Not anti-Semitism or Islamophobia

Maryam Namazie with a piece from her own blog that first featured on 22 November 2012

The Right-wing are in overdrive trying to prove how the children killed by Israeli forces in Gaza are fakes.

Their crocodile tears for ‘Muslim’ women and children are only for when and if they are murdered by Islamists; then (and only then), are these part-time ‘champions of women’s rights’ outraged. But if they are killed by US-led militarism or Israeli forces, well they must be fakes!

It’s like those who side with Islamism. They’ll be outraged about the Palestinians killed by Israeli forces but if those very Palestinians, Iranians or Syrians are killed by Hamas, Asad, the Islamic regime of Iran and their brethren, it’s  just propaganda and ‘so-called massacres’…

This is politics devoid of humanity; it’s only concerned with the human being if it suits its interests…

Oh and by the way, criticising the Israeli occupation or attacks on Gaza are not anti-Semitism and bigotry any more than criticising Islamism is Islamophobia and racism against Muslims.

But then again, they are not really concerned with bigotry – just with pursuing their inhuman politics.

17 comments:

  1. Can I put my head into the lion's mouth once more and point out that this article doesn't actually assert that Fox News or others who have reported that the video is a fake got it wrong? My questions: Do you assert the video is real, and if so, why? If the video is not real, does that fact matter to you?

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  2. Ted,

    you are always welcome to put your head in the lion's mouth. But no matter how much you strive to make your point or how eloquently you present it, the image being projected from the Middle East of a bullying Goliath trying to smash a defiant David is much too strong a tide for you to swim against. The tally of slaughtered children is a hard argument to overcome.

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  3. I contacted Ted privately a few days ago and disassociated myself from some of the more idiotic posts in the comments section after my article.

    I am an anti-Zionist because I don't think that Zionism was morally right or practical in the long-term. However, I don't believe that Israelis are "scum" and I certainly don't think that the only profitable multinationals in Ireland are "Jew-owned".

    Palestinians have been treated terribly by Israel and its armed forces, but this notion of a "genocide in Gaza" is simply absurd. Israel has one of the most powerful armies in the world. It also has many nuclear weapons. Thus, if Israel is trying to exterminate the Palestinian people, it is certainly doing a piss-poor job.

    All that being said, my view is that the political elite in Israel is not really interested in a viable Palestinian state. I believe it was responsible for this latest escalation.

    There is blood on Bibi's hands.

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  4. Thank you, Anthony, for the online welcome. I will just observe again that your comment does not answer my question about the authenticity of the video. If the point is that the Israelis are guilty of illegally killing civilians in Gaza, and if the post that makes the point uses a video from Gaza as Exhibit A, then the authenticity of the video should matter a great deal--if, that is, the purpose is to have a real discussion rather than to create an echo chamber where people can come to confirm the views they already hold.

    Have you seen the video? I have. I am no expert on these things, but it certainly looks like the same man who is first shown being carried away, injured, is then shown up and about, as right as rain. If the man really was injured, I think we can all be grateful for his miraculous recovery. If not--well, what?

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  5. Ted,

    my comment was never intended to answer your question. I am not the author of the piece, have expressed no view on it and my role was restricted to publishing it.

    I have not watched the video. I am content that the author has a view on the video which she has the right to express. She has expressed other views via this blog and they have been rigorously challenged by those who disagree. It is not my role to authenticate perspectives, or express opinions on them. I facilitate views, many of which are hostile to my own.

    If you suspect that the video is not authentic and feel strongly about it you are free to make your critique here. That will be facilitated as will be your views on whatever subject you like.

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  6. Good on Maryam for highlighting the ludicrous 'reporting' of Fox 'News'. This article proves how far some media will go to try and justify horrible wrongs and I agree that the slaughter of anyone should be challenged and protested whether they be Palestinian, Irish, Iraqi, Jewish or Rwandan.

    I myself have travelled the length and breadth of my own country in protest against human rights abuses - including to France to attend a rally in support of Iranian women and it makes me sick when in any media, issues are skewed and openness and transparency take a backseat in pursuit of telling one side of any story.

    I've heard so many jump on this story of the man who was allegedly injured get up and walk away. So what? I have personally witnessed many, many people get shot at riots - mostly with plastic and rubber bullets - then recover and rejoin the riot. This is a moot point therefore.

    I assert once agin that the Israeli Zionist scum are involved in genocide of the Palestinian people.

    It says so on my mountain; 'End Genocide in Gaza'

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  7. Alfie we or some here may be" idiots" and yes while emotion may have made some of my comments go over the top, this idiot has nothing in my heart but disgust at Israel and its people, and that will not change and as an idiot my wee brain has learnt to check all bar codes whilst shopping 729 and made in Israel and I bin it having a great time shopping these days.. it may not be much but its what this idiot can do,As for genocide I believe there is the want and the will in Israel for a final solution but they know that will be a step to far hence this slow strangulation while the world watches and like in nazi Germany does nothing,but then this is just the view of an idiot ..you of course know everything or so it seems...

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  8. Marty,

    I don't think that I have all the answers and I certainly don't think that you're an idiot. However, it is idiotic to suggest that "the only companies producing anything of profit here is probably jew owned". In the heat of the moment, intelligent people can say foolish things.

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  9. Marty; you're far from an idiot. Perhaps a bit heavy handed with your language in places but when emotion runs high and anger spills then it's understandable.

    Like you I watch my barcodes. I boycott the biggest culprits; M&S, Starbucks, nestle, L'oreal. I make a point of telling shopkeepers they're stocking Israeli produce if I come across them in shops. I suppose I too am an idiot.
    If every idiot did just a little bit the genocide and occupation would be on its last legs.

    So, to the idiots eveywhere; keep doing what you're doing. If you can look at yourself in the mirror and know you're trying to right awful wrongs in any small way then at least you can hold your head up.

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  10. I have read comments from zionists claiming that the pictures posted worldwide of dead children and others suffering horrific injuries are nothing more than "palewood" fiction, when similar comments have been made about the holocaust the outrage is palpable and understandable yet no real international condemnation for these remarks .if it wasnt for the internet and the immediate reporting worldwide of these attacks on a community unable to defend itself,then I for one would fear for those trying to survive in that hell hole called the Gaza strip..

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  11. Apparently, there is a 3pm rally in support of Israeli State policies the GPO Dublin today

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  12. AM - was there a rally? If so, I wonder who from the political establishment would stick their career necks on the line and support that??????

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  13. Niall,

    there was supposed to be a rally. I don't actually know if it took place. As you suggest marching through Dublin shouting 'bomb Gaza' would look a bit strange to put it mildly.

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  14. If there was a rally in support of the Israeli genocide by stealth in Gaza then I would hope they got the same reception that the bigoted fucker Willie Frazer got and worse..

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  15. There was a counter demonstration by Israelis at Saturday's rally in Belfast. The rally-goers just ignored them.

    All five of them.

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  16. I don't believe that Israelis are "scum" and I certainly don't think that the only profitable
    multinationals in Ireland are "Jew-owned".


    I would go along with that.

    Palestinians have been treated terribly by Israel and its armed forces, but this notion of a "genocide in Gaza" is simply absurd.

    I think there is genocidal desire. The term means more than simple mass murder.

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