates: Anti-Semitism in the West," a conference being held May 11-14 at the Center for Jewish History.
Antisemitism is evolving. After a period of remission owing to the horror of the Holocaust, the ancient prejudice has recently been reactivated, catalyzed by the Arab-Israeli conflict. It has entered a new era in which its main focus has shifted from the domestic to the international. Always protean in quality, always changing to take on the idiom of its day, antisemitism has been globalized. Antisemitism has always had domestic and international components. During the long era of Christian antisemitism, the transnational institution of the Catholic church spread the belief that Jews as Christ-killers were a cosmic force for evil. But the principal target of anti-Jewish prejudice was local, the Jews of one's town, region and country who allegedly harmed their Christian neighbors. In its second era during the 19th and 20th centuries, antisemitism took on a secular and more racist cast, in which an international conspiracy of Jews worked against humanity. Still, most of the antisemitic fire was aimed locally — by Germans at German Jews, by French at French Jews — for the harm that they allegedly inflicted on their countrymen. The "Jewish Problem" — one of the most burning political issues of the day — was overwhelmingly about what Germans, French, Poles and others should do with the Jews within their countries. Globalized antisemitism is a new constellation of features grafted onto old ones. Varied and complex, it is oriented to the global stage. In most of Europe, and certainly in the West, the domestic "Jewish Problem" is all but dead. Only fringe elements in Germany, France and elsewhere believe that local Jews are causing great harm — financial, professional, moral — to their non-Jewish neighbors, and that a radical response is necessary. The focus of the animus against Jews has shifted overwhelmingly to Jews of other countries — of Israel and the United States — as the alleged central moral and material culprits of the international arena. Zionism has become, for many, a mythical entity, a destructive agent in the world, and anti-Zionism has become interwoven with anti-Americanism to the point where Russian nationalist politicians can express their fear of American domination by saying that Russia is in danger of being "Zionized." The center of antisemitism and directions of its transmission are also new. In the previous eras of antisemitism, the demonology about Jews flowed first from the Christian, and then the European, center to the periphery. Today, there are many antisemitic centers and multidirectional flows from Europe, to the Middle East and elsewhere, and back. Essentially, Europe had exported its classical racist and Nazi antisemitism to Arab countries, which they applied to Israel and Jews in general, suffusing it with the real and imagined features of the intensive local conflict. Then the Arab countries re-exported the new hybrid demonology back to Europe and, using the United Nations and other international institutions, to other countries around the world. In Germany, France, Great Britian and elsewhere, today's intensive antisemitic expression and agitation uses old tropes once applied to local Jews — charges of sowing disorder, wanting to subjugate others — with new content overwhelmingly directed at Jews outside their countries and their continent. The imagery characterizing globalized antisemitism is new. Rambo Jew has largely supplanted Shylock in the antisemitic imagination. The sly and stealth corrupting Jew of the first two eras of antisemitism, now armed with his new military and political power, has become the subjugating, brutalizing and killing Jew, either doing the dirty work himself, as in Israel, or employing others to do it for him, as the Jews, fantastically, are said to do with the Bush administration and the "East Coast" establishment is purported to do with the United States generally. An emblematic image of globalized antisemitism is of Donald Rumsfeld wearing a yellow star inscribed with "sheriff," followed by a cudgel wielding Ariel Sharon who is flanked by a golden calf. (Please see photograph, below.) That this scene, expressing the putative globalized nature and predations of the Jews, was created for an anti-globalization demonstration in Davos is no mere coincidence. Globalized antisemitism has other important and new features, including its instantaneous, global transmission through the Internet and by television's biased stories and inflammatory images of Palestinian suffering, which are incorporated into the antisemitic narrative; its unification of elements of the European left and right, and its semi-concealing cloak of anti-Zionism. Perhaps most distinctive, though, is the unmooring of antisemitism from its original sources. It is detached from Christianity, even if there are still powerful Christian sources of antisemitism. It is detached from its 19th-century European sources of nation building, reactions against modernity and pseudo-scientific notions of race and social Darwinism, even if that era's demonology is still potent in somewhat transposed form. Globalized antisemitism has become part of the substructure of prejudice of the world. It is free-floating, located in many countries, subcultures and nodes, available in many variations, and to anyone who dislikes international influences, globalization or the United States. It is relentlessly international in its focus on Israel at the center of the most conflict-ridden region today, and on the United States as the world's omnipresent power. It is self-reinforcing, with its fantastical constructions of Jews and Zionism — which are divorced from the fair criticisms that can be made of Israel's policies — and by being located totally outside people's countries and experience. And it is only a few clicks of a mouse away. After the Holocaust and after Vatican II, it seemed that antisemitism had diminished and might eventually atrophy. It had indeed declined, and in most European countries, including Germany, the publics' conception of their domestic Jews was de-demonized. Many people in Europe and elsewhere today also reject the new antisemitic fantasies. Yet the reawakening of antisemitism in its new globalized form meant that antisemitism succeeded again in metamorphosing and in extending its reach — even to Africa and Asia. So far the new globalized antisemitism has not proven to be as dangerous as earlier forms, except in the Middle East, but its disquieting features suggest that it has the potential. A genuine settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict would take some of the wind out of this new antisemitism. But antisemitism's deep roots in the ever more globalizing consciousness, and its proven tenacity and plasticity, make its dissipation unlikely.
Loony Left strikes again
Britain's Association of University Teachers (AUT) rushed through and approved two motions calling for boycotts of two Israeli universities on Friday, in a blitz procedure timed, on the eve of Pessah, to exclude Jewish members from the conference. (To read what JPost readers have to say about the AUT boycott, click here) The move has been furiously condemned by Israel and Jewish groups. Jewish AUT members have now begun to secede from the union, and calls for mass resignations have been issued. An executive union meeting heard unanswered orations against Israel by Sue Blackwell and Shereen Benjamin, both lecturers at Birmingham University. They labeled Israel a "colonial apartheid state, more insidious than South Africa," called for the "removal of this regime" and depicted Israeli universities as "repressing" academic freedom. The speeches were met with applause before AUT executive president Angela Roger cut short the session and moved to deny a right of reply to opponents of the motions. "Lack of time" was cited as the reason preventing challenges to the motions from being heard. The executive passed separate motions adopting boycotts against the University of Haifa and Bar-Ilan University by sizable majorities. A third boycott proposal against the Hebrew University of Jerusalem was dropped after delegates questioned the evidence of an alleged case of Palestinian land confiscation by the university. Al-Quds University in eastern Jerusalem came out against the academic boycott of Israel.
"We are informed by the
principle that we "Therefore...we believe it is in our interest to build bridges, not walls; to reach out to the Israeli academic institutions, not to impose another restriction or dialogue-block on ourselves." There was no opportunity for those who had planned on opposing the motions, such as executive member Alistair Hunter, to address the conference. Hunter described the AUT's endorsement of calls to boycott Israeli universities as an "ill-judged decision," and expressed disgust at the absence of debate before the vote. The Israeli Foreign Ministry responded to the AUT statement by saying that it condemned the "distorted and one-sided" decision, completely rejected it and called upon British academics to ignore it. "The fact that the AUT chose to deal with Israel, the only state in the Middle East where there is complete academic freedom for all segments of the population and political streams, is a scandal," the statement read. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) also condemned the decision. "The Association of University Teachers has launched a direct assault on academic freedom," said Abraham Foxman, ADL national director. "We condemn this misguided and ill-timed decision to boycott academics from the only country in the Middle East where universities enjoy political independence." "The union effectively asked its membership to break its own laws on racism and discrimination," Ronnie Fraser, chairman of the Academic Friends of Israel, said. "This is a political campaign," Jonathan Spyer, director of European affairs at the Global Center in International Affairs at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, told The Jerusalem Post following the vote. "The model or metaphor for it is the campaign against South African apartheid. The boycott should be seen as part of a broader strategy toward the delegitimization of Israel, leading to eventual sanctions against the country." Before the session, Blackwell, a key figure in the boycott initiative, stood outside of the conference center in Eastbourne, draped in a Palestine flag. She was joined by keffiyeh-clad activists from the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, who handed out leaflets branding Zionism as a "racist ideology" and accusing Israel of "ethnic cleansing." Asked why she wished to boycott Israeli institutions, Blackwell told The Jerusalem Post that she was responding to a call made by Palestinian organizations, among them a trade union, to "show solidarity with the Palestinian people and to draw attention to the way Israeli universities were complicit in the occupation." In response to an inquiry about her stance on organized Palestinian terror, Blackwell also said: "I dispute the premises of that question. I'm for free debate and free information, and what I find sad is that when you try to talk about Palestine, you come up against a barrage of disinformation and lies." Across the road from the conference stood a lone figure protesting the motion, Prof. Gerald Adler, a retired Bar-Ilan lecturer in political science. Adler described the boycott as a "retrograde step," and said the motions would create adverse conditions for Jewish students and academics in Britain. Danny Stone, head of campaigns for the Union of Jewish Students, said: "I think the motion is an absolute disgrace. It's a betrayal of academia and academic principles. At a time when there are moves forward toward peace, the AUT is moving backward into a pit of hatred and unpleasant discourse." He added that "whenever there have been boycott motions on campus, they've been accompanied by anti-Semitic attacks on Jewish students." An alternative motion, introduced by executive member Hugh Manson, called for a "peaceful resolution of the problems facing the Middle East," and for the establishment of "contact with the Israeli Higher Education Union representatives." "The Palestinians are not boycotting Israeli universities," Manson said, "why should we?" He emphasized a need to "establish contacts in both communities," and spoke of advocating "dialogue and understanding." His motion was rejected by the executive. A message from Dr. Ilan Pappe, a lecturer in political science at the University of Haifa, was distributed to every executive member. Pappe called on the conference to adopt a boycott of his own university, alleging he was the victim of "restriction" and "harassment."
The ministry said that the failure of the AUT to take similar sanctions against countries like Iran, which violently put down student protests last year; Syria, which limited free speech and political activity on campuses; and Saudi Arabia, where there was a lack of academic freedom for women, testified to the hypocrisy and double standards that characterized the organization's agenda. British Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks said that "I am most distressed by this outcome. Academic life is about building bridges of dialogue, not destroying them; opening minds, not closing them; hearing both sides of an argument, not one alone. The AUT has betrayed the academic principles it supposedly represents. This is a sad day for British universities." The Israeli Embassy released a statement criticizing "the fact that no AUT member who wanted to argue against this decision was allowed to speak," and describing the motions as "perverse in their content." The boycott motions prompted the immediate resignation of two Jewish academics from the AUT. Jonathan Ginzburg and Shalom Lappin, professors at King's College in London, wrote in an open letter: "We feel that we have no choice but to resign from the AUT immediately, and we call upon our colleagues to do the same. We also appeal to the administrations of British universities and to other labor unions, at home and abroad, to withdraw recognition from the AUT until it rescinds this motion." The motions represent an unprecedented escalation of a campaign to target Israel by British academics. The idea of a boycott on Israel was presented to association members two years ago but was rejected. The ATU did, however, pass a motion in 2003 proclaiming that anti-Zionism did not equal anti-Semitism, and promising support to "any British academics and union members victimized for supporting a boycott." Plans to launch an international boycott of the union are currently being discussed by Jewish academics in Britain. Herb Keinon and Judy Siegel-Itzkovich contributed to this report.
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From: Jack Sarfatti Date: 05/13/05 19:56:08 To: Eshel Ben-Jacob Cc: david mosier; Colin Bennett; awret uziel; Dan Smith; cliff@defenddemocracy.org; perle Richard; Brian Josephson; Carlos Castro; Tony Smith; David Horowitz; Jonathan Last; Howard Fertman; Creon Levit; S-P Sirag; Dan Smith; Ron Pandolfi; woolsey_jim@bah.com; John Alexander; John Petersen; Ken Shoulders; Hal P; Randall Stickrod; Tim Jerome; timothyferris@timothyferris.com; Nick Cook; green-SCIENCE Nick; George Weiss; Paul Zielinski; Jagdish Mann; Dushan Mitrovich; muhamed Hajdarevic; mjr36@cam.ac.uk; b.j.Carr@qmul.ac.uk; rouse@maths.ox.ac.uk; simondaniel; Mark Davidson; stapp@thsrv.lbl.gov; Dick Farley; al K; Keay Davidson; Aaron Peskin; Timothy Ferris; Warren Hinckle; Marty Hanna; John Brockman; Jeffrey S Lehman; Howard Fertman; George Weiss; liberties@nytimes.com; letters@amconmag.com; d14947 Gladstone; Kim Burrafato; grant@cognoscence.org; Gennady Shipov; Gary Bekkum; art wagner; Uri Geller; Kit Green; John Alexander; Scott Littleton Subject: Re: Oppose the Blacklist of Israeli Academics Petition
On May 12, 2005, at 8:47 AM, Eshel Ben-Jacob wrote:
> Israel Academy needs your help, Eshel > > > http://www.PetitionOnline.com/j141789/petition.html > > > > To: All Academic and Scholarly Associations > > On April 22, 2005 the Association of University Teachers (AUT) in > Britain voted to boycott two Israeli universities, Haifa and Bar-Ilan, > and to blacklist their faculty. (Exemptions are offered for > individuals who actively express satisfactory political views.) > Delegates also approved resolutions mandating further inquiry into a > proposed boycott of a third Israeli university, Hebrew University, and > consideration of a proposal for a comprehensive blacklist of Israeli > academics.* These decisions have caused widespread dismay both within > the AUT membership and among many others around the world, including > people with a wide range of views on political issues in the Middle > East and the best ways to address them. > > On May 3, 2005 the American Association of University Professors > (AAUP) issued a statement (reproduced below) that properly > characterizes these AUT actions, and other proposals of this sort, as > a threat to fundamental principles of academic and intellectual > freedom everywhere. Therefore, the AAUP statement "joins in condemning > these resolutions and in calling for their repeal." > > The signers of the present petition strongly endorse this AAUP > statement and call for it to be adopted without delay by other > scholarly and academic associations in Britain and elsewhere, > including the American Sociological Association and the American > Political Science Association. > > -------------------------------- > * Reported and spelled out on the AUT website: > http://www.aut.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1201 > http://www.aut.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1202 > http://www.aut.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1203 > http://www.aut.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=122 > "{T}he boycott should take the form described in the Palestinian call > for academic boycott of Israeli institutions." > (http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article178) > > ================================================================ > > AAUP website ( http://www.aaup.org/) > > Academic Boycott > The AAUP issued a statement on the British Association of University > Teachers' academic boycott. Read the statement.(5/3/05) > Release date: 5/03/05 > Contact: Jonathan Knight > > Washington, D.C. - The American Association of University Professors > issued the following statement: > > ACADEMIC BOYCOTT > > Delegates to a recent meeting of the British Association of University > Teachers (AUT) approved resolutions that damage academic freedom. The > resolutions call on all members of AUT to "refrain from participation > in any form of academic and cultural cooperation, collaboration, or > joint projects" with two universities in Israel, Haifa University and > Bar Ilan University. Excluded from the ban are "conscientious Israeli > academics and intellectuals opposed to their state's colonial and > racist policies," an exclusion which, because it requires compliance > with a political or ideological test in order for an academic > relationship to continue, deepens the injury to academic freedom > rather than mitigates it. > > These resolutions have been met with strong condemnation and calls for > repeal within the United Kingdom and elsewhere. The American > Association of University Professors joins in condemning these > resolutions and in calling for their repeal. Since its founding in > 1915, the AAUP has been committed to preserving and advancing the free > exchange of ideas among academics irrespective of governmental > policies and however unpalatable those policies may be viewed. We > reject proposals that curtail the freedom of teachers and researchers > to engage in work with academic colleagues, and we reaffirm the > paramount importance of the freest possible international movement of > scholars and ideas. The AAUP urges the AUT to support the right of all > in the academic community to communicate freely with other academics > on matters of professional interest. > > --------------------------------------------- > > The American Association of University Professors is a nonprofit > charitable and educational organization that promotes academic freedom > by supporting tenure, academic due process, and standards of quality > in higher education. The AAUP has 45,000 members at colleges and > universities throughout the United States. > > American Association of University Professors, 1012 Fourteenth Street, > NW, Suite #500; Washington, DC 20005 > 202-737-5900 Fax: 202-737-5526 > > > The Oppose the Blacklist of Israeli Academics Petition to All Academic > and Scholarly Associations was created by and written by Jeff > Weintraub (aweintra@sas.upenn.edu). This petition is hosted here at > www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of > this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. > For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form. > > Send this to a friend > > Send Petition to a Friend - Petition FAQ - Start a Petition - > Contributions - Privacy - Media Kit - Comments and Suggestions > PetitionOnline - DesignCommunity - ArchitectureWeek - Great Buildings > - Search > http://www.PetitionOnline.com/j141789/petition.html > © 1999-2005 Artifice, Inc. - All Rights Reserved. > > > > Eshel Ben-Jacob. > Professor of Physics > The Maguy-Glass Professor > in Physics of Complex Systems > > eshel@tamar.tau.ac.il ebenjacob@ucsd.edu > Home Page: http://star.tau.ac.il/~eshel/ > Visit http://physicaplus.org.il - PhysicaPlus > the online magazine of the Israel Physical Society > > School of Physics and Astronomy 10/2004 > -10/2005 > Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel Center for > Theoretical Biological Physics > Tel 972-3-640 7845/7604 (Fax) -6425787 University of California > San Diego > > La Jolla, CA 92093-0354 USA > > Tel (office) 1-858-534 0524 (Fax) -534 7697 > > Those who say it cannot be done > should not interrupt those who are doing it. > Chinese Proverb > > "Believe nothing. > No matter where you read it, > Or who said it, > Even if I have said it, > Unless it agrees with your own reason > And your own common sense." > ~ Buddha |
