Paul Treanor

Being Jewish is indeed a choice: it is a national and/or religious identity, which can be abandoned at any time.

Als Israël een genocide pleegt, waarom steunt de PvdA het bestaan van Israël?

Racism and authoritarian nativism have become normalized in British politics in warp speed. Not only rhetorically but as guiding principles of policy. Yet, many still talk about "populism" as if it were 2016. The idea that "this isn't Britain" is keeping people from clearly assessing where we are.

As a historian, I truly like the "foreverized pastness" part of this. And I agree, on a daily basis we are floating towards a permanent establishment of badly manipulated memories. A plural of nonsense histories. #skystorians

They might backtrack on this within a few years. Jewish minorities align with the right in most western countries, and seem to be radicalising in their choice of allies.

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Antisemitism is criticism of the culture, identity, values, and traditions of the Jewish people, and opposition to their collective demands for self-determination, state formation, sovereignty, territory, and security. The criticism and opposition are in themselves legitimate.

The only reason this is controversial, is because its about sex and porn. If AI actors were used only for traditional-format Shakespeare, no-one would complain.

A definition of nationalism A simple definition of nationalism, with clarification, and a basic explanation of how nations work.

See here for a start:

www.academia.edu/45663252/A_d...

There is no evidence that the Heaton Park attack was directed at the Jewish religion.

The State of Israel thinks otherwise, and considers itself entitled to act on behalf of all Jews, especially if they are under threat.

What do Jews believe? All nations and peoples have a similar fundamental structure. Their members also share similar beliefs, which are a logical consequence of being a member. These beliefs are inherent to membership o…

In English, 'Jewish people' is not the same as 'the Jewish people'.

politicalaspects.wordpress.com/2025/01/15/j...

What do Jews believe?

Many Jews do equate criticism of Israel with hatred of Jews. That also seems to be the general attitude of successive Israeli governments.

I take your emotional reply, in which you accused me of legitimising murder, as exemplary for Jewish anger, which is certainly a social reality.

You can't express solidarity and support for Jews (in Britain or elsewhere), without taking sides in the Gaza war.

It is not possible to criticise the Israeli government, without being antisemitic. It is the Jewish government of a Jewish state.

There is no neutral option here, except perhaps total silence.

Safety is a zero-sum game. Jewish people can only live 'free from fear', if others suffer. That is particularly true at western universities, which protect Jewish students from antisemitism, by harassing leftists and Muslims. Such policies target Palestinians specifically.

Safety and security are zero-sum games. The safety of Jewish minorities in Europe could only be guaranteed by totalitarian policies, including (for some politicians) the mass deportation of Muslims. There is no moral obligation on non-Jews, to support this totalitarian option.

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Criticism of Israel, or its military, or their offensive in Gaza, is not a 'poison', it is a rational and moral response to large-scale war crimes.

No. AOC condemns criticism of Israel, in reaction to an attack on a synagogue in England. That is a common reaction among western politicians.

Many Jews see no distinction between criticism of Israel and physical attacks on Jews. Jewish minorities outside Israel do feel constantly threatened, and that typically leads them to reject the legitimacy of opposition to Israel.

Anti-Zionism is necessarily antisemitic, since it opposes the claims of the Jewish people to self-determination, state formation, sovereignty, and territory. That does not make it wrong, however.

Conversely, members of the Jewish people cannot logically be anti-Zionist, a contradiction in terms.

It is, since Israel immediately reacted, as it always does with attacks on Jews outside Israel. You can't separate the issues.

It is constitutionally their nation-state.

It says "the Jewish people", which in English refers to an ethno-national group.

Within hours, the attack elicited calls for suppression of anti-Israel activism.

No genetic testing was available at the time. Nazi Germany defined Jews by the religion of their grandparents.

A lot, because like clockwork, such attacks are followed by calls for suppression of opposition to Israel, and to its military campaigns.

A 'Jewish community' is not a neutral passive object, but an unavoidably politicised active collectivity, whose interests inevitably conflict with those of others, and whose security is impossible without harm to others.

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