As an American, I am familiar with political division. There is always an ongoing battle of Democrats vs. Republicans, Liberals vs. Conservatives, and the list goes on.
Yet as Israel’s operation in Gaza seems to be winding down I’ve noticed a tangible global division over the matter of Israel more than ever.
I’m fully aware that this global division over Israel has always existed. However, I have to admit I’ve never seen it on such a large scale. Massive demonstrations from both sides are drawing thousands to protest in cities like New York, London, and Paris, with many anti-Israel protesters resorting to violence with their verbiage and action shifting from anti-Israel rhetoric to extreme anti-Semitism.
How is it possible that this little country of 8 million people with a land mass the size of the state of New Jersey can create such an international frenzy? Well, from what I can gather, the reason people are so divided over Israel comes down to three reasons: ignorance, Islamism and anti-Semitism, and isolationism.
Islamism and Anti-Semitism
Islam is no longer contained in the cocoon of the Muslim countries of the Middle East. Muslims have immigrated west in large numbers to many European countries and the United States bringing with them their Islamic theology and ideology. It should be no surprise, then, to read that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world today. The growing number of Muslims in the EU have a profound negative attitude toward the Jewish communities in areas of Europe like Belgium and France. As a result anti-Semitism has been on the rise and Jewish people have been murdered for simply being Jewish.
France is known to have the largest Muslim (6.5 million) and Jewish (600,000) population in Europe. During Operation Protective Edge many anti-Israel protests quickly turned to a showcase of pure anti-Semitism and violence. Jewish-owned stores were devastated and a synagogue was attacked, while people waved signs, “Gas the Jews,” “Kill the Jews.”
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French President Francois Hollande condemned the acts of anti-Semitism and warned against “importing” the Israeli/Palestinian conflict into France. His use of the term “importing” reveals that he believes anti-Semitism is coming from a source outside of France. Concurrently, a Swedish politician called Islamism the Nazism of our time.
Shockingly, anti-Semitism isn’t isolated to the Muslim communities of Europe. It’s spreading all over like a cancer. Anti-Semitism has found its way into EU parliaments with the Greek Golden Dawn party, who have three seats in the European parliament. They consider themselves a Neo-Nazi party, praising certain figures of the Nazi party. A Hungarian MP from the Jobbik party called for a list of Hungarian Jews to be drawn up because they could become a national threat to Hungary.
Dr. Manfred Gerstenfeld believes that 150 million people in Europe harbor serious anti-Semitic and/or “demonic views of Israel.” This blatant anti-Semitism, in what seems like all of Europe, first manifests itself in the form of anti-Israel sentiments whenever Israel defends itself against the barrage of Hamas rockets.
American support for Israel still outnumbers Palestinian support. However, during Operation Protective Edge, pro-Hamas rallies drew thousands of people in major cities like Washington, DC, New York, Baltimore, and Los Angeles. Chants of “Intifada,” “Go, Hamas, Go!,” and “End the Genocide!” could be heard coming from these rallies.
The international rise of Islamism and anti-Semitism are a major reason for hatred toward Israel, which is a major element of global division over Israel.
Part 1 of Global Division Over Israel. Why? will examine the effects of ignorance and propaganda on international opinion of Israel.
Part 3 of Global Division Over Israel. Why? will examine the effects of isolationism on international opinion of Israel.
CJK
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