From my four months thus far in Israel, I have gained much insight and understanding about the situation here in the Middle East. One thing that has been brought to my attention especially is the unfortunate reality that the “situation” extends far greater than just here in the Fertile Crescent. In the media, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict appears to be solely about land. That is most definitely not the case.
As first described to me by my French flat mate, the “anti-Israel” sentiment in France has become rampant. From her portrayal, however, it seems clear that it is not just a widespread opinion against the existence of the state of Israel, but a deeply rooted sentiment of anti-Semitism conveniently cloaked under the auspices of the “Anti-Israel position.” Even the great Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., wrote: “You declare, my friend, that you do not hate the Jews, you are merely ‘anti- Zionist.’ When people criticize Zionism, they mean Jews. . . . And what is anti- Zionist? It is the denial to the Jewish people of a fundamental right that we justly claim for the people of Africa and freely accord all other nations of the globe.”
My flat mate described having to turn her “Steve’s Packs” (Israeli bag/luggage company) bag around, label against her body, so as to safeguard herself from assault. She also recounted that Jewish boys are unable to wear kippahs openly on the street without being attacked. Jews have been stabbed, and elderly women are now frisked upon entering synagogues, as a precaution. Despite nearly 400 incidents against Jews just last April alone, French President Chirac denied there is anti-Semitism in France.
Unfortunately, this kind of anti-Semitic behavior is not just in France. Just last month, Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Muhammod called for the world’s 1.3 billion Muslims to unite in a holy war against the Jewish people in a speech to the 57-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference. At the United Nations Third World Conference against Racism in Durban, South Africa, protesters compared Israelis to Nazis and called for the killing of Jews, yet the majority response of the delegates was silence. One might think that after two millennia of expulsions, jihads, crusades, inquisitions, pogroms, and gas chambers, the world would finally end the impugning of the Jews for the problems of humankind. However, barely after 50 years of having an independent state, a new method of anti-Semitism has already been set in motion.
Recently, I read an argument against the existence of a Jewish state, claiming that the Jews have no need for a state all their own. I counter, not only is the need great, but especially now, the need couldn’t be more pressing. Figures by the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption show that in this year alone, over 3,000 people from France have moved to Israel to seek refuge from the onslaught of anti-Semitic violence that has been rapidly continuing to persist. In response to those who claim that a state that bases itself on Jewish ethnic and religious values is racist or uncalled for, I ask, what about the 22 Arab countries surrounding Israel, all of which have built themselves upon Islam and follow Muslim tradition? Why should a state of not even 6 million people, 640 times smaller in size and 60 times less the population of its surrounding 22 Muslim countries, even be noticed? The existence of the Jewish state should not even be a discussion.
Conveniently, the new defense is, “Well, Arabs are Semites, too.” Frankly, this could not be a more preposterous argument, as it is globally understood that the term “anti-Semitic” has been coined to refer to the Jews especially. In fact, in 1873, the term “anti-Semitism” was first used in a pamphlet by Wilhelm Marr called “Jewry’s Victory over Teutonism.” Such protests are perpetuating this problem one layer deeper by not only burying it, but making it appear as though it is an unwarranted excuse for sympathy. It is due to claims such as this one that I dare say, the Holocaust was made possible. Or, wait, did that not happen now, too?
The ability for Jews to live in Israel should not just be existent, but it should be greatly supported. In Amherst, we like to consider ourselves rational and sympathetic to world suffering. Why is it then that this entire new epidemic of hatred is being allowed to subsist in our midst and we do not even respond?
The situation worldwide for Jews is extremely grave. I call out to everyone who has the freedom to live free of racial, ethnic and religious persecution to show his or her support and concern for those throughout the world who are less privileged, by supporting the state of Israel, one of the only countries in the Middle East which safeguards these values as dearly as we do in the U.S. By doing so, we will hopefully be able to prevent the horrors of the past from repeating themselves once again in front of our very own eyes.
Leah Vitale is a Collegian columnist on exchange in Israel.
