Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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32 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Disturbing. Required Reading !, February 8, 2004
I purchased this exceptionally, well written, in-depth study further to my own research into anti-Semitism (hatred of the Jews) spanning many years.Replete with specific references, the text of this work provides a compelling and deeply disturbing investigation as to how, virtually unnoticed by large elements of the International community, a lethal hatred of the Jews has once more come to the fore and depicts how it has been so influential in manipulating public attitudes through the media & also it's influence within political realms pertaining to circumstances in the International arena. At the outset, the book declares that to anyone even modestly acquainted with current events, it is readily apparent that the Islamic World is today the epicentre of what is cited as a particularly virulent brand of anti-Semitic hatred. The reader is shown how throughout the Islamic world, Israel has been allegedly transformed from a country into a malignant force, cited as embodying every possible negative attribute - aggressor, usurper, occupier, corrupter, infidel, murderer and barbarian, with the Israelis themselves being allegedly viewed as foot-soldiers of the same dark force instead of human beings, parents, students, civilians, women & children. The book demonstrating how this hatred depicts the Jews themselves as constituting what is described as the sinister force behind almost every significant event in the World. Through a seemingly endless, inexhaustible supply of material, the historic and underlying causes of this irrational hatred are discussed. Individual readers must make up their own minds upon the many aspects of this investigation, some aspects of which may be seen as controversial by some. One issue examined is how Islamic anti-Semitism perhaps draws and meshes seamlessly with it's Christian and Nazi "cousins" in Europe where similar patterns of anti-Jewish hatred were practised, taught & richly developed for centuries in some areas of Europe. Further discussed is how such teachings may have found an entrance corridor and a sympathetic audience amongst the Arab/Islamic world surrounding the re-birth of Israel in 1948. Nazism's ideology cited as having been defeated on the battlefield but the book showing how named Arab leaders had already been thoroughly steeped in it's doctrines and eager to embrace it's ideological package in relation to the Jews. The study declaring that the Arab world's hatred of the Jews now equals that of Nazi Germany at it's peak and discusses how that seldom will you find anyone opposing or discrediting anti-Semitism in the Islamic world or even amongst it's supporters. References are also provided of the dissemination of hatred through official Arabic Government channels and publications where Jews are depicted as "apes and pigs" and the "worms of the entire World". In one example, tthe book illustrates how what are described as Iranian anti-Semitic propagandists, erase all distinctions among Israel, Zionism and the Jews. These sources cited as describing the State of Israel as being not merely Zionist but a "bunch of Jews" and that the ridding the World of this "bunch of Jews" is a prime Muslim obligation. Israel being further described by Iranian leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a "cancerous tumour that must be excised". In relation to the Palestinian-Israeli issue, the reader is shown clearly that central to the signing of the Oslo Accords was an agreement to cease the propagation of hatred towards the Jews, but that the hate has instead been constant and unceasing through the official Palestinian media as well as the schools and the entire Palestinian education system where an implacable hatred of Israel & the Jews is shown to be included in many school books. Alongside this, the reader is shown how the doctrine of Holocaust denial has been ever present reality. Something which the book reveals to have been reinforced by the recent Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, (cited as being portrayed by the West as a moderate & a suitable peace partner' for Israel), who is shown to have written a doctorate on Holocaust denial & the alleged secret relationship between Nazism and Zionism. The book illustrates whenever reference is made in the Islamic world to the Holocaust, it is nearly always in the context of the "final solution" not being final enough or that the Holocaust never occurred at all. The book, in no uncertain terms, declares that these passions in the Islamic World are not the end of the matter, with anti-Semitism also reawakening dramatically in Europe whilst also making unprecedented headway in the United States. Anti-Semitism cited as now finding ready acceptance on many college campuses and among the "opinion makers" of the media elite. Even a significant contingent of Jews are themselves shown to be promoting what are cited here as nakedly anti-Semitic ideas. The book declares that it is foolish to dismiss the potential of this new anti-Semitism outlining that few observers comprehended the depth of Hitler's obsession with this hatred of the Jews until the World was confronted with a catastrophe of unprecedented dimensions. It being further illustrated that the modern day champions of this hatred either possess or are working assiduously to obtain weapons of mass destruction whilst simultaneously proclaiming their desire to murder Jews and destroy their State. Seldom has a book had such a profound effect upon me in recent years. Highly recommended. Five stars is not enough.
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19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
a thorough look at a troubling new trend, May 2, 2004
As explained in the editorial reviews, Gabriel Schoenfeld analyzes resurgent antisemitism and presents an interesting thesis about it. THESIS part 1: As is well known, in the 19th century, European antisemitism underwent a radical shift, from a religious and economic basis to a racial and pseudo-scientific one. Conspiracy theories abounded. Schoenfeld argues that the new European antisemitism of the 19th century migrated to the Middle East and blended with pre-existing Judeophobia (which was not as virulent as the European variant). Compounded with the growing Palestine conflict and Arab frustration at losing out in the process of modernization, Arab peoples looked for a scapegoat. Here is where the imported European antisemitism comes in. Rather than blame themselves for falling behind the West in terms of economic and scientific progress, it was easier for Arab elites to blame "the Jews" or "the West" controlled by a Jewish conspiracy. Religious leaders and authoritarian political leaders (such as Nassar) resented that the Jews thrived in the West and that Israel became a successful, wealthy, democratic state while Arab states grew ever more poor. THESIS part 2: The Muslim Middle East distilled racial and conspiracy theories and -- in the post-Holocaust world -- reimported them to Europe. Why do Europeans buy them? There are some radical right-wing antisemites left in Europe, and their nationalism and xenophobia merges with antisemitism. This is particularly true in eastern Europe, Germany, and England. *However*, more dangerous is the fact that antisemitism has found favor with many on the political Left. The generation of 1968 (anti-war demonstrators, envionmentalists, Greens, etc.) is now in power in Europe. Many of its members have not abandoned their anti-Americanism and excessive admiration for so-called Third World liberation movements, the PLO included. They distrust America; they resent America's support for Israel; they perceive Israel to be an apartheid state or genocidal regime; and they claim that American Jews control the policy of the US government. Anti-Zionism becomes antisemitism. Hatred of Israel and its policies translates into dislike of Jews in Europe. Another important factor is the very large Muslim population in contemporary Europe. Jews make up a minuscule percentage of Europe's population, but countries like France are 10% Muslim, and that percentage is increasing. That's a lot of voters in the future. For now, however, Muslim Europeans are disproportionately unemployed and resentful. Their frustration and anti-Israeli sentiment has led to numerous attacks on European Jews. STRENGTH: Schoenfeld's catalogue of incidents is not exhaustive, but it is very thorough. Moreover, his thesis seems to be very compelling. That European antisemitism migrated to the Middle East, has returned, and mixed with preexisting attitudes on the far Right and not-so-far Left is certainly food for thought. This reader found his thesis quite convincing overall. WEAKNESS: This reader, who is a professional academic, found Schoenfeld's documentation to be disappointing. An example: "in one recent novel, the antihero, a Jewish entrepreneur, is presented sipping champagne while contemplating a plan to take the blood and organs of healthy [Russians] and to sell them to medical centers in Israel" (p. 75). While this sentence is footnoted, the note refers to a report in which the novel is mentioned, not to the novel itself. I wanted to know the name of the novel and the author, not the name of some EU or WJC report on antisemitism. Unfortunately, the book is full of such citations. Often, one does not find the original item, but rather secondary literature about it. Schoenfeld has certainly done his research, but it seems that he has trolled Associate Press reports, newspaper articles, websites, and NGO reports rather than archives and academic sociological studies. This may not bother the casual reader, but an academic would demand more rigorous documentation. (Hence, only four stars.) CAVEAT: Some readers will not agree with Schoenfeld's personal politics or views on the West Bank/Gaza question, but I think that one may overlook these aspects of his book and still learn a lot, regardless of one's political persuasion.
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21 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gripping, and terrifying, January 17, 2004
By A Customer
This is an extraordinary book; I couldn't put it down, and when I finished it, I was filled with despair about the direction of events. The book clearly shows that the menace of anti-Semitism is becoming ever more deadly and pervasive. I haven't seen any reviews yet, but I suspect it will be the focus of much attention; among other things, the author pulls no punches in discussing the purveyors of the new anti-Semitism, including various leftwing Jews, many of them tenured academics. The picture painted here--meticulously documented and written in a voice of urgency--is alarming in the extreme. It is certainly easy to see why Elie Wiesel wrote a blurb calling this book "necessary" reading.
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