The Cause of Anti-Semitism

In the past few years, as Arafat's Oslo war against Israel has progressed, there has been a dramatic rise in anti-semitism around the globe. Most of the expressions of anti-semitism have been in the Muslim countries where daily indoctrination of Jew hatred has always existed, but has increased. The more worrying aspect is the re-emergence of anti-semitism in the countries of Europe. Many have blamed the new anti-semitism on Israel's actions against the Palestinians, in effect blaming the victim for bringing hatred on themselves by defending themselves. Michael Freund, in this Jerusalem Post article, argues that the rise of anti-semitism is Israel's fault, not because of its actions but because of its inaction.

Anti-Semites, like bullies everywhere, prey on those they perceive to be vulnerable and defenseless. A weak and conciliatory Jewish state is seen as representing Jews everywhere, no less than a strong and assertive Israel once did in the wake of the 1967 Six Day War.

When people see an Israel taking blow after blow from Palestinian terrorists over the past decade, and yet responding with proposals of retreat and surrender, the message is clear and unequivocal: Jews are feeble and fainthearted, so feel free to take your best shot at us, wherever we might be.

Indeed, by seeking to withdraw under fire from parts of the territories, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has transformed Israel and the Jewish people into the equivalent of a high-school wimp, one who wanders the hallways wearing a sign that reads, "Kick me."

The image this projects only serves to inspire contempt, prompting bigots everywhere to vent their hatred at the easiest and most readily available target – the neighborhood Jew.

This is not to say the Jews are to blame for anti-Semitism. But if Israel is unable, or unwilling, to use the sovereign powers at its disposal to protect its own people against its foes, what is there to deter Jew-haters everywhere from picking on Jews?

This argument is comforting, but I think not wholly correct. The main problem has been in the horrible failure to address and counter the Arab propaganda which has now seeped into the rhetoric of Europe and the Left. In part, this is due to the bias of the media, something that has been well documented, and also to the general lack of knowledge about the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Israel desperately needs to get this information out, even at this late date. Unfortunately, when the West Bank is referred to as "Palestinian land" and the compromises of Israel at Camp David II and Taba are forgotten, the propaganda battle may already be lost.