Articles Index When Will It End?
This past week Israel has been in the media spotlight, from the handling of the Gaza Flotilla to Helen Thomas. At what point do we finally admit that anti-Semitism is not only on the rise, but being stated loudly and openly?
There is a well-known song in Hebrew by the Israeli Hip-Hop artist “Subliminal” along with the Violinist, Miri Ben Ari titled “God Almighty when will it end”. Although the song is about the Holocaust, the lyrics point out such things as “so many endings… that was just the beginning…” and “Anti-Semitism, how could that happen?”
This past week, once again Israel and the Jews were in the news. Once again, it was all Israel’s fault and once again the world is screaming at the Jews. Although this is nothing new, there is no doubt that anti-Semitism is on the rise worldwide and I find myself asking: “God Almighty when will it end?”
I remember, before my family moved to Israel while I was still in Elementary school, coming home one day and asking my father what the word “Kike” meant. I don’t think in all my years I have ever seen my father react to anything the way he did the day I asked that question. That was my first experience with anti-Semitism, and it undoubtedly was one of the deciding factors in my family making “Aliyah” or moving to Israel.
Over the years I have heard many anti-Semitic remarks, from “the Jews control all the banks and have all the money” to “the Jews were really the ones behind 9/11”. This past week I heard once again: “The Jews control the media.” Well, let me tell you something. If the Jews had any control over the media you can bet that the video interview of the Turkish Captain, Mehmut Tuval , of the Mavi Marmara and his first mate would have been on every news outlet. The pair admitted that the so called “activists” had prepared an attack against the IDF in advance.
The video taken from the Mavi Marmara, by the same so called “activists”, throwing stun grenades on to the approaching Israeli boat prior to the commandos ever boarding, along with the video of the “activists” on the Flotilla, singing songs of “Death to Israel and the Jews” and stating that they would “either make it to Gaza or become Martyrs” would be playing on every station on a 24/7 loop as well. The links to and training of some by terrorist organizations would definitely be a leading headline so that these “activists” would be called as they truly are “terrorists”.
The United Nations is still dragging its feet when it comes to sanctions against Iran, even though its own report of May 31 states “Iran has 2 tons of enriched uranium”. The UN Security Council still has yet to condemn North Korea for the sinking of a South Korean Ship on March 26, killing 46 S. Korean sailors. Of course they had no issue arranging and carrying out an emergency meeting of the Security Council June 1, one day after the Flotilla raid. This meeting was to condemn Israel on its actions, “The Council, in this context, condemns those acts which resulted in the loss of at least ten civilians”. At the same time demanding an investigation by mentioning later in the same statement :
“the need to have a full investigation into the matter and it calls for a prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation conforming to international standards”.
So, let’s condemn Israel before we even have any of the facts and then ask for an investigation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sadly put it best in his response to the UN condemning Israel over the Gaza raid:
“I regret to say that for many in the international community, Israel is guilty until proven guilty”.
Reuters, the British-based news agency, admitted to doctoring photos of the Gaza Flotilla incident that would have shown the “activists” violence against Israeli commandos, by removing knives and blood from photos. This is now the second time Reuters has been caught manipulating photos.
In 2006 Reuters doctored several photos of the destruction caused by Israel's bombing of Beirut. In another photo, they showed a home that had supposedly been destroyed in the same raid, but an investigation later revealed that the house had been destroyed prior to the Israeli strike on Beirut. In yet another photo Reuters used photo shop to show an Israeli F-16 supposedly firing missiles at the city of Beirut, when in reality it was dropping flares as a decoy for ground to air missiles.
Helen Thomas, the “Dean” of the White House correspondence Press Corp’s showed her true colors by saying on video: “Tell them (the Jews) to get the hell out of Palestine and go home”.
Maybe someone should explain to Helen that the last time those Jews were at home they were murdered for being Jews. Better yet, maybe she should take a course in history to see who is occupying what. Maybe she could start with the Bible? They were called ISRAELITES 5000 years ago, not just since 1948!
The amount of television celebrities speaking out against Israel this week, not to mention the pundits, has literally made me sick. Is there some instant Middle East expertise that just enters the brain by osmosis, the moment you become a celebrity? What in the hell makes these people think they know anything about the situation going on in the Middle East? For that matter, how many of them have ever even been there?
Celebrities may think it is politically correct to side with the Palestinians when they have no clue what in the Hell they are talking about. When news agencies as a whole decide to put on Hollywood types and start avoiding the truth, and blatantly choose to not show videos that tell the truth, that is nothing but pure anti-Semitism. They are supposed to be reporting the news, not creating it and fueling the fire.
This past Wednesday, Rosie O’Donnell sided with Helen Thomas on her radio show by questioning the definition of hate speech. Here is a transcript of the show,
O’Donnell: Here’s the exact quote of what [Thomas] said: “… Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine. Remember these people [the Palestinians] are occupied. It’s their land, not Germany’s, not Poland’s.” She was asked where they should go, and she answered, “They should go home, to Poland, to Germany, to America.”
Guest 1: How could that be construed as hate-speech?
O’Donnell: I don’t know.
Guest 1: I don’t see any way that could be construed as hate speech.
Guest 2: What if [Thomas said] Black people should go back to Africa?
O’Donnell: Black people are not occupying a country.
Rabbi David Nesenoff, the man who videotaped Helen Thomas has received over 25,000 messages of hate and death threats because he asked the question “What do you think of Israel”. According to The Coordination Forum for Countering Antisemitism website, Rabbi David Nesenoff said he is facing an "overload" of threatening e-mails calling for a renewed Holocaust and targeting his family, a barrage of hate he said he planned to report to the police.
"This ticker tape keeps coming in," Nesenoff told FoxNews.com. "We got one specific one saying, 'We're going to kill the Jews; watch your back.'"
The list of recent anti-Semitic incidents is shockingly scary; the fact that there is no news coverage of these incidents by the media is akin to contributing to it. Jewish cemeteries and synagogues are being desecrated throughout the world. Swastikas and “burn the Jews” graffiti is being painted on walls and on day care centers in the U.S.. Death threats and people being beaten up for being Jewish in France, anti-Semitic graffiti in Mexico City, “Heil Hitler” being screamed during a Holocaust memorial in Holland, incidents in the Ukraine, Greece, France, Holland, The U.S., Mexico, Cuba, Spain, Denmark, Britain… I could go on and on and that was just this month. By the way, today is only the 14th.
As I explained in my article “ lsrael – No longer an ally of the U.S.?” our own administration has shunned Israel and has yet to deliver weapons that were approved and promised by the Bush administration for Israel to defend itself.
Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the man who has vowed to “wipe Israel of the map” once again made statements just this past week saying, “Israel is doomed” while his country continues to work towards both a nuclear weapon and a deliver system to use it.
Do we really need to be scholars in history to “see the writing on the wall”, when the writings are being re-written on walls throughout the world on a daily basis?
I often ask at the end of my articles for you, the reader, to do something. I ask you to educate yourselves and others and I ask you to speak up and speak out. I cannot stress this now more forcefully than ever. If you hear anything that is anti-Semitic or you know someone who is, speak up.
Everything happening in the world today is nothing more than a repeat of the 1930’s, you know, when the world saw the rise of a man who had written “Mein Kampf” and people said: “Just ignore him, he’s just a nut.
What comes next, Kristallnacht? Oh no, that is already happening throughout Europe with windows of Jewish schools and shops being broken. So what comes after that?
You better realize that it doesn’t matter if you aren’t a Jew, once Israel is gone and the Jews have no country Jews worldwide will begin to die as well and you can bet just as the sun will rise tomorrow that regardless of your own faith or beliefs you will be next.
I have quoted Pastor Martin Niemöller before and I will again:
"THEY CAME FIRST for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
THEN THEY CAME for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
THEN THEY CAME for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
THEN THEY CAME for me
and by that time no one was left to speak up."
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2010-06-14 12:45:34 |208.100.131.xxx| PatriotUSA - It will not stp with Israel or the Jews
Really good article and will be sharing on my site. As one who lost an untold number of family members in the first holocaust, after talking long hours with my relatives who did escape or survive the first holocaust( they are all now deceased), they made it very clear this would not be the last time. Are we to say ignore the radicals in Islam and all the others around the globe who call for Israel's demise and death for every Jew that is still alive?
The pace and violent nature of anti-Semitic attacks is rapidly increasing around the world.
There are parallels to Israel and South Africa in the way that SA was attacked and marginalized by the global community.One big difference, Israel is NOT an apartheid state, not even close. Those who attempt to make that link know nothing of African history or perhaps are not aware of what has gone on in SA, and neighboring states since apartheid ended. That is away from what must be done by each of us who see, hear or experience such as we are experiencing now against the Jews and Israel. The stupidity and ignorance of those like O'Donnell, Thomas and others must be fought with as you mentioned, education and intelligence. I would also suggest every Jew consider arming themselves. Many will find this alarming and against their beliefs or convictions. To that I say this, Read the last part of Gadi's article again. It is happening again and more than likely we will have to save ourselves or be at risk of annihilation at the hands of those who truly hate and loathe Israel and every Jew alive today.
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2010-06-14 14:18:36 |99.98.187.xxx| Robert - Whatever happened to Never Forget?
Damn, you'd think that in this age of information, that it would be harder to forget. But, alas, it seems it's just the same manipulation going on. I just don't get how seemingly intelligent people can sit idly by and let Islam walk all over their rights while they just say, "Thank you, Imam, may I have another!"
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2010-06-14 18:22:10 |184.0.136.xxx| Concerned Reader - Indeed...
I think the more correct question is when will Anti-Jewishness end? I haven't seen much in the way of "Anti-Semitism", at least in the media. They seem awfully supportive of the rest of the Semites in the region, those being primarily Arabs.
The sons of Shem are all related. We just don't always like our relatives.
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2010-06-15 07:44:41 |75.21.27.xxx| Richard Cappetto - Israel
Israel will be on its own, the Hebrew prophets predicted these times we live in now, thousands of years ago. LORD Bless and protect Israel.
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2010-06-15 10:23:27 |71.110.3.xxx| Kandie - I love Israel...
I am a black woman living here in the U.S. and have never been to Israel, but I've always LOVED Israel and the Jewish People since childhood. I weep for Israel because of all the pain, suffering, and mistreatment and I pray daily for Israel. Though many may turn their backs on her, I will NEVER turn my back on Israel, I will support Israel to the very end! I am no one of great importance whatsoever, but I'd like Israel to know you will ALWAYS have a friend in me, and you are LOVED!
Thank you for this very informative article!
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2010-06-18 11:52:06 |76.122.6.xxx| Chrissy
As always Gadi you so eloquently address what we are all thinking. Thank you for another terrific article.
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2012-12-17 18:14:43 |98.193.56.xxx| Benji Zee - 4000 years of Pogroms!
Ever since Abraham told the pagans in the local dry goods store that he found God..Jew hatred started! After all, there is a reason to hate Jews..we gave the whole world God, the ten commandments, Jesus, and Allah! Maybe Abraham should have kept God a secret!
Thank you Gadi...great column