Not Humanitarianism, Not Honesty Nor Love for Human Rights Motivates Condemnation of Israel's Gaza Operation

I'm mad at Efraim Karsh. He has said many things about the hypocritical Western and International reaction to Israel's defensive war in Gaza and Israeli defensive actions in general that I have long believed, that I have long been convinced of. So I'm jealous that he said these things first, that he took the words out of my mouth. But let's acknowledge that Karsh deserves a lot of praise for saying them so well, better than I could I suppose, although I have a few quibbles with him, mainly over nomenclature. Given that Karsh teaches in London, in the heart of the beast as it were, he is to be commended for his courage to remain an independent thinker in hostile surroundings. He is also to be commended for staying clear-headed in those circumstances.

Only Palestinian Interaction with Israel Wins World Attention by Efraim Karsh
. . . .
In other words, the extraordinary international preoccupation with the Palestinians is a corollary of their interaction with Israel, the only Jewish state to exist since biblical times, a reflected glow of the millenarian obsession with the Jews in the Christian and the Muslim worlds. Had their dispute been with an Arab, Muslim, or any other adversary, it would have attracted a fraction of the interest that it presently does.
. . . .

Indeed, the fact that the international coverage of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the libels against Zionism and Israel, such as the despicable comparisons of Israel to Nazi Germany and apartheid South Africa, have invariably reflected a degree of intensity and emotional involvement well beyond the normal level to be expected of impartial observers would seem to suggest that, rather than being a response to concrete Israeli activities, it is a manifestation of longstanding prejudice that has been brought out into the open by the vicissitudes of the conflict.
. . . .

For millennia Jewish blood has been cheap, if not costless, throughout the Christian and Muslim worlds, where the Jew became the epitome of powerlessness, a perpetual punching bag and a scapegoat for whatever ills befell society. There is no reason, therefore, why Israel shouldn't follow in the footsteps of these past generations, avoid antagonizing its Arab neighbors and exercise restraint whenever attacked. But no, instead of knowing its place, the insolent Jewish state has forfeited this historic role by exacting a price for Jewish blood and beating the bullies who had hitherto been able to torment the Jews with impunity. This dramatic reversal of history cannot but be immoral and unacceptable. Hence the global community outrage and hence the world's media provision of unlimited resources to cover every minute of Israel's "disproportionate" response, but none of the devastation and dislocation caused to Israeli cities and their residents.

Put differently, the Palestinians are but the latest lightning rod unleashed against the Jews, their supposed victimization reaffirming the millenarian demonization of the Jews in general, and the medieval blood libel - that Jews delight in the blood of others - in particular. In the words of David Mamet, "The world was told Jews used this blood in the performance of religious ceremonies. Now, it seems, Jews do not require the blood for baking purposes, they merely delight to spill it on the ground."
--read it all here--

Professor Efraim Karsh is Head of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Studies at King's College, University of London, and a member of the Board of International Experts of the Institute for Contemporary Affairs at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. His recent books include Islamic Imperialism: A History

Now, Karsh's article implies that the "humanitarian" and "pro-peace" and "human rights" organizations which are major instruments for demonizing Israel, along with much of the Western press, especially in Britain, are instruments of Judeophobes. The NGO Monitor website [see the blogroll at right] goes farther and shows that many of these bodies are in fact funded by governments, making their designation as "non-governmental organizations" totally ridiculous. Hence, it follows that many Western governments are Judeophobic, particularly the UK govt which seems to direct Amnesty International, which in any case has its head office conveniently located in London. Not only do AI and other such bodies smear Israel, but they omit information about the persecution or mistreatment of Jews [ie, as AI does regarding Jonathan Pollard].

Karsh points out that this Judeophobia disguised as humanitarian concern for the Arabs now called "palestinians," has roots far back in the past. For an example, look at many of the TV broadcasts purporting to deliver news about Israel and the Arabs. The news stories have a plot and are constructed on the model of the medieval passion plays. The Israelis [Jews] continually crucify innocent "palestinians" [a collective Jesus] for no discernible reason. The Israelis' alleged cruelty seems unreasonable and to flow from the Israelis' naturally evil character. This is the structure of the passion play. The "palestinians" are shown traversing an endless passion caused by those who tormented Jesus, who called for his blood. Atavistic of course but also very 21st century.

The instruments of the demonization cited by Karsh are the media and NGOs. Now, it should be borne in mind that diplomacy is not merely a matter of well-dressed, well-mannered diplomats traveling around the world and going to cocktail parties. Diplomacy is also influencing public opinion in foreign countries [and one's own country] which is done through the press, media, schools, universities, textbooks, religious preaching, and statements by self-styled "humanitarian," "pro-peace," and "human rights" bodies [NGOs]. By dressing up in the garb of lofty ideals and values, like peace, messages can be transmitted that have nothing to do with those values or may even be opposed to those values, as well as being false. As far as international law is concerned, it is often overlooked by those who claim to be devoted to it and is often misrepresented by parties to conflict [as parties to civil suits interpret law in their own interest]. Whereas Clausewitz wrote that war is an extension of diplomacy, we could also say that diplomacy is an extension or adjunct or instrument of war.

The Red Cross [ICRC] knows that int'l law requires access to prisoners of war by the ICRC. Warring parties that do not provide such access are to be denied humanitarian services by the ICRC. Yet the ICRC is now vitally concerned with the humanitarian needs of Gaza denizens, who helped Hamas take power there. By rights, since the Hamas refuses access to Gilad Shalit, the ICRC should refuse to provide humanitarian services in Gaza. Nevertheless, a high official of the ICRC, a Swiss body, was shown on TV this morning in Gaza wringing his hands over the humanitarian state of affairs there caused by Hamas' abuse of Jewish human rights, its denial of any human rights to Jews at all. NGOs in general, and Amnesty in particular, are not to be taken at face value when they chirp about human rights abuses, etc. They're no better than the media and often serve the same interests and policies.
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Coming: More on Zbig's schemes, Obama's dishonesty, the "Left's" lies, Jews in Jerusalem, Hebron, archeology, propaganda analysis, peace follies, etc