Customer Reviews

The New Anti-Semitism : The Current Crisis and What We Must Do About It

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

After reading Alan Dershowitz's book "The Case for Israel", I felt compelled to read a book of this type, one that tries to explain why, despite terrorist attacks upon it and despite it being the only democracy in the Middle East, Israel is singled out for punishment over and above other less humane countries. This was a theme of Dershowitzs's great book but Chesler's book goes on to investigate the new anti-semitism in media and academia. The book is very readable (I finished it in 4 days) and one of the advantages I found is that it covers a lot of the historical ground on Israel and the Palestinian issues in a concise, light reading style. Anybody, Jewish or non-Jewish, who is concerned about why Israel seems to cop it from all sides, whilst other less democratic regimes (let alone ones that support terrorism) don't get criticised by the U.N., would be interested in this book. It is a very easy read though as it tries to address the difficult task of blending a number of themes in addition to Anti Semitism, Anti Zionism and history of Middle East issues.

First, I must comment on the amazing number of "unhelpful" votes (often well over 100) for any favorable reviews of this book so far. Such votes would have convinced me to find out more about this book had I not already read it.

Well, what is the fuss all about? Roughly speaking, antisemitism is hostility towards Jews and towards human rights for Jews. The "new antisemitism" generally refers to implementing such hostility by attacking Israel from the political left (calling it racist, apartheid, colonial, oppressive, expansionist, reactionary, aggressive, tribal, irredentist, impudent, arrogant, and in need of punishment). As Chesler explains, such attacks began in earnest after the 1967 six-day war. Yes, Chesler herself noticed the extent of this trend only in 1980 and is writing about it only now. But that is no crime. Anyway, if the purpose of antizionism is simply to "ethnically cleanse" Israel of its Jews or to deny Israeli Jews basic human rights, it is indeed simply the old antisemitism with a new spin.

One unusual comment by Chesler involves criticism of Israel. While most people would call criticism of Zionism or Israel antisemitic only if it explicitly discriminated against, demonized or defamed Jews in general, Chesler also asks if there is anger and malice behind it. Angry refusals to provide even the most limited opposition to attacks on Jewish rights are, in Chesler's opinion, a sign of antisemitism.

Chesler exposes many lies of the new antisemitism and has some recommendations. These include her belief that it is fundamental for us as humans to honor our dreams of peace. To that end, she says we must fight Big Lies. In addition, she thinks we must restore campus civility. And she implores us to address the real problems of the world rather than avoid them by demonizing Israel instead.

In this book, Phyllis Chesler shows us that what too many call new anti-Zionism or legitimate criticism of Israel is really nothing other than good, old-fashioned anti-Semitism of the worst kind. Jews are murdered, cut up, their murderers dip their hands in their victims? blood and the media says nothing, nothing at all.

A writer of Phyllis Chesler?s stature, a woman who virtually created a strand of feminism, writes a book sympathetic to Jews and to Israel and she is shunned by her colleagues; dis-invited to lectures; her books no longer sell. All this because she, a woman who learned her feminism while married to an Afghani in Afghanistan wrote a book on anti-Semitism. Because she broke a taboo.

These are chilling examples. But perhaps the most troubling (to me at least) chapter in this brilliant book was entitled ?Modern Anti-Semitism before 9/11?. Most of this chapter is a list really. Part of it for, example reads ?On September 5, 1995, a terrorist broke into Daniel Frei?s house in Ma?aleh Michmash. He was only 28 years old?. On November 13, 2000, two bombs exploded ?. On January 22, 2002? Danny Pearl?.? This chapter is 47 pages long. It covers terrorist attacks against Jews from 1920s till September 2001. These atrocities took place all over the world. And no-one said anything.

Why? Because these attacks on Jews were not called pogroms; they were called attacks on Zionists.

They were and are the new anti-Semitism. And the world?s reaction is the old silence and consent.

Chesler's THE NEW ANTI-SEMITISM is a "gloves off, as she views it, in your face," book. Consistent, with her previous works, her approach to change history and remind us of history (lest we repeat it)! again succeeds. Jew hatred or Israel blaming will not do. The Pandora's box of Islamic Jihadism cannot be shut by a leftist "politically correct" moribund embracing of agents of terror. This book is vital to political, social, feminist, and religious debate.

I had high hopes for this book, but the white heat Miss Chesler claims to have written it in apparently resulted in a poorly-written, disorganized, and sloppy work. While there is some interesting information here, it is almost lost in the fevered, jumbled prose. Assertions are made and left unsupported; a long passage is quoted in one chapter, the author apparently not realizing that it appeared earlier in her book. Moreover, Chesler fails to convince that much of what she cites as antisemitism is in fact that, and that there is anything new about the anti-Jewish prejudice that does exist today. I understand and sympathize with Chesler's disturbance at the disprtoportionate amount of criticism Israel receives, but she herself gives a good explanation for this which does not at all involve antisemitism: Israel, as an American client state, is a useful proxy for those who wish to attack America but for one reason or another cannot do so. To call this "antisemitism in effect" is silly; it is anti-Israelism in effect, to be sure, but doesn't necessarily translate into hatred of Jews.

Excellent exposition of the rise of anti-Semitism on the Left. Chesler explores how did the Left's position on Israel and Jews has become congruent with that of the viciously anti-Semitic Arab nations. She makes the compelling argument that anti-Semitism, holding Jews to completely different standards than everyone else, has become the last acceptable prejudice.This is important reading for all Jews and for anyone who is concerned about prejudice and hatred.

A lot of people who like the status quo try to explain away anti-Semitism by saying it isn't that serious, or it is just the grumblings of a few disgruntled folks, or it is just people who are anti-Israel and not anti-Jewish...but Chesler (the auther) presents a clear and compelling argument that honest-to-goodness anti-Semitism is back with a vegeance, especially inportions of Europe and the Middle East.

She reports on how the line between legitimate criticism of Israeli government policies and outright hatred towards Jews is often crossed by academics and political commentators, even as they protest they are doing no such thing. She also covers very well the history of anti-Semitism and how it is very destructive to civil society.

This is a scary but necessary book.

In a world of denial, Phyllis Chesler is my hero for telling the plain truth. Jew hatred is alive. The beast has risen from the grave which we thought contained it. And much to our surprise the prince whose kiss awakened it from its slumber is the Left and well meaning liberals. Ms. Chesler documents the rise of this new Jew hatred (which is in reality old wine in new bottles) in an engrossing account enlivened by the tale of her personal hegira from a "normal" leftist position to that of openness and realism. I could not put this book down, as horrified as I was by the dreadful news it conveys. A must read for Jews and non-Jews.

[...]

Chesler's book has much information of value, but the description of her research as "impeccable" is somewhat belied by the fact that she dismisses some reported quotes she dislikes from Dayan and Ben Gurion by saying they "don't sound right or in context to me". [...]

What I particularly dislike about the book is Chesler's constant and hysterical attempts to lump anyone who believes, for example, that the settlements should be dismantled in with Holocaust Deniers and Suicide bombers. This kind of "you're with us or against us" absolutism of course plays very well among a certain sector of the American electorate but has no place whatsoever in a serious debate about important issues.

[...] If you are looking for reasoned and inclusive debate [...] I would suggest looking elsewhere.

9/23/06
I am thoroughly appalled that the quite lengthy, unfavorable yet entirely non-profane, and (I would contend) objectively non-offensive review I wrote of this book has been completely bowdlerised. On the other hand a favorable review containing the line, "the pedophile terrorist prophet Mohammed and their pagan god allah" has been allowed to stand.

Amazon editors, you ought to be ashamed.

I should start by saying that while I'm not Jewish, I was raised in a part of New Jersey with a heavy Jewish influence. Due to my early friendships with Jews, anti-Semitism has always been a concern of mine.

The main thesis of this book is that an episode of European history (the build up of anti-Semitism prior to the Holocaust) is repeating itself on the world stage. Just as a significant number of Europeans once projected their own sins onto their Jewish minorities, so do modern leftists in Europe and, to a lesser extent, the U.S., project their nations' present and former sins onto Israel. Thus, they root for Israel's destruction, for only then could Israel fulfill the duty of the scapegoat, which is to die in order to absolve the sins of others. Personally, I believe her assessment is dead-on. How else can we explain why Western intellectuals crucify Israel for relatively minor human rights abuses while routinely pardoning Arab nations for abuses far more severe?

To her credit, Chesler is a clear and efficient writer. I've been spoiled, however, by women writers like Camille Paglia, and so I was a bored at times while reading this book. Also, Chesler doesn't penetrate deeply enough into the anti-Semitic psyche for me to give her book four stars. I was left wondering why: Why does so much hatred follow the Jews in particular? Why is anti-Semitism raising its hateful, deformed head in the West now, after decades of latency? And why do we have self-described queers marching for Palestine, a future-state whose people regularly torture and murder homosexuals, and against the very nation where Palestinian gays regularly seek refuge? This book is necessary (unfortunately) but it is not the definitive book on this subject. The rise of leftist anti-Semitism requires further exploration.