IsraCampus.Org.il

'The one-sided Israeli approach that accuses personages, political parties and non-Jewish organizations of anti-Semitism when they criticize Israel ignores Israel's contribution to these manifestations. Immoral behavior by Israel and Israelis...With respect to the Israeli-Arab-Palestinian conflict, Israel has contributed and is contributing to the inability to reach a solution; it is also contributing to the inability to manage the conflict reasonably and fairly. ...These things also apply to Israel's position concerning Iran's aspiration - and perhaps also Syria's - to obtain nuclear weapons. Iran's development of nuclear weapons is in part a response to the nuclear capability that foreign media reports attribute to Israel.'

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1165930.html

Are they all really anti-Semites?

By Gabriel Sheffer
28/4/2010

Most Israelis are not fond of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan or other foreign figures who criticize Israel. However, it is well worth listening carefully to some of the things they are saying. One of Erdogan's criticisms, for example, is that Israel cannot shake off responsibility for the continuation of the conflict and Iran's plans to develop nuclear weapons.

There is truth in this criticism, insofar as it concerns the positions of Israel's governments and most of its people. Israel looks at itself in a one-way mirror. It tends to attribute all its troubles to the other side and protest that its hands are clean. This tendency became much more marked after the Holocaust, declined somewhat after the establishment of the state and has gained pace since the 1970s. It has strengthened considerably in recent years, especially under rightist governments.

On the international plane, this one-sided approach is evident in the attitude toward the United Nations and international organizations in general. The origin of this approach goes back to David Ben-Gurion's time. In fact, the tendency to accuse the UN and other international organizations of anti-Israeli positions has not changed at all since then - as witnessed by the reaction to the Goldstone report, which has been described as a clearly anti-Semitic document.

The one-sided Israeli approach that accuses personages, political parties and non-Jewish organizations of anti-Semitism when they criticize Israel ignores Israel's contribution to these manifestations. Immoral behavior by Israel and Israelis - for example, conducting relations with and selling arms to "leper states" in South America, Africa and South Asia - is directly related to the criticism.

The Israeli one-sidedness is also seen in the crude accusations by Israelis and Diaspora Jews about U.S. President Barack Obama and his administration. They are accused of being anti-Semitic, anti-Israeli and preferring Muslims and Arabs. But Obama and his administration, in which there are many Jewish appointees, are very far from those positions. And if criticism of Israel is expressed, this comes in reaction to Israeli moves and derelictions.

With respect to the Israeli-Arab-Palestinian conflict, Israel has contributed and is contributing to the inability to reach a solution; it is also contributing to the inability to manage the conflict reasonably and fairly. The gap between Israeli politicians' statements and deeds is large, and contributes a great deal to the continuation and exacerbation of the conflict, parallel to the other side's contribution. Note, for example, the decision to approve military orders enabling the deportation of thousands of Palestinians from the West Bank.

These things also apply to Israel's position concerning Iran's aspiration - and perhaps also Syria's - to obtain nuclear weapons. Iran's development of nuclear weapons is in part a response to the nuclear capability that foreign media reports attribute to Israel. It's clear that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu understands this, so he did not attend the nuclear conference that Obama convened.

These are just some of Israel's major contributions to the criticism of it. If the government really intends to change Israel's attitude in a fundamental way - and this is very doubtful - it must cast off its blinkers. This is because every conflict and clash is two-sided, and because Israel - as well as the other side - has significantly contributed to the processes taking place around it.

The writer is a professor of political science at Hebrew University of Jerusalem.