Resumo de Crying Wolf - Norman G. Finkelstein

The evidence of a new anti-Semitism comes mostly from organizations
directly or indirectly linked to Israel or having a material stake in
inflating the findings of anti-Semitism. For instance, Manifestations
lists as a main source of data on Denmark the ?Israeli Embassy in
Copenhagen,? on Finland the ?Friends of Israel Association,? on Ireland
the ?Israeli Embassy? as well as the ?Ireland-Israel Friendship
League,? and so forth. The annual reports of Tel Aviv University?s
Stephen Roth Institute for the Study of Contemporary Anti-Semitism and
Racism serve as a major source of data and analysis. Its 2000-2001
Anti-semitism Worldwide survey highlighted this ominous development:
?Prof Norman Finkelstein?s book, The Holocaust Industry, [was]
enthusiastically welcomed, especially in Germany, and by the extreme
right in particular ... His arguments, even though completely refuted
by serious researchers and publicists, have rekindled the image of the
manipulative, greedy, power-hungry Jew.? None of these refutations is
cited, perhaps because none exist; Raul Hilberg did praise the book?s
key findings as a ?breakthrough.?

Similarly, Foxman sniffs anti-Semitism everywhere. It is anti-Semitic
to believe that ?Jews are more loyal to Israel than to this country?
although, for all anyone knows, this might be empirically true and, for
many Zionists, it ought to be true. Indeed, Foxman himself maintains
that to deny the Jewish people the right to a ?homeland of their own?
and ?independence, sovereignty? in Israel is also anti-Semitic-but
doesn?t this mean that, regardless of where Jews happen to reside,
Israel is their state? And who can dispute that he acts like a loyalist
of Israel ? or, at any rate, its paid agent? It was ?anti-Semitism pure
and simple? when ?Belgium, the seat of the International Court of
justice at [T]he Hague, ... sought to indict the prime minister of the
state of Israel for crimes against humanity,? and also when Danes
opposed the appointment by Israel of a notorious torturer as ambassador
to Denmark. Foxman justifies this charge of anti-Semitism on the
grounds that comparable criminals have escaped accountability. Leaving
aside that The Hague is not in Belgium but the Netherlands, don?t all
criminals (and their apologists) cry selective prosecution? But only
the likes of Foxman would claim that holding murderers and torturers
accountable for their crimes is anti-Semitic as well. To allege that
the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) targets candidates
critical of Israel, Foxman asserts, ?echo[es] familiar anti-Semitic
slanders? ? even though AIPAC boasts about doing this.

Nonetheless, Foxman assures readers regarding the epithet anti-Semitic
that ?we?re very careful about how and when we use it,? and ADL has
?given a great deal of thought to drawing appropriate distinctions
among various degrees and levels of anti-Semitic speech and action.?
This prudence and nuance have been on full display on each of the many
occasions that ADL slandered this writer as a ?known Holocaust denier.?
?If I were reckless about accusations of anti-Semitism,? Foxman
continues, ?I would quickly lose that credibility and therefore any
effectiveness as a leader on this issue.? Foxman rose to Ronald
Reagan?s defense when, journeying to Germany?s Bitburg cemetery, Reagan
declared that the German soldiers (including Waffen SS members) buried
there were ?victims of the Nazis just as surely as the victims in the
concentration camps,? and Foxman subsequently honoured Reagan with
ADL?s ?Torch of Liberty? award; Foxman oversaw a far-flung domestic US
spying operation with ties to Israeli intelligence and the apartheid
regime in South Africa; after taking a payoff from Marc Rich-the
billionaire commodities trader who fled to Switzerland before standing
trial on an indictment for 51 counts of tax evasion, racketeering, and
violating trade sanctions with Iran ? Foxman helpedengineer his
presidential pardon during Clinton?s final hours in office. That this
man retains credibility offers terrifying insight into contemporary US
political culture.

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