39 Winter 2015-2016 A recurring theme in many of the essays in the book refers to the question of whether, and how far, is demonization of Israel and Zionism to be considered as an aspect of antisemitism? David Hirsh's analysis is that “The central relationship between anti-Zionism and antisemitism may be thought of either as one of cause (underlying antisemitism motivates a disproportionate response to Israel) or as one of effect (a disproportionate response to Israel leads to antisemitic ways of thinking).” It is now generally accepted that hatred of Israel and of Zionism is often related to antisemitism. The OSCE definition of antisemitism2 explicitly refers to the Israel issue, stating, inter alia, n Examples of the ways in which antisemitism manifests itself with regard to the State of Israel, could include: n Denying the Jewish people their right to selfdetermination by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor; n Applying double standards; n Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism; n Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis. In the essay by Edward H. Kaplan and Charles A. Small, the authors point out that according to their research, "Those with extreme anti-Israel sentiment are roughly six times more likely to harbor antisemitic views than those who do not fault Israel." Hirsh attributes the antiIsraeli views of the left wing and "progressive" movements to the fact that they view Israel "to be a key site of the imperialist system." Hirsh examines what he calls the Livingstone formulation, attributed to the former Mayor of London who said that "for far too long the accusation of antisemitism has been used against anyone who is critical of the policies of the Israeli government." Hirsh paints a disturbing picture of the antisemitic undertones of the liberal anti-Zionist feelings in Britain, including a cartoon in the Independent newspaper where Ariel Sharon was caricatured eating a baby, and the cartoon was awarded "the political cartoon of the year" award. Hirsh also points out that Jews are not considered acceptable in some sections of the left and labor movement until they have answered as to their position on Israel "to the satisfaction of the anti-Zionists." An interesting essay by Milton Shain examines the South African situation, referring to the extreme antisemitism of the Afrikaans community prior to 1948, which was based to a large extent on the Jews being associated with the English speaking "aliens" who had immigrated to South Africa. Shain adds that this antisemitism "helped to consolidate an all-embracing Afrikaner identity, understood in terms of cultural unity, national roots and opposition to the foreigner." Modern South African antisemitism is attributed largely to the "younger generation of Muslims galvanized by the charged political atmosphere of the 1970s, inspired by new radical teachings and the 1976 African student uprising in Soweto." Shalom Lappin's article about Britain and the Jews opens with a quote from the well-known hymn by William Blake about building Jerusalem "in England's green and pleasant land." The picture he paints of Britain's attitude to its Jewish population is, however, not a "pleasant" one. Lappin points out that "recent events have seen the emergence of a distinctly uncomfortable environment for Anglo Jewry." This, according to Lappin, "bears a clear connection to a well-established pattern of widespread hostility to Jews as members of a cultural and ethnic collective that has existed in Britain over many centuries." The popular notion of Britain as a society tolerant of Jews seriously misrepresents the history of the country's relations with its Jewish population." Lappin refrains from quoting the reputed English definition of an antisemite as "somebody who dislikes Jews more than is strictly necessary." Roni Stauber, in his essay, places the emphasis on "a rise of a new type of Islamic antisemitism that perceives Jews as global enemies. Antisemitism became a central component in the ideology of extreme Palestinian and Middle Eastern Muslim groups, both Sunni and Shi'a." Stauber discusses and dismisses the phenomenon of explaining away Muslim antisemitism as "retaliation against Israel." Stauber's conclusion is that the cause of this Islamic antisemitism is "the perception of Jews and Israel as a single evil entity, a central pillar of corrupt Western civilization." Neil. J Kressel sounds a similar note, quoting numerous examples of what he refers to as "dehumanizing bigotry." An interesting point made by Catherine Chatterley is that the increasing stressing of the universal lesson to be learnt from the Holocaust has meant that a diminished role has been given to antisemitism as the underlying element. For those who hoped that the memory of the Holocaust would prevent a resurgence of antisemitism, this collection of essays is a stark reminder of reality. n Robbie Sabel is Professor of International Law at the Hebrew University Jerusalem, a former Legal Advisor of the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a member of the Advisory Board of Justice. 2 http://www.osce.org/odihr/29890?download=true
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