Unless you have been living in a cave (excluding the Taliban of course!) you are well aware that anti-Semitism is back and in full force. It is back and growing exponentially as most of the world is turning against Israel and the Jewish people while the rest of the world is watching. It has been refurbished and repackaged under the guise of anti-Zionism, anti-Israelism, Christian Palestinianism or any new “anti-anything-remotely-Jewish-ism”!
We can divide the players on the stage of anti-Semitism into four main categories. The perpetrators, the by-standers, the victims and the rescuers. The stage hasn’t changed much from 70 years ago, neither has the players’s agenda, although the “script” is a bit different. A brief review of each group is necessary before we look at the new unlikely co-perpetrators.
• The Perpetrators: They are those guilty of acts of anti-Semitism in thoughts, words or deeds. They are part of the Church (Replacement Theology and Dual Covenant Theology), the liberal left, the extreme right and radical Islam. A convergence of these different enemies of Israel has happened over the last five years. Against all odds, this convergence has been strengthening the perpetrators who are now becoming a powerful ideological, spiritual and even political conglomerate.
• The By-standers: They are those who by omission or by commission will decide to DO NOTHING TO HELP ISRAEL AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE. By-standers by omission will refrain from helping mostly out of ignorance, but with the proper correction and exposure to the facts, they can be redirected to become rescuers. By-standers by commission are of the more dangerous kind, as they CHOOSE to do nothing! They often stubbornly refuse to know the facts and are easily swayed by the latest diatribe from the media, political faction or religious group.
• The Victims: They are those who suffer at the hands of the perpetrators. They comprise any Jewish person in Israel OR in the diaspora. The new anti-Semitism is now affecting Jewish people globally as if any move whatsoever by Israel brought instant collective guilt for all Jews, no matter where they reside or how involved/uninvolved they are in Israeli policy. No place is safe anymore (to the exception of Israel)!
• The Rescuers: They are those among Jews and gentiles who choose to stand-up, speak-up and fight in prayer, words AND/OR deeds against the cancer of anti-Semitism. They write articles, they speak at conferences, they participate in rallies. In short, they come to the rescue of the victims defending them and promoting the truth, but they are a dying breed!
Until now, the roles of each group had been defined rather clearly. Aside from the fact that many of the perpetrators are pretending to be victims and painting the victims as perpetrators, the roles have been straight forward for the most part. BUT THINGS MIGHT BE CHANGING, NO SO MUCH FOR THE VICTIMS BUT FOR THE RESCUERS!
This all happened in Italy but should be a sobering warning for all of us anywhere in the world where we choose to defend Israel and the Jewish people.
It started in 2008 when Italian cartoonist Vauro Senesi drew a cartoon of Italian politician Fiamma Norenstein as a “Frankenstein monster” with a hooked nose, a star of David and a fascist symbol. The cartoon was entitled “Fiamma Frankenstein”. Journalist Giuseppe Caldarola spoke up (rightfully so) and accused Senesi of anti-Semitism. Senesi decided to sue him! As it appears, freedom of press and freedom of speech are both “One-Way streets” when it comes to Israel!
Fast forward to early May 2012 and enter “the Twilight Zone of the New Anti-Semitism” in an Italian court, where journalist Giuseppe Caldarola was fined 25,000€ ( about $33,000) simply because he had accused the cartoonist of anti-Semitism.
The judge decided that the cartoon was not anti-semitic, mostly based on Mr Senesi other humanitarian efforts, namely in Third World countries and in Afghanistan. What does that have to do with anything?
The precedent created by the judge’s ruling shouldn’t be undermined as it will undoubtedly become an encouragement to others around the globe.
FIRST, ANTISEMITISM WAS ON THE RISE, AND VERY FEW WERE DOING ANYTHING TO COUNTER THAT!
NOW, THE FEW VOICES OF REASON IN OUR WORLD ARE NOT JUST BEING RIDICULED BY THE ENEMIES OF ISRAEL BUT THEY ARE BEING LEGALLY SANCTIONED BY THE VERY SYSTEM CREATED TO PROTECT THEM.
Victims and rescuers might increasingly be equally at risk. This is certainly not going to discourage me from speaking up and fighting against the hatred of my people. But what about YOU?
When comes the day when we cannot rely on our own judicial system that has become a co-perpetrator, we will still be able to find solace in Yeshua (Jesus) who ultimately is THE ONLY ONE who can change the hearts of men.
Therefore if any man is in Messiah, he is a new creature, the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
go Olivier!!
This is a good overview that should enable everyone to identify which role they are filling, even unknowingly. Keep up the good work!
After reading this no one has an excuse about where they stand or not stand. Either you are for or against Anti-Semitism! Thank you Olivier.
One thing that we can all do is share and spread word of this Blog with everyone we know.
Thank you Stephen!
We need to stand up against this. Thank you
Olivier for all your work !
Haaretz is a radical leftist, anti-Israel newspaper that works for Israel’s destruction. If you want to recommend a newspaper, I suggest The Jerusalem Post.