A Reminder: European Anti-Semitism is Not Just a Nazi Trait

Alan Dershowitz provides a timely reminder that Anti-Semitism in Europe is not just a trait of the Nazis.  As we rightly look back on D-Day and World War 2, we must be aware of hoary myths, such as that Europeans valiantly resisted Hitler’s predations on Jews.  Well, some did, however . . . .

Why have we seen such an increase in anti-Semitism and irrationally virulent anti-Zionism in western Europe?

To answer these questions, a myth must first be exposed. That myth is the one perpetrated by the French, the Dutch, the Norwegians, the Swiss, the Belgians, the Austrians, and many other western Europeans: namely that the Holocaust was solely the work of German Nazis aided perhaps by some Polish, Ukrainian, Latvian, Lithuanian, and Estonian collaborators.

False.

The Holocaust was perpetrated by Europeans: by Nazi sympathizers and collaborators among the French, Dutch, Norwegians, Swiss, Belgians, Austrians and other Europeans, both Western and Eastern.

If the French government had not deported to the death camps more Jews than their German occupiers asked for; if so many Dutch and Belgian citizens and government officials had not cooperated in the roundup of Jews; if so many Norwegians had not supported Quisling; if Swiss government officials and bankers had not exploited Jews; if Austria had not been more Nazi than the Nazis, the Holocaust would not have had so many Jewish victims.

Dershowitz looks at this and earlier history and notes that the revival of European Anti-Semitism should not surprise. And he adds (although he is Left of Center himself) that it is far from just a right wing trait, but frequently a Leftist one as well.

"Oh no," we hear from European apologists. "This is different. We don't hate the Jews. We only hate their nation-state. Moreover, the Nazis were right-wing. We're left-wing, so we can't be anti-Semites."

Nonsense.

The hard left has a history of anti-Semitism as deep and enduring as the hard right. The line from Voltaire to Karl Marx, to Lavrentiy Beria, to Robert Faurisson, to today's hard-left Israel-bashers is as straight as the line from Wilhelm Marr to the persecutors of Alfred Dreyfus to Hitler.

The Jews of Europe have always been crushed between the Black and the Red – victims of extremism whether it be the ultra-nationalism of Khmelnitsky to the ultra-anti-Semitism of Stalin.

Dershowitz omits the role that Muslim migration has had in increasing Anti-Semitism in Europe.  But even if the gates had not been opened to Muslim mass migration, Leftist Anti-Semitism would still be a problem in Europe. 

Look at Jeremy Corbyn and his Labour Party. That old Leftist is not Muslim, but Labour has become more openly Anti-Semitic under him.

And that includes the Labour candidate in the Peterborough by-election today.  As much as she is now tries to hide it, Lisa Forbes has a documented history of Anti-Semitism.  And British Jewish organizations are speaking out about it:

“The revelation that Labour’s Peterborough candidate Lisa Forbes liked a racist Facebook post accusing Theresa May of having a “Zionist Slave Masters agenda” as recently as April – and previously welcomed a post indulging the bizarre conspiracy theory that Mossad and the CIA are behind Daesh – brings in to question her suitability for public office.

Ms Forbes has now apologised, saying she had not seen these words, but this stretches the limits of credulity, especially given the high profile problems in Labour and the previous antisemitism scandals in Peterborough Labour circles, such as Alan Bull and last November’s resignation of two senior councillors, who said they had been pressured against when trying to complain about antisemitism.

Ms Forbes also says she will seek antisemitism training. This is somewhat ironic given her previous rejection of the IHRA definition of antisemitism.

We are fed up hearing that Labour opposes antisemitism while repeatedly hearing excuses that its members accidentally missed the racism that was staring them in the face.

Unless Labour disowns Lisa Forbes as a candidate, it will only confirm the Party’s shameful descent into the racist mess for which they are now being investigated by the EHRC.”

So when someone tries to feed you the “nonsense” that Anti-Semitism and racism in Europe and elsewhere are traits of the Right, not of the Left . . . well, I will leave it up to you what to say.  But do not fall for such dangerous myths.