Antisemitism used to be easy to understand — hatred towards Jewish people. It reached its apogee in Nazi Germany when the mix of Jew hatred and advanced industrial capitalism culminated in the genocide of six million Jews in the killing fields of Eastern Europe and its symbol of racist evil, Auschwitz.
Recently, however, after a concerted campaign by Israel, western governments and the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (which does good work round Holocaust memorialisation, although not on definitions of antisemitism) antisemitism has been generally redefined and much muddied by its new definition which in practice includes criticisms of Israel as antisemitic. At a conference in Vienna three years ago I was called antisemitic for pointing out that there were other Jewish traditions which were fiercely anti-Zionist, including the largest Jewish organisation in Eastern Europe until 1945, the Jewish Bund, who argued that the key role of Jews was to oppose racism where they were, not to leave for Palestine. They warned that the dangers of an exclusively Jewish state were that it could itself became racist towards others, particularly Palestinians, and that it would need, as a colonial settler enterprise, to use extreme force against the "natives".
Since October 7, and the terrible retaliation in Gaza, this new definition now manifests itself through impossible contradictions. Left wing and moderate Jews, the UN and it’s General Secretary, the International Court of Justice, Amnesty International and organisations such as Israeli human rights organisation B’Tselem and many Jews in Israel, universities, ceasefire now protesters and other opponents of what for many is a genocide in Gaza, are now deemed antisemitic.
Those no longer deemed antisemitic, despite the fact that they peddle antisemitic trope conspiracy theories, such as replacement theory, are those who support whatever Israel does in Gaza. For example, Hungarian President Victor Orban argues that there is an international network of financiers, led by Jewish philanthropists, organising immigration to undermine western Christian values. Actually it is an old trope, its earliest manifestation being the notorious forgery The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, beloved by 20th century fascism everywhere. However, he, along with Donald Trump, conspiracy theorists everywhere, and out and out racists are welcomed by Israel.
As Jews in Britain, we need to see through this danger and oppose the far right, some of whom in the darker reaches online show deep antisemitism akin to what we saw in Charlottesville some years back when marauding hordes of American nazis attacked Jews and synagogues. Trump argued that there were good people on both sides. I reject that, as do the vast majority of people. It is akin to saying good people were opposing the torching of the refugee hotel in Rotherham and good racist arsonists.
Jews in Scotland should be out this coming Saturday (September 7) to join the SUTR/STUC anti racist festival in George Square, Glasgow, against the far right. Join the thousands of trade unionists, the Jewish bloc against islamophobia and antisemitism and wide sections of civil society. We want to say to the nazis — NEVER AGAIN.
Henry Maitles is Emeritus Professor of Education, University of the West of Scotland
Agenda is a column for outside contributors. Contact: agenda@theherald.co.uk
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