The alarming rise of antisemitism

Every time there's an incident, Netanyahu and his clique point out the rise of antisemitism, ignoring the fact that they are precipitating it. Cynically, Netanyahu exploits these incidents to encourage more Jews to make aliyah, which is the height of hypocrisy.

While Israel was created to provide a deep sense of security and protection to all diaspora Jews and offer a haven for those who want to make Israel their home, Israel has ironically become a liability rather than an asset for diaspora Jews. The growing alienation of Jews from Israel is a sad manifestation of Israel's failure to live up to its founders' vision, buried now under the remains of shattered dreams that so many Jews have perished trying to preserve.

Slavoj Žižek, the Slovenian philosopher and critical theorist, has argued that Israel's treatment of Palestinians creates a moral and political framework that exacerbates antisemitism. In a speech at the 2023 Frankfurt Book Fair, Žižek asserted that "Palestinians are strictly treated as a problem. The state of Israel doesn't offer them any hope, positively outlining their role in the state they live." This systemic dehumanization, he contended, fosters resentment not only toward Israel but also toward Jewish identity more broadly, as the state positions itself as the sole representative of global Jewish interests.

Over the centuries, the Jews have been able to overcome repeated antisemitic assaults but were able to rise to the challenges and find salvation out of the adversities they encountered. They endured because defending human rights and adhering to moral values were fundamental to their survival. The concern today is that the Netanyahu-led government has forsaken these values and betrayed the very moral principles that have shielded Jews throughout the centuries.

Jews and non-Jews alike who are concerned and dismayed by the rise of antisemitism must face the unmitigated reality that the Palestinians exist and will continue to exist no matter what Israel says or does.

As long as Israel refuses to find a mutually acceptable solution to the conflict with the Palestinians, antisemitism will continue to escalate to the detriment of both Israel and Diaspora Jews.