When the great nation of Israel takes some action—generally of a military nature—with which many people disagree, those who criticize such actions or the Israeli government are oftentimes accused of being anti-Semitic, anti-Israel, or worse.
In the wake of recent Israeli military actions against the “Gaza flotilla,” those accusations have once again been rampant.
It reminds me of the “not supporting the troops,” “anti-American,” “unpatriotic” and worse accusations hurled at the millions of Americans who criticized the Bush administration’s disastrous invasion and occupation of Iraq.
I sincerely and strongly believe that one can support the Israeli people, the Jewish people and, yes, the nation of Israel without cheering on and applauding each and every action or policy undertaken by the Israeli government.
A reader and a contributor to this site—The Moderate Voice—expressed both her support for the Jewish people and Israel and her frustration with some of the Israeli government’s actions and policies in the following way:
Anti-Semitism is an irrational hatred of, or fear of, or revulsion toward, Jews because of their Jewishness. Yes, it is possible to be anti-Zionist without being anti-Semitic. It’s also possible to support Israel’s right to exist without taking condemnation of Israel’s policies toward Palestinians as evidence of anti-Semitism.
It’s possible to understand, on a very deep personal level, the historical realities, history, and reasons why Israel has a right to exist and why Jews need to have and deserve to have their own state, without denying that same right to another oppressed people. It’s possible to understand that the Jewish people have experienced centuries — millennia — of persecution, terror, and hatred, and yet, at the same time, not feel the need to persecute, oppress, and terrorize another people, even if for only 60 years and not thousands.
It’s possible to understand and acknowledge that genocide all but wiped out European Jewry and yet at the same time be rational enough to understand and acknowledge that genocidal extermination is not an accurate description of the threat to Israel’s security in 2010.
It’s possible to understand that in 1938 the entire Jewish population of Europe was threatened with genocidal extermination by Nazi Germany, and not allow that historical reality to so blind our intellectual faculties that we believe that in 2010 the Jewish state of Israel is threatened with genocidal extermination by Hamas and the Palestinians.
Have you ever heard of brave words? Hamas is a terrorist organization that has gained influence and power and been nourished by the Israeli occupation and brutal subjugation of the Palestinian people, but no matter what their charter says, they cannot carry out genocidal extermination of Israel. They can turn Israel into a fortress state. They can kill Israel’s democracy and convince Israelis to sell their souls for an illusive security. And they’re doing a very good job of that, aren’t they?
Israel’s policies reflect a pathological belief in Hamas’s ability to carry out genocidal extermination, and completely ignore Hamas’s real power, which is to seed and foment terrorism and hatred, both of which are already in ample supply in the region.
To be clear, I do not agree with all of Kathy Kattenburg’s words and sentiments. For example, I do believe that Hamas and other terrorist organizations and even nations—such as Iran—have as their stated goal the destruction of the state of Israel. But I also understand her sympathy for the plight of the Palestinian people.
After reading—and comprehending—Kathy’s words, I would not call her anti-Semitic or anti-Israel, albeit I am sure some will.
Just as I am sure some will have similar names for me.
Even though I have written numerous articles in support of the Jewish people.
Even though during my military career I wrote and presented a thesis strongly supporting the existence of the State of Israel.
Even though most of my paternal ancestors were Jewish.
Even though among the more than 10,000 Dutch Jews who were murdered by the Nazis during World War II, there were 124 de Winds—a significant proportion of an entire de Wind generation.
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.