Eretz Israel is our unforgettable historic homeland...The Jews who will it shall achieve their State...And whatever we attempt there for our own benefit will redound mightily and beneficially to the good of all mankind. (Theodor Herzl, DerJudenstaat, 1896)

We offer peace and amity to all the neighbouring states and their peoples, and invite them to cooperate with the independent Jewish nation for the common good of all. The State of Israel is ready to contribute its full share to the peaceful progress and development of the Middle East.
(From Proclamation of the State of Israel, 5 Iyar 5708; 14 May 1948)

With a liberal democratic political system operating under the rule of law, a flourishing market economy producing technological innovation to the benefit of the wider world, and a population as educated and cultured as anywhere in Europe or North America, Israel is a normal Western country with a right to be treated as such in the community of nations.... For the global jihad, Israel may be the first objective. But it will not be the last. (Friends of Israel Initiative)

Thursday 2 June 2016

"Today You Can't Hate [Jews] For Their Race, So You Hate Them For Their Nation State": Lord Sacks on modern antisemitism (video)

This, unusually, is my third post of the day (please don't overlook the other two, the first of which is an article by David Singer on the European Union and the PLO).

In this excerpt from an interview with the BBC's Evan Davis, former Chief Rabbi of Great Britain and the Commonwealth Lord Sacks, having noted why multiculturalism has failed to promote tolerance, maintains that today's anti-Zionism is antisemitism in disguise.



2 comments:

  1. Sweet sounding words but Dr Sacks has rarely stood up to bigots, racists and antisemites. He adopts a somewhat live and let live approach. Perhaps that had to do with his official role but now it's too little too late.

    ReplyDelete
  2. One of the best denunciations of antizionism as antisemitism was written by Dr Sacks immediately after his retirement.
    He explained he felt constrained to speak out in support of Israel, which he praised, because of his official role as a religious leader and in the hope of setting an example for other religious leaders.
    He was appalled that his silence was being used by antisemites to attack Israel and the wide spread rumors that he was an antizionist.
    They were wide spread. They reached as far as Australia. For pro -Israel advocates it was a case of "thanks a lot Rabbi."

    There's a lesson there for all of us I think.

    ReplyDelete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.