When Jews Fight Back They Are Vilified - When They Don't They Are Slaughtered
June 3, 2024 - Issue #52
For 2,000 years, Jews have died, been raped, and suffered mutilation at the hands of their neighbors. Almost 150 years ago, around 1881, the word “pogrom” came into common usage to describe when Jews suffered those horrors in riots organized or ignored by local governments. Then, in 1903, came the Kishinev pogrom, in a town within the Russian empire. Crazed mobs killed forty-nine Jews, raped 600 Jewish women, and damaged or destroyed 1,500 homes. Their excuse? Steven Zipperstein, author of a book about the Kishinev pogrom, wrote, “From its start their attack on Jews was justified as self-defense, a reasonable response to a pariah people, capable of any and all transgressions.” In other words—antisemitism.
The Kishinev pogrom seared the consciousness of Jews who lived there and elsewhere, added impetus to the Zionist movement, and still resonates subliminally within the psyche of Jews today. It resonates even though it was neither the first nor the last massacre of Jews.
Also, the horror of Kishinev motivated C.N. Bialik to write a 400-plus-line poem entitled “The City of Slaughter” that details in macabre and meticulous manner the horror the Jewish community in Kishinev suffered during the pogrom, and the unfathomable passivity of its men. Even now, Israeli students are taught the poem and tested on its contents. The following lines are a sampling:
Of murdered men who from the beams were hung,
And of a babe beside its mother flung,
Its mother speared, the poor chick finding rest
Upon its mother’s cold and milk-less breast
And:
This is the place the wild ones of the wood, the beasts of the field,
With bloody axes in their paws compelled thy daughters yield:
Beasted and Swiped!
Note also do not fail to note,
In that dark corner, and behind the cask
Crouched husbands, bridegrooms, brothers, peering from the cracks
Bialik’s poem, written in 1904 and first published in English in 1906, with its description of rape, bloodshed, and Jewish men cowering in fear rather than defending their loved ones, was a wakeup call. It shone a light on the need for Jews to fight for themselves.
Then, after the Holocaust, seventy-five years after the establishment of the Jewish State of Israel, and after supposed suppression in the west of the scourge of antisemitism—came October 7. In my view, October 7 was no pogrom—it and its aftermath was, and still is, worse. Not a local riot designed to savage Jews, it was an invasion of an army, augmented by bloodthirsty civilians, sent by a governing authority with that singular purpose. That is what lit the fire of a virulent antisemitism that had always lingered in the far right but was now revealed to have been bubbling among many on the left—not Israel’s response which took a few days to take form and did not give rise to a large scale ground attack until three weeks later. Meanwhile, antisemitism was eager to emerge. At Harvard University, just one day after October 7, thirty-four student groups signed a statement justifying Hamas’s attack, so too did antisemitism show its hand at rallies elsewhere around the world on October 8, and soon at Cornell and at Columbia, and at innumerable other locations on the streets and in the universities of the USA and Europe. And while certainly at some Pro Palestinian rallies and demonstrations some attendees were there to only promote their political views (as misguided and often misinformed as I find I them), present too were the antisemites—their hateful behavior, slogans, signage, and conduct directed not just at Israel but at Jews—now normalized. One expressed view I personally heard when I walked through a pro-Palestinian rally on a campus, was that “Everyone here knows that Jews caused 9/11.” I won’t bother delving further into all the other hateful nonsense that could be found at those rallies. Nor will I spend any more time with other examples. But one thing is clear, whether we like it or not, antisemitism is now raising its head high without fear of discovery.
Don’t believe me? Then ask yourself these questions—If you are Jewish, how comfortable are you signifying in public that you are Jewish? Many Christians proudly, as they should, wear necklaces with a symbolic cross or other manifestation of their faith. Are you willing now to do the same? Will you wear a Jewish star in a crowd of strangers? Or a Kippah? Will you wear a T-shirt that shows your support for Israel or even just that you are proud to be Jewish? How do you feel about the Mezuzah on your door these days? Or those with Jewish sounding last names, do you feel any concern when you present your credit card? Will you still go to Jewish functions where there is no security? I bet that many of us think about this because in our hearts we know today there is something present that now threatens us that was under the surface before October 7.
But why did this happen? Is it Israel’s fault for its response to Hamas’ attacks designed to remove its governing and military presence on Israel’s border. Sadly, some think yes. I say, resoundingly, NO! Which leads me back to C.N. Bialik’s poem. In those days, Jews did not defend themselves. Nor did they in the Holocaust. And many were not prepared to do so on October 7. As a result, they were slaughtered. But the antisemitism of then and the antisemitic hatred of today does not come from Israel’s insistence on Israelis being able to live in peace and security in a Jewish homeland. It stems from two thousand years of falsely blaming Jews for a multitude of ills, attributes, and vile actions. Something humans are prone to do to a minority especially when the accusers want to gain power or cover up their own transgressions. Cumulatively, then, this systemic hatred has passed through the generations to the point that we are now hated by many just because we exist. That’s it! Thus, when we defend ourselves, our haters get frustrated and get loud because we are no longer so easy to kill.
But, if we do not defend ourselves, very surely, the antisemites will come for us—first with non-violent but discriminatory, biased, or double-standard policies and arguments (think BDS, academic boycotts, exclusion, and one-sided education, etc.). Then will come the physical—first intimidation, followed by assaults—and then the killing. History teaches us that this is true. Periods of enlightenment followed by darkness. Whether it be Islamic persecution lasting centuries, the Spanish inquisition, the Dreyfus Affair, the pogroms, the Holocaust, the casting out of several hundred thousand Jews from Arab lands after Israel became a state in 1948, or what we are beginning to see now—it always happens.
But today, we can change that dynamic. Israel is fighting back as it should. So must we—both Jews and, I ask, that those not of the Jewish faith that support us do so as well. Yes, some of us may still be slaughtered at times, but let it never again be because we did not defend ourselves. Let us not allow history to repeat itself BECAUSE WE FAILED TO FIGHT BACK AND FAILED TO SUPPORT THOSE THAT DO!
Which leads me to what happened little more than a week ago at the Hague. There, the ICJ and the ICC took actions that demonstrate what happens when passive antisemitism rises to the forefront. Let’s dive in.
First, and foremost, what is the ICJ and the ICC?
The ICJ is an acronym that stands for the International Court of Justice, located at the Hague in the Netherlands. It mostly hears cases involving states.
The ICC is an acronym for the International Criminal Court, also at the Hague. It only hears criminal cases involving individuals.
The ICC
In its twenty-two-year history, the ICC has issued fifty-four arrest warrants, none of which were to leaders of democratic countries. That is because it is designed to deal with very bad people living in locations where there are no courts to prosecute them and that have committed “the most serious crimes of international concern.” Nevertheless, recognizing that an ICC in the hands of the wrong people can be used for ill as well as good, Israel is not a signatory to the ICC. Nor is the United States, Russia, China, or India among others.
And, it is important to recognize, Israel is a vibrant democracy that operates under the rule of law with robust processes for ensuring compliance with laws of war. It has imprisoned a previous Prime Minister for wrongdoing and Israel’s courts have dealt with excesses before and have shown no hesitancy to rule against the government where warranted. In fact, that was what much of the hoopla in Israel was about regarding Judicial reform that has not gone through.
Nevertheless, on May 20, the ICC’s chief prosecutor, Karim A.A. Khan, asked the ICC to issue an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant during a war that has only been ongoing for seven months, that was started by terrorists with genocidal intent and result, and clearly is defensive in nature whether one thinks or not that Israel’s tactics have caused more Gazan suffering than necessary. But that’s not my point today although I am happy to argue it.
Instead, I am looking at the ICC’s action from an antisemitic perspective. The ICC never issued an arrest warrant for Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose forces killed hundreds of thousands of his own citizenry, using barrel bombs and gas to do so. Nor has the ICC done so for President Xi Jinping of China, who has forced the incarceration of more than a million Uyghers and has turned a blind eye to the abuse this isolated group suffers at the hands of his government. And no arrest warrant has been proposed by the prosecutor for Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, who is directly responsible, without provocation, for targeting Israeli civilians with thousands of missiles since October 7. Same is the case for many others who callously value human life.
Why do I see the prosecutor’s request for issuance of an arrest warrant for two of Israel’s leaders as another manifestation of antisemitism? Because, over two decades the ICC has approved just fifty-four arrest warrants, none against leaders or citizens of a democratic nation with a vibrant judiciary. Yet now, despite ignoring many horrendous acts by leaders of other nations and individuals around the world, the ICC’s prosecutor singles out Israel’s leaders, in the trying circumstances of a war in which it is being attacked or threatened from multiple directions. This is a clear double standard applied singularly to Jews that defend themselves. Disagree with Israeli policy? Fine. Call them criminals when you ignore far worse—that’s just a thinly disguised form of double-standard antisemitism under the guise of humanitarianism. An especially result driven form of antisemitism designed to substitute the judgement, dare I say goal, of an institution with no skin in the game over the leadership of a nation that has not submitted to the jurisdiction of the Court (like the United States) but is very much fighting for the lives of its citizens and its economic survival.
Let’s hope the panel of ICC judges which must approve arrest warrants before they become official see the light. But I am not hopeful.
The ICJ
On May 24, 2024, the ICJ issued a decision that in one important part is ambiguous regarding whether the IDF must stop its offensive in Rafah, and in other parts explicit. It is not my intent to go into detail about that decision in this newsletter, nor I suspect, do I have your patience to do so. However, I do want to point out a few things:
That the Order was not based on any new fact finding—just statements from the usual suspects;
Unlike with the ICC, it is up to the Security Council of the United Nations to enforce ICJ decisions. Therefore, the United States can block it.
Nawaf Salam, elected President of the ICJ a few months ago, is a Lebanese citizen who has displayed much prior Israel animus and whose wife has been sharply critical of Israel in the past.
Like the Prosecutor’s ICC application, I am unaware of any prior situation where a nation blatantly attacked with genocidal intent, and still under attack from multiple quarters, has had to face micromanagement of its struggle to survive by an international Court. Think, once again, double standard!
What All This Means For US
The bubble has clearly burst regarding both domestic and international antisemitism. Driving much of the virulence we are seeing and experiencing is not justified debate but unharnessed hate. A hate that is just the tip of the iceberg that we may see if we just watch, duck, and hope we will not become victims of the tide rolling in. Israel is fighting a battle it didn’t choose on an unfavorable playing field. But we too must fight a multi-front war on playing fields on which we would rather not compete. That requires leaning forward not back, vigilance not ignorance, and determination not divisiveness. Together, by supporting Israel and each other, I am certain we can beat back antisemitism. But apart, and allowing our desire for goodness and sensitivity to suffering to mask the evil gathering around us, we will fail.
We, along with all of our vast numbers of non-Jewish friends and supporters, can ensure that what Jewish history of two thousand years suggests will once again be our fate will decidedly not happen.
But we must want to act on behalf of ourselves. And all of us must do it. And we must do so now—united.
I have refrained from commenting on the ceasefire plan presented by President Biden on May 31 because it is unclear what Israel agreed to and the details behind phase two and three are fuzzy at best. However, it is clear to me that there must be certain secret understandings that underpin what has been announced. One of which, I suspect, is the invitation Prime Minister Netanyahu received from both the Republican and Democratic leadership of Congress to come to the United States to address both chambers. That would not have happened without President Biden’s consent and/or request. And it is important to beat back antisemitism that Netanyahu be asked on a bipartisan basis to speak to Congress and the American people. In addition, we do not know what promises the United States has made regarding Hezbollah, Saudi Arabia recognition of Israel, and whether the proposal includes a role for Hamas’ continued governance in Gaza. Until I have clarity on at least some of this, I will do my best, as hard as it is, to reserve comment.
Also, if you have an interest in the danger Hezbollah presents and how it came to be, you might consider purchasing my book which can be obtained on Amazon here.
Israel–Hamas War (Iran) Update, May 31, 2024—Institute for the Study of War
Daily Update May 30, 2024, 02:30 pm – Northern Arena—Written by Dana Polak Kanarik for the Alma Research and Education Center—May 30, 2024
May 2024 Summary – The Northern Arena—Written by Dana Polak Kanarik for the Alma Research and Education Center—May 30, 2024
Our Security is Non-Negotiable—Written by Sarit Zehavi for the Alma Research and Education Center—May 29, 2024
How Has the UN General Assembly Promoted Peace in the Post-Oct 7th Middle East?—Written by Sherri Oz for her Substack Newsletter—May 30, 2024—A well worthwhile and clear-eyed summary of the UN’s one sided support of Hamas vs. Israel.
Hamas Denies Patients Treatment, Gazans Don't Support Them, Foreign Volunteer Doctor Reveals—Written by Seth J. Frantzman for the Jerusalem Post—May 29, 2024
Under-Reported Rape: Why the NYT's War Coverage is Unfair and Heartbreaking—Written by Lilac Sigan for the Jerusalem Post—May 26, 2024
The Escalation in the Drone War Between Hezbollah and Israel—Written by Liran Antebi for the Institute for National Security Studies—May 30, 2024
What’s Happening to all the Aid Sent to Gaza?—Written by Eric Mandel for Mepin—May 24, 2024
New Study Finds Food Supply to Gaza More Than Sufficient for Population’s Needs—Written by Jeremy Sharon for the Times of Israel—May 24, 2024
Pro-Palestinian College Protests Have Not Won Hearts and Minds—Written by Aaron Blake for the Washington Post—May 22, 2024
IDF ‘Exemplifies Tactical, Operational Excellence’ in Gaza—Written by Uaakov Lappin for Jewish News Syndicate-May 30, 2024
The Revolt of the Jews of London—Written by Brendan O’Neill for The Spectator—May 24, 2024
Rep. Rashida Tlaib speaks at the People’s Conference for Palestine last Saturday. (Screenshot via YouTube)
Rashida Tlaib Speaks at Detroit Conference Tied to Terrorist Group—Written by Francesca Block and Eli Lake for the Free Press—May 27, 2024
Israel’s Struggle with Hezbollah—A War Without End is now available in eBook and hardback format on Amazon and IngramSpark. This compelling narrative explores Hezbollah’s origins and cancerous growth, traces Israel’s response, and reveals Israel’s present readiness to meet Hezbollah’s challenge.
Cliff Sobin
Important Link—Alma Research and Education Center: Understanding the Security Challenges on Israel’s Northern Border
Antisemitism thrives on jews keeping their heads down and hoping that it will blow over
You’d think Jews would understand - many Americans cannot tolerate watching children starve to death. Yesterday, some Substacker said - no children in Gaza are starving while I had just seen photos. Yep, they’re starving. Israel is forcing Americans to make a choice between Israel or starving Gaza children. And, Israel is quickly losing support. Hamas? A terrorist organization - it’s so vile even mainstream Muslims reject jihadists. But, Israel may soon find itself rejected by mainstream Americans, too. Feed the children!