====================================================================
by Guy Shaked
Keywords: Keywords: Anti American Sentiment, Anti-Americanism, New Antisemitism, Anti-Semitism, Alain Finkielkraut, Shaked
In his interview by Avirama Golan the French philosopher Alain Finkielkraut laid down the basic elements of his new and exciting theory about the "New Antisemitism" [1].
Text:
There is a new type of antisemitism, different from the one we knew in the past
Commentary:
The new antisemitism is the antisemitism of the left. By the term "left" is intended all the political and social movements that define themselves as left to the extreme right. They see themselves as opposing groups to the extreme right and its type of antisemitism (the "old" antisemitism) which continues the Fascist and Nazi traditions and ideological guidance.
Text:
Post WW2 Europe has an un-quite conscience
Political Europe says: "Never again"
They say Europe has passed regret over the holocaust and the Jews did not over the Nakba
They judge from the position of their regret the world outside them
Therefor Israel seems to them like a country from "old Europe"
Therefor they are allowed to think Israel is most dangerous
Commentary:
According to this view the Europeans employ a logical objective claims system of sorts. Yet the example of the Jenin blood-tale invented story of a massacre and their fast and uncritical reception of this tale as truth testifies, that not a logical process is here at work (it is only the forefront), but rather an internal psychological process that twarps outside reality according to its inner perception venue.
Text:
Europe is so obsessive about Hitler
That it sees all conflicts
And especially the Israeli Palestinian conflict
In double and static terms
That are the direct heritage of WW2…
Meaning: the rejection of the tragic dimension,
i.e. that both sides have legitimacy,
even the stronger side
Commentary:
We should examine what would happen if the present day Europeans will acknowledge that present day Jews (including Israel) actions are a continuation of conclusions of the holocaust. If so, then current day Europeans could not walk up high. While they could claim they profess regret, each time they meet a Jew they will have to feel guilty and morally inferior.
They might have to speak apologetically and it will hurt their self image and esteem and in some measure might be a continuos humility for them.
However, if the current times Jew is a cultural continuer of the Nazi culture - then they are not at all in a position where they need apologize toward any living person.
There is a similar phenomena in their attitude toward the Americans - if they are currently a colonialist occupying force then they are not the American liberators of Europe of WW2 and hence no eternal gratitude (while lowering yourself to the position of the indebted) need to be expressed towards them each time you meet an American.
The conclusion must be that it is a psychological rather than a logical process at work here. Fron this, follows an understanding that it does not matter what the Jews, Israel or the Americans would do, the Europeans, who are trapped in their guilt complex from their past, will find reasons to be against their present manifestations.
Accepting the Jews as followers of WW2 Jews has also some most unpleasant imlications for the present day Europeans for then they need be compensated for example for their lost property - something for example that the nice Swiss to this day are most reluctant to do. So it follows that also from a pure interests oriented point of view the modern left (left to the extreme right) is trapped in his antisemitism and anti-US ideology.
Commentary:
It is important to note that this new antisemitism of the left is limited in some measures. Its main limitation is that it has to appear as different as possible than the extreme right antisemitism. Therefore they will not have governmental antisemitism because of the similarity to Nazi Germany. Rather the opposite - as a regime they will act against antisemitism: more against extreme right antisemitism and less against Moslem antisemitism.
While they may direct their harsh rhetoric against Israel, they are prevented from applying steps that would threaten the lives of millions of Jews in Israel.
Since the left antisemitism can not find governmental outlet it would be the realm of organizations and institutions that are not state related and perhaps anti-state. Like the European universities ,and their boycott of Israeli researchers. This is a good action from their point of view as it doesn't come from the state and on the other hand doesn't threat the well being of the Jews of Israel.
Commentary:
If the Europeans really believed their claims against Israel and their "Nazification" of Israel then they would have had to act strongly and immediately on it. The fact that they do not act suggests that they in their logical self know these claims are psychological and not logical.
Read more of Guy's work in the book: Masters of Italian Sculpture
==============================================================================================
[1] A conversation with Alain Finkielkraut, "Bekria Rishona", Chanel 23 (Educational TV), Israel, 5/6/2004
Dear visitor, please take a short moment to sign my guest book!
----------------------------------------------------------------
© 2004 Emails are
gladly received: shakedtg@hotmail.com
Jacques Derrida's interpretation of Plato’s Phaedrus (Plato’s Pharmacy)
Descartes' "I think therefore I am"
Other articles by G. Shaked:
ART
BIBLICAL STUDIES
BIOLOGY
CINEMA
LITERATURE
MUSIC
PHILOSOPHY
PHYSICS
(ACOUSTICS)