“Judaism is to do justice and to have mercy and to walk humbly with God; and all the rest is commentary and of secondary importance.”
So wrote Rabbi Elmer Berger, a leading Jewish thinker of the 50’s and 60’s, who opposed what he called Israeli-style “Jewish nationalism.”
Another renowned Jewish thinker, Arthur Koestler, warned that Israel was becoming “a nasty little Sparta.”
This past week, much of the rest of the world, sickened by the mass slaughter and destruction in Gaza wrought by Israel, joined in calls for creation of a Palestinian state. This obvious solution to the agonies of five million stateless Palestinian refugees would be a start to making whole one of the world’s largest refugee problems. Over 147 nations have recognized the Palestinian state. But until now, the United States, France, Britain and Germany have refused to heed the cries of the savagely abused Palestinian refugees.
This week, France, true to its libertarian traditions, finally announced it would recognize the Palestinian state this September. Spain, Australia, Ireland and Saudi Arabia (which has been watching Gaza from the sidelines) and even usually timid Canada joined in. So too all of Latin America. Germany, still handcuffed by accusations of wartime crimes, is still dithering. Britain claimed it would recognize Palestine with certain conditions, giving it a way to wriggle out of the promise. A large part of the UK Labour Party has revolted, demanding an end to the massacres in Palestine as the Rothschilds strain to support Israel.
Interestingly, Egypt, the largest and most important Arab nation, remained quiet. It has been secretly colluding with Israel in repressing the Palestinians.
The United States continues to openly back Israel’s draconian policies that have so far killed at least 60,000 Palestinians, mainly women and children. President Trump has revealed himself as a Trojan Horse for Israel’s expansionist far right. He, so far, seems unconcerned that his military, financial and diplomatic support for Israel’s hard right has hurt America’s image around the globe. It may take American voters to change his mind. But they remain beguiled by the corporate-controlled media which promotes Israel’s arguments.
Still, it’s clear there has been a sea-change in the world’s view of Palestine. Behind all the fevered talk about removing Palestinians there are moderate-minded Jewish politicians and soldiers who realize that they must eventually find a way to live with Palestinians and share the land – as Rabbi Berger advised. The alternative is ethnic cleansing, genocide and more slaughter.
What a stain on the honor of Judaism, what a horror after the WWII holocaust. Israel’s repression in Gaza and strong-arming of Palestinian supporters and the media around the globe have created a tsunami of antisemitism. Rabbi Berger warned that the Arab-Israeli conflict would eventually infect the United States and endanger our republic. He was very right.
The core of this conflict is attempts by Israel’s far right parties to seize more land for the Jewish state, notably the occupied West Bank, Gaza, southern Lebanon and bits of Syria.
Greater Israel is the grand strategy. For some of the more fanatical groups now running Israel’s government (and giving marching orders to the spineless US Congress) Israel might expand into more of Syria, Iraq’s oil fields, even Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Reprinted with permission from EricMargolis.com.
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