Some time ago I promised myself to read a book by Norman G. Finkelstein on the Holocaust Industry, because at the time I was reading Goldhagens accusation of the German People in the Nazi era. He, as is well known, condemns the entire German nation of the 1933 – 1945 time as Hitlers willing executioners; of the solution to the “Jewish-problem”, a.k.a. “The Final Solution”. Since I knew many of these “executioners” (most are dead now), I found his thesis hard to stomach, and I thought I needed at least some counterweight to what I was exposing myself to.
Another strong motivator: A few years ago I had a run-in with a woman of the Jewish conviction, who was trying to tell me that she, as a 100% Jew (of my age) had the right to tell me my anti-fascist politics. She, after all, had lost family members in the war (!) and had therefore acquired the exclusive rights to “Weltschmerzt”. At the time, I thought it was a pretty racist thing to do, referring to (any)one as being a 100% Jew; even if it were to oneself. And I still do.
Well, I am reading something of Finkelsteins at the moment, but it is another book: Beyond Chutzpah (2008) “On the misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History”. And I am glad I found this little gem as we were browsing Foyles in London some months ago. Not particularly for the book itself, although it is really worth reading, but mainly for having met – by proxy of his book – mister Finkelstein.
This Finkelstein fellow is really something. In his book, he demolishes the perceived “New Anti-Semitism”, which he describes as, amongst others, the anti-semitism perceived by the Jewish community, committed by blacks in the USA; the alleged anti-semitism in any – legitimate – attack on, or questioning of, Jewish or Israeli interests; and, better yet, the questioning of Israel’s service record when it comes to human rights, especially of those who are living in the Occupied Territories.
Finkelstein starts his book by questioning the Jew’s right to be in the Middle-East in the first place. As popular Jewish history has it, Palestine was almost deserted when it was conquered by the Jews who were streaming in from every corner of the earth, and Palestine was – as is told – for the largest part empty when it was turned into Israel. But this is – according to Finkelstein – far from the truth. Well, we all knew that one, but the strong point is that Finkelstein says it in public, in thick books, and as a professor with a solid reputation and a publication track record that makes my mouth water.
I think Norman deserves a statue for taking on the very powerful Jewish lobby that seems to be omni-present in today’s world politics and which is getting protection form the biggest player of them all: the USA. From a suppressed people, prosecuted and hunted for centuries, the Jews have turned into the richest, most powerful, most conservative and most callous interest group on the planet. And they reserve the right for themselves to do what ever they think is necessary to protect these interests, no matter how far fetched their justifications might be. The best example of this is found in the occupation of the Palestinian territory with the formation of Israel. I can’t think of any “right” that justifies that, but of course, the Israeli do. In actual fact, the creation of Israel was an annexation, by foreign intruders, of land owned and inhabited by Palestinians. Why were the Jews entitled to do this? Because they were, according to their own scriptures, the Chosen People (SIC!), with divine title deeds to that territory?
Not long before the Jews finalised this little belligerent act on May 14, 1948 with the proclamation of the State of Israel by David Ben Gurion, another nation in Europe had similar ideas about their own “chosen-ness” and had tried to occupy Europe in a swift and Tutonising sweep across the entire continent. It failed, but it cost the lives of 20 million people, of which 6 million Jews. (As it were, the Germans themselves bled the worst in WW-II.) The Nazis had justifications of their own, not dissimilar to the ‘Carte-Blanche’ Israel seems to give itself in the Middle East. What sticks out like a sore thumb is the question as to why the Jews think that they can be measured by another standard than the rest of the world.*
Finkelstein is a brave man. Even more than Sam Harris, who voices his negative opinion on the Muslim (and any other faith) very loudly. But the Muslim are relatively powerless compared to our Jewish planet-fellows. The Jews have far and deeply reaching lobbies, a lot of accumulated wealth, many partisan publishers and a ruthless Secret Service. They would be able to silence Finkelstein in a very ugly way. Because if some ancient rights – which were supposedly laid down in a scripture that is mainly made up in the first place – were enough to occupy an entire country, Finkelsteins notion that the Jews themselves are in a large part responsible for much of the current anti-semitism, could easily become a motive to take radical measures against Finkelstein.
My own attitude towards the Jews, whom I see as a people and not as a race, was already biased with strong opposition because of the special position they save for themselves. This position is devoid of any compliance to international law and seems to float on their idea of being “Chosen by God”. But after reading “Beyond Chutzpah”, my leniency has evaporated entirely. It seems that Israel and the Zionist Movement are a genuine problem on the global political stage. It will not turn me into an anti-semite though, but I have a lot more sympathy for the Palestinian cause than I used to have.**
* The Israeli autrocities include: torture of prisoners, assasination of untried Palsetinian civilians, demolishing of the houses of suspected terrorist (or even jailed or dead ones), undermining the Palestinian economy and their civil progress, demolishing the infrastructure, stealing water, stealing land, etc. The list goes on and on. Reading about these acts of supression in Finkelsteins book makes my blood boil.
As I was half way, I suddenly saw what the Israel actually constitutes: a Kafkaesk, totalitarian state with fascist streaks. It bears a striking resemblance to the Nazi style Third Reich. The colours are different, but the methods are virtually the same. Including the concentration camps and the systematic destruction of a people.
** Of course, according to what I read in Beyond Chutzpah, I should now officially be branded an anti-semite, because the opinions I vent above on the Jews ‘prove’ that.
