The perennial debate about whether and when anti-Zionism is anti-Semitic briefly seemed moot last month when protests against Israel’s military action in Palestinian territories spilled over, on several occasions, into overtly anti-Semitic violence. In New York, a 29-year-old Jewish man was beaten by pro-Palestinian protesters near the site of dueling pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations, and firecrackers were tossed at Jewish-owned businesses. In Borough Park, Brooklyn, Orthodox Jewish men and teen boys were assaulted by men shouting, “Free Palestine—kill all the Jews.” In Los Angeles, diners outside a sushi restaurant were attacked by men carrying Palestinian flags.
Some reactions from progressives have fueled further controversy. Several prominent left-of-center politicians, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) condemned anti-Semitism while grouping it with “Islamophobia” (despite the lack of any noticeable spike in anti-Muslim crimes) and in some cases with “every other form of hate.” This, from quarters where “All Lives Matter” is regarded as a serious faux pas.
Read Full Article »