The Lust oI the Semites

By JosepI Mussud

A-JAZEERA - 1 MAY, zo1
JewIsI opponenLs oI ZIonIsm undersLood LIe movemenL sInce ILs eurIy uge us one LIuL
sIured LIe precepLs oI unLI-SemILIsm In ILs dIugnosIs oI wIuL genLIIe Europeuns cuIIed
LIe "JewIsI QuesLIon". WIuL guIIed unLI-ZIonIsL Jews LIe mosL, Iowever, wus LIuL
ZIonIsm uIso sIured LIe "soIuLIon" Lo LIe JewIsI QuesLIon LIuL unLI-SemILes Iud uIwuys
udvocuLed, numeIy LIe expuIsIon oI Jews Irom Europe.
L wus LIe ProLesLunL ReIormuLIon wILI ILs revIvuI oI LIe Hebrew BIbIe LIuL wouId IInk
LIe modern Jews oI Europe Lo LIe uncIenL Hebrews oI PuIesLIne, u IInk LIuL LIe
pIIIoIogIsLs oI LIe 18LI cenLury wouId soIIdIIy LIrougI LIeIr dIscovery oI LIe IumIIy oI
"SemILIc" Iunguuges, IncIudIng Hebrew und ArubIc. WIereus MIIIenurIun ProLesLunLs
InsIsLed LIuL conLemporury Jews, us descendunLs oI LIe uncIenL Hebrews, musL Ieuve
Europe Lo PuIesLIne Lo expedILe LIe second comIng oI CIrIsL, pIIIoIogIcuI dIscoverIes Ied
Lo LIe IubeIIng oI conLemporury Jews us "SemILes". TIe Ieup LIuL LIe bIoIogIcuI scIences
oI ruce und IeredILy wouId muke In LIe 1qLI cenLury oI consIderIng conLemporury
Europeun Jews rucIuI descendunLs oI LIe uncIenL Hebrews wouId, us u resuIL, noL be u
gIunL one.
BusIng LIemseIves on LIe connecLIons mude by unLI-JewIsI ProLesLunL MIIIenurIuns,
secuIur Europeun IIgures suw LIe poIILIcuI poLenLIuI oI "resLorIng" Jews Lo PuIesLIne
ubounded In LIe 1qLI cenLury. ess InLeresLed In expedILIng LIe second comIng oI CIrIsL
us were LIe MIIIenurIuns, LIese secuIur poIILIcIuns, Irom NupoIeon BonupurLe Lo BrILIsI
IoreIgn secreLury ord PuImersLon (1;8-186) Lo ErnesL uIurunne, LIe prIvuLe
secreLury oI NupoIeon In LIe 186os, sougIL Lo expeI LIe Jews oI Europe Lo PuIesLIne
In order Lo seL LIem up us ugenLs oI Europeun ImperIuIIsm In AsIu. TIeIr cuII wouId be
espoused by muny "unLI-SemILes", u new IubeI cIosen by Europeun unLI-JewIsI rucIsLs
uILer ILs InvenLIon In 18;q by u mInor VIennese journuIIsL by LIe nume oI WIIIeIm Murr,
wIo Issued u poIILIcuI progrumme LILIed The Victor oj 1udcism oter Germcnism.
Murr wus cureIuI Lo decoupIe unLI-SemILIsm Irom LIe IIsLory oI CIrIsLIun IuLred oI
Jews on LIe busIs oI reIIgIon, empIusIzIng, In IIne wILI SemILIc pIIIoIogy und rucIuI
LIeorIes oI LIe 1qLI cenLury, LIuL LIe dIsLIncLIon Lo be mude beLween Jews und Aryuns
wus sLrIcLIy rucIuI.

Assimiluting Jews into Ioropeun coltore
ScIenLIIIc unLI-SemILIsm InsIsLed LIuL LIe Jews were dIIIerenL Irom CIrIsLIun
Europeuns. ndeed LIuL LIe Jews were noL Europeun uL uII und LIuL LIeIr very presence
In Europe Is wIuL cuuses unLI-SemILIsm. TIe reuson wIy Jews cuused so muny
probIems Ior Europeun CIrIsLIuns Iud Lo do wILI LIeIr uIIeged rooLIessness, LIuL LIey
Iucked u counLry, und Ience counLry-bused IoyuILy. n LIe RomunLIc uge oI Europeun
nuLIonuIIsms, unLI-SemILes urgued LIuL Jews dId noL IIL In LIe new nuLIonuI
conIIguruLIons, und dIsrupLed nuLIonuI und rucIuI purILy essenLIuI Lo mosL Europeun
nuLIonuIIsms. TIIs Is wIy II LIe Jews remuIned In Europe, LIe unLI-SemILes urgued, LIey
couId onIy cuuse IosLIIILy umong CIrIsLIun Europeuns. TIe onIy soIuLIon wus Ior LIe
Jews Lo exIL Irom Europe und Iuve LIeIr own counLry. NeedIess Lo suy, reIIgIous und
secuIur Jews opposed LIIs IorrIIIc unLI-SemILIc IIne oI LIInkIng. OrLIodox und ReIorm
Jews, SocIuIIsL und CommunIsL Jews, cosmopoIILun und YIddIsIkeIL cuILuruI Jews, uII
ugreed LIuL LIIs wus u dungerous IdeoIogy oI IosLIIILy LIuL sougIL LIe expuIsIon oI Jews
Irom LIeIr Europeun IomeIunds.
TIe JewIsI HuskuIuI, or EnIIgILenmenL, wIIcI emerged uIso In LIe 1qLI cenLury,
sougIL Lo ussImIIuLe Jews InLo Europeun secuIur genLIIe cuILure und Iuve LIem sIed
LIeIr JewIsI cuILure. L wus LIe HuskuIuI LIuL sougIL Lo breuk LIe Iegemony oI
OrLIodox JewIsI rubbIs on LIe "OsLjuden" oI LIe EusL Europeun sILeLI und Lo sIed wIuL
IL perceIved us u "medIevuI" JewIsI cuILure In Iuvour oI LIe modern secuIur cuILure oI
Europeun CIrIsLIuns. ReIorm JuduIsm, us u CIrIsLIun- und ProLesLunL-IIke vurIunL oI
JuduIsm, wouId emerge Irom LIe bosom oI LIe HuskuIuI. TIIs ussImIIuLIonIsL
progrumme, Iowever, sougIL Lo InLegruLe Jews In Europeun modernILy, noL Lo expeI
LIem ouLsIde Europe's geogrupIy.
WIen ZIonIsm sLurLed u decude und u IuII uILer Murr's unLI-SemILIc progrumme wus
pubIIsIed, IL wouId espouse uII LIese unLI-JewIsI Ideus, IncIudIng scIenLIIIc unLI-
SemILIsm us vuIId. or ZIonIsm, Jews were "SemILes", wIo were descendunLs oI LIe
uncIenL Hebrews. n IIs IounduLIonuI pumpIIeL Der 1udenstcct, HerzI expIuIned LIuL IL
wus Jews, noL LIeIr CIrIsLIun enemIes, wIo "cuuse" unLI-SemILIsm und LIuL "wIere IL
does noL exIsL, |unLI-SemILIsm| Is currIed by Jews In LIe course oI LIeIr mIgruLIons",
Indeed LIuL "LIe unIorLunuLe Jews ure now curryIng LIe seeds oI unLI-SemILIsm InLo
EngIund; LIey Iuve uIreudy InLroduced IL InLo AmerIcu"; LIuL Jews were u "nuLIon" LIuL
sIouId Ieuve Europe Lo resLore LIeIr "nuLIonIood" In PuIesLIne or ArgenLInu; LIuL Jews
musL emuIuLe Europeun CIrIsLIuns cuILuruIIy und ubundon LIeIr IIvIng Iunguuges und
LrudILIons In Iuvour oI modern Europeun Iunguuges or u resLored uncIenL nuLIonuI
Iunguuge. HerzI preIerred LIuL uII Jews udopL Germun, wIIIe LIe EusL Europeun
ZIonIsLs wunLed Hebrew. ZIonIsLs uILer HerzI even ugreed und uIIIrmed LIuL Jews were
sepuruLe rucIuIIy Irom Aryuns. As Ior YIddIsI, LIe IIvIng Iunguuge oI mosL Europeun
Jews, uII ZIonIsLs ugreed LIuL IL sIouId be ubundoned.
TIe mujorILy oI Jews conLInued Lo resIsL ZIonIsm und undersLood ILs precepLs us LIose
oI unLI-SemILIsm und us u conLInuuLIon oI LIe HuskuIuI quesL Lo sIed JewIsI cuILure
und ussImIIuLe Jews InLo Europeun secuIur genLIIe cuILure, excepL LIuL ZIonIsm sougIL
LIe IuLLer noL InsIde Europe buL uL u geogrupIIcuI remove IoIIowIng LIe expuIsIon oI
Jews Irom Europe. TIe Bund, or LIe GeneruI JewIsI ubor UnIon In ILIuunIu, PoIund,
und RussIu, wIIcI wus Iounded In VIInu In eurIy OcLober 18q;, u Iew weeks uILer LIe
convenIng oI LIe IIrsL ZIonIsL Congress In BuseI In IuLe AugusL 18q;, wouId become
ZIonIsm's IIercesL enemy. TIe Bund joIned LIe exIsLIng unLI-ZIonIsL JewIsI couIILIon oI
OrLIodox und ReIorm rubbIs wIo Iud combIned Iorces u Iew monLIs eurIIer Lo prevenL
HerzI Irom convenIng LIe IIrsL ZIonIsL Congress In MunIcI, wIIcI Iorced IIm Lo move IL
Lo BuseI. JewIsI unLI-ZIonIsm ucross Europe und In LIe UnILed SLuLes Iud LIe supporL
oI LIe mujorILy oI Jews wIo conLInued Lo vIew ZIonIsm us un unLI-JewIsI movemenL
weII InLo LIe 1qqos.
Anti-Semitic chuin oI pro-Zionist enthosiusts
ReuIIsIng LIuL ILs pIun Ior LIe IuLure oI Europeun Jews wus In IIne wILI LIose oI unLI-
SemILes, HerzI sLruLegIsed eurIy on un uIIIunce wILI LIe IuLLer. He decIured In Der
1udenstcct LIuL:
"TIe GovernmenLs oI uII counLrIes scourged by unLI-SemILIsm wIII be keenIy InLeresLed
In ussIsLIng us Lo obLuIn |LIe| sovereIgnLy we wunL."
He udded LIuL "noL onIy poor Jews" wouId conLrIbuLe Lo un ImmIgruLIon Iund Ior
Europeun Jews, "buL uIso CIrIsLIuns wIo wunLed Lo geL rId oI LIem". HerzI
unupoIogeLIcuIIy conIIded In IIs Dicries LIuL:
"TIe unLI-SemILes wIII become our mosL dependubIe IrIends, LIe unLI-SemILIc counLrIes
our uIIIes."
TIus wIen HerzI begun Lo meeL In 1qo wILI InIumous unLI-SemILes IIke LIe RussIun
mInIsLer oI LIe InLerIor VyucIesIuv von PIeIve, wIo oversuw unLI-JewIsI pogroms In
RussIu, IL wus un uIIIunce LIuL Ie sougIL by desIgn. TIuL IL wouId be LIe unLI-SemILIc
ord BuIIour, wIo us PrIme MInIsLer oI BrILuIn In 1qo oversuw IIs governmenL's
AIIens AcL, wIIcI prevenLed EusL Europeun Jews IIeeIng RussIun pogroms Irom
enLerIng BrILuIn In order, us Ie puL IL, Lo suve LIe counLry Irom LIe "undoubLed evIIs" oI
"un ImmIgruLIon wIIcI wus IurgeIy JewIsI", wus Iurdy coIncIdenLuI. BuIIour's InIumous
DecIuruLIon oI 1q1; Lo creuLe In PuIesLIne u "nuLIonuI Iome" Ior LIe "JewIsI peopIe",
wus desIgned, umong oLIer LIIngs, Lo curb JewIsI supporL Ior LIe RussIun RevoIuLIon
und Lo sLem LIe LIde oI IurLIer unwunLed JewIsI ImmIgrunLs InLo BrILuIn.
TIe NuzIs wouId noL be un excepLIon In LIIs unLI-SemILIc cIuIn oI pro-ZIonIsL
enLIusIusLs. ndeed, LIe ZIonIsLs wouId sLrIke u deuI wILI LIe NuzIs very eurIy In LIeIr
IIsLory. L wus In 1q LIuL LIe InIumous TrunsIer (Hc'ctcrc) AgreemenL wus sIgned
beLween LIe ZIonIsLs und LIe NuzI governmenL Lo IucIIILuLe LIe LrunsIer oI Germun Jews
und LIeIr properLy Lo PuIesLIne und wIIcI broke LIe InLernuLIonuI JewIsI boycoLL oI
NuzI Germuny sLurLed by AmerIcun Jews. L wus In LIIs spIrIL LIuL ZIonIsL envoys were
dIspuLcIed Lo PuIesLIne Lo reporL on LIe successes oI JewIsI coIonIzuLIon oI LIe counLry.
AdoII EIcImunn reLurned Irom IIs 1q; LrIp Lo PuIesLIne IuII oI IunLusLIc sLorIes ubouL
LIe ucIIevemenLs oI LIe rucIuIIy-sepuruLIsL AsIkenuzI KIbbuLz, one oI wIIcI Ie vIsILed
on MounL CurmeI us u guesL oI LIe ZIonIsLs.
DespILe LIe overwIeImIng opposILIon oI mosL Germun Jews, IL wus LIe ZIonIsL
ederuLIon oI Germuny LIuL wus LIe onIy JewIsI group LIuL supporLed LIe Nuremberg
uws oI 1q, us LIey ugreed wILI LIe NuzIs LIuL Jews und Aryuns were sepuruLe und
sepurubIe ruces. TIIs wus noL u LucLIcuI supporL buL one bused on IdeoIogIcuI sImIIILude.
TIe NuzIs' InuI SoIuLIon InILIuIIy meunL LIe expuIsIon oI Germuny's Jews Lo
Muduguscur. L Is LIIs sIured gouI oI expeIIIng Jews Irom Europe us u sepuruLe
unussImIIubIe ruce LIuL creuLed LIe uIIInILy beLween NuzIs und ZIonIsLs uII uIong.
WIIIe LIe mujorILy oI Jews conLInued Lo resIsL LIe unLI-SemILIc busIs oI ZIonIsm und ILs
uIIIunces wILI unLI-SemILes, LIe NuzI genocIde noL onIy kIIIed qo percenL oI Europeun
Jews, buL In LIe process uIso kIIIed LIe mujorILy oI JewIsI enemIes oI ZIonIsm wIo dIed
precIseIy becuuse LIey reIused Lo Ieed LIe ZIonIsL cuII oI ubundonIng LIeIr counLrIes
und Iomes.
AILer LIe Wur, LIe Iorror uL LIe JewIsI IoIocuusL dId noL sLop Europeun counLrIes Irom
supporLIng LIe unLI-SemILIc progrumme oI ZIonIsm. On LIe conLrury, LIese counLrIes
sIured wILI LIe NuzIs u predIIecLIon Ior ZIonIsm. TIey onIy opposed NuzIsm's
genocIduI progrumme. Europeun counLrIes, uIong wILI LIe UnILed SLuLes, reIused Lo
Luke In Iundreds oI LIousunds oI JewIsI survIvors oI LIe IoIocuusL. n IucL, LIese
counLrIes voLed uguInsL u UN resoIuLIon InLroduced by LIe Arub sLuLes In 1qq; cuIIIng on
LIem Lo Luke In LIe JewIsI survIvors, yeL LIese sume counLrIes wouId be LIe ones wIo
wouId supporL LIe UnILed NuLIons PurLILIon PIun oI November 1qq; Lo creuLe u JewIsI
SLuLe In PuIesLIne Lo wIIcI LIese unwunLed JewIsI reIugees couId be expeIIed.
The pro-Zionist policies oI the Nuzis
TIe UnILed SLuLes und Europeun counLrIes, IncIudIng Germuny, wouId conLInue LIe
pro-ZIonIsL poIIcIes oI LIe NuzIs. PosL-Wur WesL Germun governmenLs LIuL presenLed
LIemseIves us openIng u new puge In LIeIr reIuLIonsIIp wILI Jews In reuIILy dId no sucI
LIIng. SInce LIe esLubIIsImenL oI LIe counLry uILer WW, every WesL Germun
governmenL (und every Germun governmenL sInce unIIIcuLIon In1qqo) Ius conLInued
LIe pro-ZIonIsL NuzI poIIcIes unubuLed. TIere wus never u breuk wILI NuzI pro-ZIonIsm.
TIe onIy breuk wus wILI LIe genocIduI und rucIuI IuLred oI Jews LIuL NuzIsm
consecruLed, buL noL wILI LIe desIre Lo see Jews seL up In u counLry In AsIu, uwuy Irom
Europe. ndeed, LIe Germuns wouId expIuIn LIuL mucI oI LIe money LIey were sendIng
Lo srueI wus Lo IeIp oIIseL LIe cosLs oI reseLLIIng Europeun JewIsI reIugees In LIe
counLry.
AILer WorId Wur , u new consensus emerged In LIe UnILed SLuLes und Europe LIuL
Jews Iud Lo be InLegruLed posLIumousIy InLo wIILe Europeunness, und LIuL LIe Iorror
oI LIe JewIsI IoIocuusL wus essenLIuIIy u Iorror uL LIe murder oI wIILe Europeuns.
SInce LIe 1q6os, HoIIywood IIIms ubouL LIe IoIocuusL begun Lo depIcL JewIsI vIcLIms oI
NuzIsm us wIILe CIrIsLIun-IookIng, mIddIe cIuss, educuLed und LuIenLed peopIe noL
unIIke conLemporury Europeun und AmerIcun CIrIsLIuns wIo sIouId und wouId
IdenLIIy wILI LIem. PresumubIy II LIe IIIms were Lo depIcL LIe poor reIIgIous Jews oI
EusLern Europe (und mosL EusL Europeun Jews wIo were kIIIed by LIe NuzIs were poor
und muny were reIIgIous), conLemporury wIILe CIrIsLIuns wouId noL IInd commonuIILy
wILI LIem. Hence, LIe posL-IoIocuusL Europeun CIrIsLIun Iorror uL LIe genocIde oI
Europeun Jews wus noL bused on LIe Iorror oI sIuugILerIng peopIe In LIe mIIIIons wIo
were dijjerent jrom Europecn Christicns, buL ruLIer u Iorror uL LIe murder oI mIIIIons
oI peopIe wIo were LIe scme cs Europecn Christicns. TIIs expIuIns wIy In u counLry
IIke LIe UnILed SLuLes, wIIcI Iud noLIIng Lo do wILI LIe sIuugILer oI Europeun Jews,
LIere exIsLs upwurds oI qo IoIocuusL memorIuIs und u mujor museum Ior LIe murdered
Jews oI Europe, buL noL one Ior LIe IoIocuusL oI NuLIve AmerIcuns or AIrIcun
AmerIcuns Ior wIIcI LIe US Is responsIbIe.
AIm CsuIre undersLood LIIs process very weII. n IIs Iumous speecI on coIonIuIIsm,
Ie uIIIrmed LIuL LIe reLrospecLIve vIew oI Europeun CIrIsLIuns ubouL NuzIsm Is LIuL
IL Is burburIsm, buL LIe supreme burburIsm, LIe crownIng burburIsm LIuL sums up uII
LIe duIIy burburIsms; LIuL IL Is NuzIsm, yes, buL LIuL beIore |Europeuns| were ILs
vIcLIms, LIey were ILs uccompIIces; und LIey LoIeruLed LIuL NuzIsm beIore IL wus
InIIIcLed on LIem, LIuL LIey ubsoIved IL, sIuL LIeIr eyes Lo IL, IegILImIsed IL, becuuse,
unLII LIen, IL Iud been uppIIed onIy Lo non-Europeun peopIes; LIuL LIey Iuve cuILIvuLed
LIuL NuzIsm, LIuL LIey ure responsIbIe Ior IL, und LIuL beIore enguIIIng LIe wIoIe oI
WesLern, CIrIsLIun cIvIIIsuLIon In ILs reddened wuLers, IL oozes, seeps, und LrIckIes Irom
every cruck.
TIuL Ior CsuIre LIe NuzI wurs und IoIocuusL were Europeun coIonIuIIsm Lurned
Inwurds Is Lrue enougI. BuL sInce LIe reIubIIILuLIon oI NuzIsm's vIcLIms us wIILe peopIe,
Europe und ILs AmerIcun uccompIIce wouId conLInue LIeIr NuzI poIIcy oI vIsILIng
Iorrors on non-wIILe peopIe uround LIe worId, on Koreu, on VIeLnum und ndocIInu,
on AIgerIu, on ndonesIu, on CenLruI und SouLI AmerIcu, on CenLruI und SouLIern
AIrIcu, on PuIesLIne, on run, und on ruq und AIgIunIsLun.
TIe reIubIIILuLIon oI Europeun Jews uILer WW wus u crucIuI purL oI US CoId Wur
propugundu. As AmerIcun socIuI scIenLIsLs und IdeoIogues deveIoped LIe LIeory oI
"LoLuIILurIunIsm", wIIcI posILed SovIeL CommunIsm und NuzIsm us essenLIuIIy LIe
sume Lype oI regIme, Europeun Jews, us vIcLIms oI one LoLuIILurIun regIme, becume purL
oI LIe uLrocILy exIIbILIon LIuL AmerIcun und WesL Europeun propugundu cIuImed wus
IIke LIe uLrocILIes LIuL LIe SovIeL regIme wus uIIegedIy commILLIng In LIe pre- und posL-
Wur perIods. TIuL srueI wouId jump on LIe bundwugon by uccusIng LIe SovIeLs oI unLI-
SemILIsm Ior LIeIr reIusuI Lo uIIow SovIeL JewIsI cILIzens Lo seII-expeI und Ieuve Lo
srueI wus purL oI LIe propugundu.
Commitment to white sopremucy
L wus LIus LIuL LIe Europeun und US commILmenL Lo wIILe supremucy wus preserved,
excepL LIuL IL now IncIuded Jews us purL oI "wIILe" peopIe, und wIuL cume Lo be cuIIed
"Judeo-CIrIsLIun" cIvIIIsuLIon. Europeun und AmerIcun poIIcIes uILer WorId Wur ,
wIIcI conLInued Lo be InspIred und dIcLuLed by rucIsm uguInsL NuLIve AmerIcuns,
AIrIcuns, AsIuns, Arubs und MusIIms, und conLInued Lo supporL ZIonIsm's unLI-SemILIc
progrumme oI ussImIIuLIng Jews InLo wIILeness In u coIonIuI seLLIer sLuLe uwuy Irom
Europe, were u dIrecL conLInuuLIon oI unLI-SemILIc poIIcIes prevuIenL beIore LIe Wur. L
wus jusL LIuL mucI oI LIe unLI-SemILIc rucIuIIsL venom wouId now be dIrecLed uL Arubs
und MusIIms (boLI, LIose wIo ure ImmIgrunLs und cILIzens In Europe und LIe UnILed
SLuLes und LIose wIo IIve In AsIu und AIrIcu) wIIIe LIe ersLwIIIe unLI-SemILIc supporL
Ior ZIonIsm wouId conLInue unIIndered.
WesL Germuny's uIIIunce wILI ZIonIsm und srueI uILer WW, oI suppIyIng srueI wILI
Iuge economIc uId In LIe 1qos und oI economIc und mIIILury uId sInce LIe eurIy 1q6os,
IncIudIng Lunks, wIIcI IL used Lo kIII PuIesLInIuns und oLIer Arubs, Is u conLInuuLIon oI
LIe uIIIunce LIuL LIe NuzI governmenL concIuded wILI LIe ZIonIsLs In LIe 1qos. n LIe
1q6os, WesL Germuny even provIded mIIILury LruInIng Lo srueII soIdIers und sInce LIe
1q;os Ius provIded srueI wILI nucIeur-reudy Germun-mude submurInes wILI wIIcI
srueI Iopes Lo kIII more Arubs und MusIIms. srueI Ius In recenL yeurs urmed LIe mosL
recenL Germun-suppIIed submurInes wILI nucIeur LIpped cruIse mIssIIes, u IucL LIuL Is
weII known Lo LIe currenL Germun governmenL. srueI's DeIence MInIsLer EIud Buruk
LoId Der SPIEGEL In zo1z LIuL Germuns sIouId be "proud" LIuL LIey Iuve secured LIe
exIsLence oI LIe sLuLe oI srueI "Ior muny yeurs". BerIIn IInunced one-LIIrd oI LIe cosL oI
LIe submurInes, uround 1 mIIIIon Euros ($168 mIIIIon) per submurIne, und Ius
uIIowed srueI Lo deIer ILs puymenL unLII zo1. TIuL LIIs mukes Germuny un uccompIIce
In LIe dIspossessIon oI LIe PuIesLInIuns Is oI no more concern Lo currenL Germun
governmenLs LIun IL wus In LIe 1q6os Lo WesL Germun CIunceIIor Konrud Adenuuer
wIo uIIIrmed LIuL "LIe ederuI RepubIIc Ius neILIer LIe rIgIL nor LIe responsIbIIILy Lo
Luke u posILIon on LIe PuIesLInIun reIugees".
TIIs Is Lo be udded Lo LIe mussIve bIIIIons LIuL Germuny Ius puId Lo LIe srueII
governmenL us compensuLIon Ior LIe IoIocuusL, us II srueI und ZIonIsm were LIe
vIcLIms oI NuzIsm, wIen In reuIILy IL wus unLI-ZIonIsL Jews wIo were kIIIed by LIe NuzIs.
TIe currenL Germun governmenL does noL cure ubouL LIe IucL LIuL even LIose Germun
Jews wIo IIed LIe NuzIs und ended up In PuIesLIne IuLed ZIonIsm und ILs projecL und
were IuLed In Lurn by ZIonIsL coIonIsLs In PuIesLIne. As Germun reIugees In 1qos und
1qqos PuIesLIne reIused Lo Ieurn Hebrew und pubIIsIed IuII u dozen Germun
newspupers In LIe counLry, LIey were uLLucked by LIe Hebrew press, IncIudIng
by Hccretz, wIIcI cuIIed Ior LIe cIosure oI LIeIr newspupers In 1qq und uguIn In 1qq1.
ZIonIsL coIonIsLs uLLucked u Germun-owned cuI In TeI AvIv becuuse ILs JewIsI owners
reIused Lo speuk Hebrew, und LIe TeI AvIv munIcIpuIILy LIreuLened In June 1qqq some
oI ILs Germun JewIsI resIdenLs Ior IoIdIng In LIeIr Iome on z1 AIIenby sLreeL "purLIes
und buIIs enLIreIy In LIe Germun Iunguuge, IncIudIng progrummes LIuL ure IoreIgn Lo
LIe spIrIL oI our cILy" und LIuL LIIs wouId "noL be LoIeruLed In TeI AvIv". Germun Jews,
or Yekkes us LIey were known In LIe YIsIuv, wouId even orgunIse u ceIebruLIon oI LIe
KuIser's bIrLIduy In 1qq1 (Ior LIese und more deLuIIs ubouL Germun JewIsI reIugees In
PuIesLIne, reud Tom Segev's book The Setenth Million).
Add Lo LIuL Germuny's supporL Ior srueII poIIcIes uguInsL PuIesLInIuns uL LIe UnILed
NuLIons, und LIe pIcLure becomes compIeLe. Even LIe new IoIocuusL memorIuI buIIL In
BerIIn LIuL opened In zoo muInLuIns NuzI rucIuI upurLIeId, us LIIs "MemorIuI Lo LIe
Murdered Jews oI Europe" Is onIy Ior JewIsI vIcLIms oI LIe NuzIs wIo musL sLIII Loduy
be seL upurL, us HILIer munduLed, Irom LIe oLIer mIIIIons oI non-Jews wIo uIso IeII
vIcLIm Lo NuzIsm. TIuL u subsIdIury oI LIe Germun compuny Degussu, wIIcI
coIIuboruLed wILI LIe NuzIs und wIIcI produced LIe ZykIon B gus LIuL wus used Lo kIII
peopIe In LIe gus cIumbers, wus conLrucLed Lo buIId LIe memorIuI wus unyLIIng buL
surprIsIng, us IL sImpIy conIIrms LIuL LIose wIo kIIIed Jews In Germuny In LIe IuLe
1qos und In LIe 1qqos now regreL wIuL LIey Iud done becuuse LIey now undersLund
Jews Lo be wIILe Europeuns wIo musL be commemoruLed und wIo sIouId noL Iuve
been kIIIed In LIe IIrsL pIuce on uccounL oI LIeIr wIILeness. TIe Germun poIIcy oI
ubeLLIng LIe kIIIIng oI Arubs by srueI, Iowever, Is IurdIy unreIuLed Lo LIIs commILmenL
Lo unLI-SemILIsm, wIIcI conLInues LIrougI LIe predomInunL conLemporury unLI-
MusIIm Germun rucIsm LIuL LurgeLs MusIIm ImmIgrunLs.
Ioro-Americun unti-Jewish trudition
TIe JewIsI IoIocuusL kIIIed oII LIe mujorILy oI Jews wIo IougIL und sLruggIed uguInsL
Europeun unLI-SemILIsm, IncIudIng ZIonIsm. WILI LIeIr deuLI, LIe onIy remuInIng
"SemILes" wIo ure IIgILIng uguInsL ZIonIsm und ILs unLI-SemILIsm Loduy ure LIe
PuIesLInIun peopIe. WIereus srueI InsIsLs LIuL Europeun Jews do noL beIong In Europe
und musL come Lo PuIesLIne, LIe PuIesLInIuns Iuve uIwuys InsIsLed LIuL LIe IomeIunds
oI Europeun Jews were LIeIr Europeun counLrIes und noL PuIesLIne, und LIuL ZIonIsL
coIonIuIIsm sprIngs Irom ILs very unLI-SemILIsm. WIereus ZIonIsm InsIsLs LIuL Jews ure
u ruce sepuruLe Irom Europeun CIrIsLIuns, LIe PuIesLInIuns InsIsL LIuL Europeun Jews
ure noLIIng II noL Europeun und Iuve noLIIng Lo do wILI PuIesLIne, ILs peopIe, or ILs
cuILure. WIuL srueI und ILs AmerIcun und Europeun uIIIes Iuve sougIL Lo do In LIe IusL
sIx und u IuII decudes Is Lo convInce PuIesLInIuns LIuL LIey Loo musL become unLI-
SemILes und beIIeve us LIe NuzIs, srueI, und ILs WesLern unLI-SemILIc uIIIes do, LIuL
Jews ure u ruce LIuL Is dIIIerenL Irom Europeun ruces, LIuL PuIesLIne Is LIeIr counLry,
und LIuL srueI speuks Ior uII Jews. TIuL LIe Lwo IurgesL AmerIcun pro-srueI voLIng
bIocs Loduy ure MIIIenurIun ProLesLunLs und secuIur ImperIuIIsLs conLInues LIe very
sume Euro-AmerIcun unLI-JewIsI LrudILIon LIuL exLends buck Lo LIe ProLesLunL
ReIormuLIon und 1qLI cenLury ImperIuIIsm. BuL LIe PuIesLInIuns Iuve remuIned
unconvInced und sLeudIusL In LIeIr resIsLunce Lo unLI-SemILIsm.
srueI und ILs unLI-SemILIc uIIIes uIIIrm LIuL srueI Is "LIe JewIsI peopIe", LIuL ILs
poIIcIes ure "JewIsI" poIIcIes, LIuL ILs ucIIevemenLs ure "JewIsI" ucIIevemenLs, LIuL ILs
crImes ure "JewIsI" crImes, und LIuL LIereIore unyone wIo dures Lo crILIcIse srueI Is
crILIcIsIng Jews und musL be un unLI-SemILe. TIe PuIesLInIun peopIe Iuve mounLed u
mujor sLruggIe uguInsL LIIs unLI-SemILIc IncILemenL. TIey conLInue Lo uIIIrm InsLeud
LIuL LIe srueII governmenL does noL speuk Ior uII Jews, LIuL IL does noL represenL uII
Jews, und LIuL ILs coIonIuI crImes uguInsL LIe PuIesLInIun peopIe ure ILs own crImes und
noL LIe crImes oI "LIe JewIsI peopIe", und LIuL LIereIore IL musL be crILIcIsed,
condemned und prosecuLed Ior ILs ongoIng wur crImes uguInsL LIe PuIesLInIun peopIe.
TIIs Is noL u new PuIesLInIun posILIon, buL one LIuL wus udopLed sInce LIe Lurn oI LIe
zoLI cenLury und conLInued LIrougIouL LIe pre-WW PuIesLInIun sLruggIe uguInsL
ZIonIsm. Yusser AruIuL's speecI uL LIe UnILed NuLIons In 1q;q sLressed uII LIese poInLs
veIemenLIy:
JusL us coIonIuIIsm IeedIessIy used LIe wreLcIed, LIe poor, LIe expIoILed us
mere InerL muLLer wILI wIIcI Lo buIId und Lo curry ouL seLLIer coIonIuIIsm,
so Loo were desLILuLe, oppressed Europeun Jews empIoyed on beIuII oI
worId ImperIuIIsm und oI LIe ZIonIsL IeudersIIp. Europeun Jews were
LrunsIormed InLo LIe InsLrumenLs oI uggressIon; LIey becume LIe eIemenLs
oI seLLIer coIonIuIIsm InLImuLeIy uIIIed Lo rucIuI dIscrImInuLIon.ZIonIsL
LIeoIogy wus uLIIIsed uguInsL our PuIesLInIun peopIe: LIe purpose wus noL
onIy LIe esLubIIsImenL oI WesLern-sLyIe seLLIer coIonIuIIsm buL uIso LIe
severIng oI Jews Irom LIeIr vurIous IomeIunds und subsequenLIy LIeIr
esLrungemenL Irom LIeIr nuLIons. ZIonIsm. Is unILed wILI unLI-SemILIsm In
ILs reLrogrude LeneLs und Is, wIen uII Is suId und done, unoLIer sIde oI LIe
sume buse coIn. or wIen wIuL Is proposed Is LIuL udIerenLs oI LIe JewIsI
IuILI, regurdIess oI LIeIr nuLIonuI resIdence, sIouId neILIer owe uIIegIunce
Lo LIeIr nuLIonuI resIdence nor IIve on equuI IooLIng wILI ILs oLIer, non-
JewIsI cILIzens -wIen LIuL Is proposed we Ieur unLI-SemILIsm beIng
proposed. WIen IL Is proposed LIuL LIe onIy soIuLIon Ior LIe JewIsI
probIem Is LIuL Jews musL uIIenuLe LIemseIves Irom communILIes or
nuLIons oI wIIcI LIey Iuve been u IIsLorIcuI purL, wIen IL Is proposed LIuL
Jews soIve LIe JewIsI probIem by ImmIgruLIng Lo und IorcIbIy seLLIIng LIe
Iund oI unoLIer peopIe - wIen LIIs occurs, exucLIy LIe sume posILIon Is beIng
udvocuLed us LIe one urged by unLI-SemILes uguInsL Jews.
srueI's cIuIm LIuL ILs crILIcs musL be unLI-SemILes presupposes LIuL ILs crILIcs beIIeve ILs
cIuIms LIuL IL represenLs "LIe JewIsI peopIe". ut it is Isrcel's clcims thct it represents
cnd specls jor cll 1eus thct cre the most cnti-Semitic clcims oj cll.
Toduy, srueI und LIe WesLern powers wunL Lo eIevuLe unLI-SemILIsm Lo un InLernuLIonuI
prIncIpIe uround wIIcI LIey seek Lo esLubIIsI IuII consensus. TIey InsIsL LIuL Ior LIere
Lo be peuce In LIe MIddIe EusL, PuIesLInIuns, Arubs und MusIIms musL become, IIke LIe
WesL, unLI-SemILes by espousIng ZIonIsm und recognIsIng srueI's unLI-SemILIc cIuIms.
ExcepL Ior dIcLuLorIuI Arub regImes und LIe PuIesLInIun AuLIorILy und ILs cronIes, on
LIIs 6LI unnIversury oI LIe unLI-SemILIc conquesL oI PuIesLIne by LIe ZIonIsLs, known
Lo PuIesLInIuns us LIe Nukbu, LIe PuIesLInIun peopIe und LIe Iew survIvIng unLI-ZIonIsL
Jews conLInue Lo reIuse Lo Ieed LIIs InLernuLIonuI cuII und IncILemenL Lo unLI-SemILIsm.
TIey uIIIrm LIuL LIey ure, us the lcst oj the Semites, LIe IeIrs oI LIe pre-WW JewIsI
und PuIesLInIun sLruggIes uguInsL unLI-SemILIsm und ILs ZIonIsL coIonIuI munIIesLuLIon.
L Is LIeIr resIsLunce LIuL sLunds In LIe wuy oI u compIeLe vIcLory Ior Europeun unLI-
SemILIsm In LIe MIddIe EusL und LIe worId uL Iurge.
1oseph Mcsscd tecches Modern Arcb Politics cnd Intellectucl Histor ct Columbic
Unitersit in Neu Yorl. He is the cuthor oj The Persistence oj the Pclestinicn
Question: Esscs on Zionism cnd the Pclestinicns.