Anti-Semitism is down worldwide, except in Russia and the Ukraine, according to an Israeli study. But the overall number of anti-Semitic events was up, leading one to wonder how one can claim that anti-Semitism is down, except when you include certain countries individually. Like France. Except then you have to point out that the rate of violent anti-Semitic events in France has jumped this year, starting with the torture and murder of Ilan Halimi.
And in the past week, we have seen three stories that make me believe that anti-Semitism is not going down worldwide; in fact, it is heading back upward.
Sweden has pulled out of joint military exercises because Israel is taking part in them.
Indonesia refuses to play a World Federation cup tennis match in Israel, risking fines and banishnent for that refusal to play.
And on Tuesday, during a march against the Fascists who took over Italy before WWII, the marchers burned Israeli flags and chanted “Intifada.” The Vatican condemned it.
But still, a study of anti-Semitism worldwide says events are on a downward trend.
Pardon me if I am skeptical of the study’s claims. Actually, don’t. I don’t apologize for being skeptical.
When the world condemns Iran for its leaders’ anti-Israel rhetoric, then I will believe that anti-Semitism is on a downslide. I think it hasn’t yet peaked. Israel still exists, does it not? Jews still exist, do we not?
The upward trend will continue while those two facts are true.
Are you saying that anti-Semitism will always be on an upward trend while Jews exist? That’s a bit hopeless, isn’t it? And not quite true, either. There will always be anti-Semtism while Jews exist, but the rates have gone down as well as up throughout history.
Yes, it is a rather hopeless statement.
But whenever Israel is attacked and defends herself, anti-Semitism goes up. I suppose the truly frightening corollary would be that if Iran does manage to drop a bomb on Israel, anti-Semitism will go down worldwide.
Measuring anti-semitism in the Arab world must be like encountering a new form of energy on the Enterprise – every measurement is “Off the Scale!”
(Which always had me thinking that they really needed to recalibrate the scale.)
Why do you say Indonesia risks banishment?
Will never happen. The leagues are all bark, no bite.
The A7 article is unintelligible. From the source:
So antisemitism is up, but violent incidents declined in 2005. This is mostly from a halving of violent incidents in France between 04 and 05; incidents in other European countries, notably the UK, continued to increase.
Again, Meryl, you jump to a conclusion by not taking the long view. If you compare 2005 to, say, the period from 1933-1945, worldwide anti-Semitism is way down and we should stop being so damn paranoid just because world leaders threaten to exterminate us, people torture Jews because they like to torture Jews, and so forth.
If you take the long view it is plain to see that the number of anti-Semitic acts in the world is much less than, say, 1944. Don’t you feel better now?
So far, it looks like the International Tennis Federation is taking the position that Israel is the home country for the Indonesia match, and Israel can decide where it is held. If Indonesia doesn’t show up, then at least Israel will win by forfeit.