Antisemitism is an ancient European pastime. But post-World War II we have seen the birth of the Antisemitism Industry – people who have made it their job to call out antisemitism, even where it might not exist.

Last week, Israel’s ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon told The Guardian that he was ‘very sad’ about the rise in antisemitic incidents in Australia and urged the Federal Government to “take all necessary measures” to ensure people of different faiths and backgrounds feel safe.

Mr Maimon’s position was humane, unequivocal and broad ranging, covering Islamophobia and antisemitism.

Understandably, a very large number of post-Holocaust Jews are sensitive to racial discrimination and especially antisemitism. It was the former Likud Prime Minister Menachem Begin whom coined the term “tertiated” to mean that one third of the world’s Jewish population had been murdered by the Nazis, not the Roman “decimated” which was merely one in 10.

Many Jews joined communist, socialist, and labor organisations to rid the world of the sort of racism that was inflicted upon them by the racist and fascist right-wing.

Despite their critical role in the establishment of Israel, the communist Zionist Hashomer Hatzayir and the socialist Zionist Habonim remained anti-racist – although the accusations of 1947-’48 Nakba ethnic cleansing are hard to reconcile.

Two groups of Jews are not Zionists: the ultra-Orthodox who described Israel as an ‘abomination’ because we were meant to wait for the Messiah to take us there; and the socialist Bund movement, which said it was better for Jews to be free and equal in their own countries.

Immediately post-World War II, any Jewish criticism of Israel as “a safe homeland for the Jews” was muted. There were some Jews who raised the subject but they appeared to be a tiny minority.

Following the 1967 Six-Day War in which Israel captured the Golan Heights, the West Bank, Gaza and the Sinai Desert, some Jews began to question the large number of refugees and the taking of land in war. There were others who were more than happy to have a larger Israel, with a greater buffer to the belligerent states.

And it was about this time that the deliberate confusion of criticism of Israel with antisemitism arose.

It is one thing to criticise the actions of Governments of the State of Israel. It is another thing altogether to say that Israel should be wiped from the map and the Jews expelled – which is what many hear when pro-Palestine groups chant: “From the river to the sea.”

It they were calling for a democratic secular state of Jews, Muslims and Christians from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, that is one thing, but a call to again annihilate Jews is another.

The boundary between legitimate criticism of Israel and racist antisemitism is when the call for the ending of Israel includes the removal of Jews from their allegedly ‘safe homeland from the next pogrom or Holocaust’. Yes, Israel has been brutal in its treatment of Palestinians for decades. No, not all Jews are rich communist bankers.

But there are some who see a benefit in confounding criticism of Israel with antisemitism. If one criticised Israel’s policy of gaoling or shooting stone-throwers in Intifada 1, they might be silenced with the accusation of antisemitism. The confusion was so widespread that the accusations against then British Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn were thought to be wild, when eventually they were shown to be more likely than not. A case of the boy who cried wolf.

Antisemitism is an ancient European pastime. But post-World War II we have seen the birth of the Antisemitism Industry – people who have made it their job to call out antisemitism, even where it might not exist.

In Australia, the Executive Council for Australian Jewry’s researcher Julie Nathan has done excellent work in creating an antisemitism database – with methodology questioned by some – while other so-called spokespeople have called out ‘rising antisemitism’ with no supporting evidence.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a great political opportunist and while this writer does not think that Mr Netanyahu deliberately attacks Palestinians to incite international opprobrium and make life difficult for Jews outside Israel, it is a very happy coincidence, and a political opportunity.

Whenever illegal settlers or the Israel Defence Force attack Palestinians or respond disproportionately, Jews outside Israel are blamed for supporting Israel. It would have been good if the Zionist organisations broke ranks with the Netanyahu Government one month ago and said ‘Enough is enough’. But they didn’t.

One can wonder whether Mr Netanyahu thinks that increasing antisemitism will increase ‘Aliyah’ (migration to Israel) with a consequent rise in right-wing votes for him. Or at least guarantee more donations.

This latest round of mayhem, following the madness of the October 7 Hamas rape and butchery in Southern Israel, demanding that Netanyahu retaliate massively, has shown a direct nexus between bad Israel Government decisions and rising global antisemitism. Had Israel killed 1,200 civilians it could have killed as many Hamas operatives as it liked. But 15,000 Gazans?

While latent antisemitism is always there, it is clear that when Israel behaves badly, Jews outside Israel face increased antisemitism. The professional antisemitism industry benefits from the spotlight and one wonders whether Mr Netanyahu thinks he does, too.

https://johnmenadue.com/netanyahu-and-the-anti-semitism-industry/

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