Anti-Semitism

Wehrmacht, Battle of Belgorod July, 1943

Anti-Semitism is encountered in the markets, in academia, in the soul of old men and in the games children play in the yard. Anti-Semitism is as strong in the atomic age as in the time of sailing boats and oil lamps.

Anti-Semitism is a means rather than an end; it is a measure of the contradictions yet to be resolved. It is a mirror of the failings of individuals, social structures and state systems. Accuse thre Jews then you arer guilty. Dostoyevsky saw a Jewish usurer where he should have seen the pitiless eyes of of a Russian serf owner, industrialist or contractor. In accusing the

Jew of racism, a desie for world domination and a cosmopolitan indifference towards the German fatherland, National Socialism was merely describing its own features.

Anti-Semitism is an expression of a lack of talent, an inability to win a contest on equal terms - in science or in commerce, in crafts or painting. States look to the imaginary intrigues of World Jewry for explanation of their own failure.

Anti-Semitism expresses the lack of consciousness of the masses, of their inability to understand the true reason for their sufferings. Ignorant people blame the Jews for their troubles when they should blame the social structure of their own State. Anti-Semitism is a measure of the religious prejudices in the lower levels of a society.

Anti-Semitism is unique to the history of the persecution of national minorities. Anti-Semitism is a unique phenomenon - just as the history of the Jews is unique. A man's shadow marks his stature, so Anti-Semitism denotes the history and destiny of the Jews. The Jews are linked with many religious and political issues of world importance, they are dispersed throughout both Eastern and Western hemispheres, there are Jews in every country worldwide.

The dawn of capitalism ensured Jewish tradesmen and usurers first appeared. During the industrial revolution Jews were prominent in industry ad mechanics. During the atomic age Jews were prominent nuclear physicists. Revolutionary struggles were dominated by Jews, Trotsky. Jews have always chosen to be at the centre of society's industrial and ideological development.

Part of the Jewish minority assimilate, however, most retain their peculiar religion, language and way of life. Anti-Semitism always accuses the assimilated Jews of secret of nationalist and religious aspirations, whilst holding the generalm mass of non-assimilated Jews - manual labourers and artisans - responsible for the actions of their fellows who become revolutionary leaders, captains of industry, atomic physicists and important administrators.

Anti-Semitism reflects these traits, bound up with the most important questions of world politics, economics, ideology and religion. This is the most sinister characteristic, the flame of its bonfires has lit the most terrible periods of history.

The Inquisition not only expressed the power of evil but also lit up the spectacle of its destruction. During the twentieth century, an ill fated nationalist regime lit the bonfires of Auschwitz and the gas ovens of Treblinka. Theses flamesnot only lit up Fascism's brief triumph, but also foretold its doom. Historical epochs, unsuccessful and reactionary governments, and individuals hoping to better their lot all turn to anti-Semitism as a last resort, in an attempt to escape an invevitable doom.

There are different levels of anti-Semitism, there is harmless everyday anti-Semitism, bearing witness to the existence of failures and envious fools. There is social anti-Semitism which can only arise in democratic countries, present in the sections of the press representing reactionary groups with boycotts of Jewish labour and Jewish goods and in their ideology and religion.

State anti-Semitism arises in totalitarian countries where society no longer exists. The state seeks the support of fools reactionaries and failures, seeking to capitalise on the ignorance of the superstitious and the anger of the hungry. The first stage of State anti-Semitism is discrimination, the State limits where Jews can live, their choice of professions open to them, their right to occupy important positions, their access to higher education usw..

Wholesale destruction follows, when the forces of reaction enter a fatal struggle against the forces of freedom, then anti-Semitism becomes an ideology of Party and State as happened with Fascism.

Vitaly Grossman, borm to a Jewish family in Ukraine, was war correspondent in the Red Star, Red Army newspaper, was first to describe the Vernichtungs Laager along with details of the fighting in and around Stalingrad.

Source: Vitaly Grossman, Life anfd Fate, Zhizn I Subda, Vintage 1985

Anti-Semitism is not interdicting the slaughter in Palestine; it is not favouring Hamas governed Gaza; it is not criticising Netanyahu who cares nothing about anyone except himself, desperate to stay out of jail. Natanyahu's kill all policy renders Israel unsafe. Netanyahu's mistakes:- the blockade of Gaza from 2005; unilateral security for Israel must be communal for both Israel and Palestine; Hamas cannot be defeated militarily. The resolution of Gaza, West Bank and East Jerusalem as the state of Palestine - legally binding with UN; the families of Israeli hostages have the power to determine the next Israeli government. Netanyahu faces prison for corruption as did former PM Olmert.