Chariots of Iron

Jews world wide are in a particularly awkward position at the moment. In Italy, local trade unions are calling for a boycott of Jewish made goods; a move criticized by politicos as wrongheaded for the fact that they are Italian Jews and not Israeli’s. Meanwhile, in Britain, pro-Israeli ralliers clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters. The ralliers were calling for peace from Hamas and it’s organizer called it  “an inspiring display,” and a said that it was a stark contrast with the Palestinian protesters.

Meanwhile, across the pond, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa tossed his hat into the ring in defense of Israel despite Muslim organizations urging him to abstain on the grounds that he did not know enough about the conflict to make a public proclamations on the matter and on the grounds that it is his job to bring the diverse people of Los Angeles together, not to divide them.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles seems to agree with their mayor and issued a statement of support for the actions of Israel.

On the other side of the fence, Assistant Professor Reuben Roth of Laurentian University wrote a letter to a Palastinian support rally in which he criticizes Zionism and Israel’s claims that it represents all Jewish people.

In Germany, a number of Jewish organizations are claiming that anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish sentiment is peaking due to the actions of Hamas and further claim that the German media is paying too much attention to the plight of those killed by Israel and not enough attention to rockets fired by Hamas.

But in Toronto, eight Jewish women entered the Israeli consulate and staged a sit-in protest of the actions of Israel in Gaza. One of the protesters said: “Israel purports to represent all Jews worldwide and these atrocities are not being committed in our name.” The same article also mentions that pro-Israel rallies will be occurring at nine different synagogue among nine of Canada’s largest cities on the same night.

As an atheist, I don’t suppose that my point of view necessarily has to be different from any of the other ones that I have seen and shared here. There is little on the surface that is particularly religious about what is happening in Gaza. But there is one thing I’d really like the world to do as a favor to me. All of these people on both sides of the argument need to differentiate between people who are Israeli, people who claim to be racially Jewish, those who were raised culturally Jewish. Israel needs to knock it off with the “Jewish” shit. It’s a UN nation and it likes to frequently point out that it’s a staunch ally of the US. Well, if they are going to suckle on the teat of the United States, they need to quit playing at being a theocracy. Israel should be a nation for Israeli people. If Jewish people want to go there and become Israeli people: more power to them. If not, even better.

I don’t think that the Italian trade unionists are right in this case. But they aren’t wrong either. If people wish to boycott pro-Israel businesses, there is no problem with that at all; but simply boycotting Jewish businesses is a little harsh. On the other hand, if enough people did, Jewish people that did not support Israel nuking Gaza might tell Israel to fuck off with all the “we represent Jews everywhere” mumbo-jumbo.

It’s a confusing thing. The Italian trade unionists should ultimately be the bigger people in this case and leave the local businesses alone, but if Israel claims that it represents all Jews and the vast majority of Jews are more or less content to allow them to do so, then  it shouldn’t come as a huge shock that when Israel kills 460 civilians with rockets (over 150 of which were children) people who don’t agree with that particular action are going to be tempted to boycott Jewish businesses.

Either Israel owns the patent on the word “Jewish” or it doesn’t. There needs to be a line in the sand somewhere.

Figure it out.

Soon.

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1/10/09 – Update:

Naomi Klein says we should boycott Israel and I have a hard time arguing with Naomi Klein. While Eli has a plutonic brain-crush on Rachel Maddow, I have one on Naomi Klein.

No more matzah ball soup for me.