08-19-2019, 06:55 PM
(08-19-2019, 05:48 PM)Dill Wrote: Dill could probably explain that, sure. She thinks that Israel manages the news that comes out of the occupied territories so the world doesn't know what is really happening to Palestinians living under the Israeli boot. Bulldozing houses, collective punishment, confiscation of money, land and other valuables--not really public knowledge in the US. She is wrong, though, as this is more a problem with US reporting than that in other nations.
The are certainly arguments against Israel rooted in anti-semitism; we see many of these coming from white nationalists, along with Holocaust denial.
But I think Bels was not referring to any of that, but rather to efforts to stifle legitimate debate about US support for Israel, and how that enables Israeli policies most voters in the US could not condone.
It is not the "not insignificant portion of the arguments . . . rooted in anti-semitism" which pose a threat to honest and unfettered debate about US support for Israel. Rather, it is actual reporting on the consequences of Israeli policy on the ground in the occupied territories, and the spurious legal foundation of its control of the occupied territories. If you are an ideologue, THAT is the direction you want to throw your smoke, not at the real anti-antisemitism.
Here's the thing. You and I probably agree on way more regarding the conduct of Israel than we don't. The problem is you can't expect for legit criticism to be couched in anti-Semitic terms and expect it to not taint the well.
