Sometimes I have to look around and shake my head in disbelief. Student Unions in England refuse to condemn ISIS, warn me a condemnation motion of Hamas could be seen as Islamophobic, take down Holocaust memorials and strike down attempts to remember victims of the Holocaust for being Eurocentric. I feel all the progress made by society in other areas is for nothing. And this is just the tip of an iceberg as anti-Israel ‘campaigners’ chip away at the Israeli cause and Jewish acceptance.
Naftali’s response to Kerry's claims ISIS is a problem created by Israel echoes what many in Israel, the Diaspora and their wide group of friends across the world will be feeling right now as Israel and Jews are blamed for a whole range of issues. It follows on from what has been a tough Summer for Jews and a disastrous month for Israeli-American relations; and it is completely the fault of the Americans whose ruling administration is desperately bashing Israel as its power and support continues to wither.
As with all anti-Israel purveyors, the veil of Obama has in the last few weeks finally slipped away. His outrageous condemnation of plans to build Jewish homes in an undisputed part of Jerusalem is nothing less than anti-Semitic, particularly considering these plans for new housing included a sizeable batch for Israel’s Arab minority and follows on from Obama attempting to sound tough as Jews bought houses in East Jerusalem.
The question Obama has to ask himself as his Presidency falls into obscurity and golf matches is what would be the reaction if he condemned Boris Johnson for allowing Jews to build houses in London or if he slammed the Parisian Mayor for building homes for ethnic minorities in suburban Paris? He should also look in the mirror and think exactly what he is doing when he criticises Jews for moving into predominantly Arab areas; Obama is nothing short of saying a person, based on their ethnicity and religion, should not live in a particular area.
There would be uproar and rightfully so if this was applied elsewhere; we had all hoped the days had long gone when Jews were not allowed to build homes in territory that is as undisputed as North London or downtown New York. The land where the development, not settlement building, is taking place is Israeli, rightfully it always has been and always will be. For a foreign leader to intervene and condemn Jews for building homes in any city is disgraceful but to do so under the mask of being a supporter of peace in the region is even worse.
This is not to say that Obama is an anti-Semite; I do not think he is, but he has fallen into the trap that all those who use bombastic language to criticise Israel, as opposed to constructive dialogue, do. Think back to the vote in Britain’s House of Parliament where one unscrupulous member bemoaned the influence of America’s Jewish lobby, a completely irrelevant point to make when discussing the issues surrounding the Arab-Israeli conflict. The Member of Parliament got caught up in the hubris of a topic he clearly falls short in understanding or having any rational ideas in how to sort.
Of course, it is true that America exerts a large influence on the region’s development, but to suggest this is down to a small number of Jews in the corridors of power is a concerning concept to espouse. It harkens back to the anti-Semitism of liberals in the 19th Century and the mainstream blame of economic woes on the Jews in Europe during the early 20th Century to the middle of the cold war; a thesis that has grown since the global recessions from 2008 onwards.
But these examples are just part of the narrative that the world’s issues are down to a Jewish controlled Illuminati, pulling the strings of capitalism and dictating state policy at will world over to suit their own agenda. Naturally, this is completely absurd and the real reason America, as well as most countries world over, have always been stead fast in our support for Israel is because of our cultural similarities, our (growing) economic co-operation, Israel's strategic importance on top of a genuine affection of the Israeli nation and what it stands for amongst the population; and do not let a vocal minority tell you otherwise.
Thus, Naftali was summing up a much broader issue when slating Kerry for blaming Israel on the rise of ISIS. Rather than confronting the real reasons for the worlds’ problem, global leaders slips back to what has been a historically default position on scapegoating; blame the Jews whatever form that may take.
Fortunately, Obama will be gone soon and hopefully the most insignificant and flailing Secretary of State ever to walk this Earth will follow suit. A change of administration will inevitably lead to a Pro-Israel President and America can once again lead the voices of support from a wilderness they have dwindled in for too long. Until then we need to sit tight, its going to be a bumpy ride.