Stop Antisemitism

[ And they think they are heroes against the Jewish control of the world. What a waste of a life ]

 
Starting May 4 through Tuesday, Tunisia is hosting the annual pilgrimage of Tunisian Jews to the island of Djerba for Lag B'Omer.

Some 7000 Jews, mostly of from the Tunisian Jewish diaspora, are expected to come, joining the 1300 Jews who live in Djerba.

There are lots of articles in the Arabic press describing how this proves Islamic tolerance.

The Tunisian Minister of the Interior, Kamal El-Feki, visited Djerba on Saturday to review the security there. He said that their welcoming Jews "reflects how our country is a land of coexistence and peace and that it welcomes everyone, providing all with safe conditions for the presence of its visitors on its soil."

The head of the French Imams Forum, Hassan Chalghoumi, who will participate in celebration, said visiting the Ghriba Synagogue is evidence that freedom of religion and belief exists in Islamic culture and religion."

What is not being said is that Jews in Djerba have been subjected to many antisemitic attacks. One merchant was stabbed by a group of Jew-haters in 2014, students in Djerba have flown swastika flags and posters honoring Hitler, and there have been reports of police harassment of Jewish merchants this year. A policeman shot and killed several during Simchat Torah in 1985 and a truck bomb killed 21 in 2002.

It is admirable that Tunisia is publicly making statements of tolerance for Jews. But imagine if the world treated Tunisia the way it treats Israel.

No matter what they say or do, it would be called "Jew-washing." Anything they do good for Jews would be treated as if they are only pretending to like Jews because they want to distract the world from their human rights violations (which are significant and have been getting worse.)

Tourism is an important revenue stream for Tunisia, and it would be hurt badly if there were any incidents during these celebrations.

But here's the thing. A country should be judged on its actions, not on some theory about the reason it is doing something. No one is a mind reader. If Tunisia's Jews and Jewish visitors are safe and have civil rights, then all credit should go to Tunisian leaders. There may be reasons behind their actions are don't perfectly fit the idea of acting according to a perfectly moral code, but that is irrelevant - the actions are all that matters, no matter the intent. And with Tunisia, everyone instinctively knows this, and treats Tunisia's government accordingly.

How the world treats Israel is the exception to this common-sense rule. The entire concept of "pinkwashing" or "greenwashing" is fundamentally bigoted - it assumes that Israeli Jews are inherently evil and any actions that contradict that are a smokescreen.

The difference in how the "progressive" world treats Tunisia and Israel show that the real antisemites aren't the Tunisians, but the critics of Israel.


 
A wave of antisemitic hate crimes has hit Jewish Londoners in the last month, according to a slew of reports by neighborhood watch group Shomrim Stamford Hill.

Since April, the group has reported on a stranger’s approaching a Jewish woman and shouting “One day I will kill all you Jews,” the defacement of a Jewish family’s door and theft of their mezuzah, and an incident in which a Jewish mother and her infant were verbally abused and spit on, leaving the mother “traumatized and seeking support.”


(full article online)



 
The bans come on top of the decision by police in the German capital to prevent several pro-Palestinian demonstrations in recent weeks because of the likelihood that antisemitic tropes would be on display, the Tagesspiegel news outlet reported on Friday. Last month, police launched an investigation after a cries of “Death to the Jews” were heard at a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Berlin’s Neukölln neighborhood.

Antisemitic incidents have risen steadily in Germany over the past decade, with many attacks involving young Muslims assaulting Jews or chanting antisemitic slogans during protests ostensibly directed against Israel. During the 11-day war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza during May 2021, more than 200 antisemitic outrages were reported.

Samuel Salzborn, Berlin’s antisemitism commissioner, on Friday defended the ban, arguing that it was warranted by the open display of antisemitism at past demonstrations.

“At these types of rallies we see a major escalation of antisemitism, from glorification of violence and calls for violence to actual physical violence against police officers and journalists,” Salzborn told the Judische Allgemeine news outlet.

Salzborn argued that the “Nakba narrative” — which depicts Israel as an illegitimate colonial entity solely responsible for the dispossession of 750,000 Arab refugees during the 1947-48 War of Independence — “ignores the historical context of the founding of the state of Israel, such as the aggression of its Arab neighbors.”


(full article online)


 
 
While antisemitism rates have risen across the country in recent years, a new report from the Anti-Defamation League documents just how high of a jump California has seen.

In 2021, there were 367 antisemitic incidents. In 2022, the number rose to 518—a 41.8% increase. The ADL also saw six extremist-related murders and one terrorist plot. The organization identified Patriot Front and the Goyim Defense League as primarily responsible for a 91% increase in white supremacist flier distribution—rising from 155 to 296.


One of the most reported antisemitic events took place in October when the Goyim Defense League unfurled a banner over Interstate 405—one of Los Angeles’ most trafficked roads—that read “Kanye is right about the jews [sic].”

On overall hate crimes in California, the ADL cites the FBI to reveal an increase of 33% from 2000-21: from 1,330 incidents to 1,765. The report further shows increases in alliances between white supremacist and other extremist groups.

In the three categories of incidents, the majority was vandalism with 327, up from 217 the previous year. Harassment rose less, from 135 in 2021 to 178 in 2022. The smallest category—assaults—actually saw a decrease from 2021 (15) to 2022 (13).


 
The number of violent antisemitic attacks in Austria increased during 2022, according to the annual report of the Vienna Jewish Community (IKG) released on Monday.

A total of 719 antisemitic incidents were recorded, which included 14 physical assaults — an increase on the 12 assaults reported in 2021, the year that holds the record for the most antisemitic outrages in Austria.


(full article online)


 

Forum List

Back
Top