Sunday, June 26, 2011
The Near Lynching of Prof. Benny Morris
character in the story, a man who had been a Nazi war criminal, but
after the War trained as a medical doctor and came to the Caribbean in
order to save sick impoverished island people. He saves about a dozen
people a week and he figure it will only take about 600 years to save
more people than he had killed as a war criminal during the War.
I gotta tell you that I am reminded of that story whenever I
contemplate Benny Morris. Don't take this the wrong way – Morris was
never any murderer or war criminal and I do not mean to imply that he
was evil as a Nazi.
Morris was one of the original and in some ways the most destructive
of the "New Historians" Israel produced. He was essentially a
pseudo-historian, inventing history "narratives" to reflect Arab
propaganda and demonization of Israel. And he was good at it. He
collaborated with filth like Ilan Pappe and Avi Shlaim. Because he
was so viciously anti-Israel and because so much of his academic
career consisted of churning out anti-Israel propaganda, Morris had
trouble finding an academic position in Israel. He was eventually
hired by Ben Gurion University, and rumor has it that the president of
the university at the time, leftist Avishai Braverman, personally
intervened so that Morris could get hired. Morris turned out
Bash-Israel and Bash-Zionism books that were not very different from
what Ilan Pappe produced, a lot about the 1948-9 Israeli war for
independence. He also worked back then a lot for the Jerusalem Post
during its phases under leftist control. (The Post shifts back and
forth, from side to side, especially when its ownership is sold. It
now seems to be moving leftward rapidly.)
All this made Morris the darling of the campus Lefts in Europe and the
US. They loved citing Morris to prove how evil Israel is and was. 12
years ago or so Morris would have been one of the most obvious targets
for righteous Zionist rage and for being exposed, attacked and
denounced as a pseudo-scholar, something like a Neve Gordon or Ilan
Pappe.
But then something happened. Morris suddenly appeared to have second
thoughts. He repudiated his earlier anti-Israel radicalism and
started espousing pro-Israel and pro-Zionist opinion, especially about
the 1948-9 war of independence. Not everyone is completely convinced
that Morris has wised up, and Efraim Karsh is the leading proponent of
the idea that Morris has not and is simply engaged in pragmatic
maneuvering. (See
http://www.meforum.org/466/benny-morris-and-the-reign-of-error ,
http://www.meforum.org/711/benny-morriss-reign-of-error-revisited as
well as several Karsh articles in the NYTimes and Commentary
Magazine).
I was skeptical of Morris' "conversion" at first, but over time it
seems to me to be genuine. I think his very first public break with
the Bash-Israel Left took place in Berkeley, when I happened to be in
town. Invited to speak in a church, the place was packed with the
usual Berkeley jihadists and Hitlerjugend expecting a blistering
demonization of Israel. Instead Morris spent the entire talk
explaining that the Middle East conflict is the fault of the Arabs,
including any "refugee" problem. You can imagine the hysterical
reactions in the local Berkeley drug-infested media.
Later Morris would gave interviews and make statements that not only
were outright Zionist, but he went so far as to argue that any
expulsions by Israel of any Arabs that took place in 1948 were
entirely justified!
As a result, for 8 or 10 years now, Morris is the Israeli historian
that the moonbats and the anti-Semites most love to hate. They have
special hatred for him because, after all, he used to be one of them
and "betrayed" them.
Morris is frequently singled out for the venom of the barbarians,
including in Israel. When invited a few months back to speak at
Cambridge, the local anti-Semites made a fuss and insisted that Morris
be dis-invited because he is a "racist." After all, anyone thinking
Israel has the right to defend itself is a "racist" in such circles.
His talk was cancelled. This is academic freedom in Britain!
This past week, Morris was invited to speak at the London School of
Economics, which – despite its name – is also crawling with leftist
vermin. On the way to the talk he was almost lynched by a mob of
leftists and jihadists. He was personally targeted in incitement to
violence by the heads of the local BDS Hitlerjugend, where BDS is the
"Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions" movement.
Morris managed to escape and under heavy security presence he did give
a talk to 300-400 students at LSE.
That full story was in Friday's Makor Rishon.
What does the one-time Post-Zionist and one-time "New Historian"
Morris make of almost being lynched for being a Zionist?
I do not know, but I think it raises the odds of his rededicating
himself to expunging his old propaganda and doing real research that
promotes the truth, or what some pseudo-academics prefer to call the
"Zionist narrative."
2. Amira Hass, the rabid Israel-hating columnist for Haaretz, is one
of the riders on the Aid-Hamas Flotilla. See
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/fear-and-no-clean-clothing-amira-hass-preparing-to-sail-for-gaza-1.369611
You realize what this means? It is one more excellent reason to sink
the flotilla terrorist vessels.
Notice in the above web page how Hass complains that she does not have
enough clean clothes? Well, I understand she can get a whole new
wardrobe down in Davy Jones' Locker!
3. Hillel is being taken over by Jewish anti-Semites and
cheerleaders for terrorism:
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4087263,00.html
The Hillel paradox
Jewish-American student organization Hillel Foundation in hot seat
over anti-Israel activities including 'Apartheid Week,' financial
boycott of Israel. Hillel: We won't allow anyone calling for boycott
against Israel to be part of us
Yoaz Hendel
On a wall at the entrance to the prestige Berkeley University campus
in California posters hung with anti-Israel slogans. Apartheid,
genocide, Nazism – they read. Nearby stood representatives of Muslim
organizations and acted out a blockage scenario, accompanied by
anti-Israeli chanting behind them.
There are nearly 5,000 Jewish students in UC Berkeley, but only mere
few were willing to protest the event and others like it. Missing most
of all, it seems, is any censure by the Hillel Foundation – "the
largest Jewish campus organization in the world."
The Hillel Foundation was established in the 1920's in order to enrich
the lives of Jewish students across college campuses in the United
States. Present in 500 colleges and universities in the US, Hillel
took it upon itself to encourage the students to support the State of
Israel.
However, internal political shifts within the Jewish community in the
US, and especially the weakening of ties between young American Jews
to Israel, have allowed for anti-Israeli voices to penetrate the
organization.
This shift has created a paradox: A national pro-Israeli organization
under which anti-Israeli activities are being held across some US
universities. At times, it means simply turning a blind eye to hostile
events; but at other times there is actual and intentional criticism
against Israel.
The bottom line is that many Hillel centers are being swept away in
the tidal wave of pro-Palestinian protests. Not all Hillel centers
take part in these anti-Israeli demonstrations, but these events are a
sign of what's yet to come for the future generation of Israeli and
Jewish American ties.
'Wake up call'
In the spring of 2010, UC Berkeley became the first university to
declare a boycott against companies that do business with Israel. The
message behind the bill, proposed by the members of the Students for
Justice in Palestine organization, was to cause financial harm to
Israel and its supporters.
Pro-Israeli activist John Moghtader was present at that meeting and
was surprised to see members of the Hillel organization "Kesher
Enoshi" ("human contact") speak out against Israel. "They introduced
themselves as Hillel members, spoke about their Jewish identity and at
the same time discussed their great objection to the 'war crimes'
committed by the Jewish State," said Moghtader.
The UC Berkeley student senate voted 16-4 in favor of the divestment
bill. "The fact that the student senate condemned Israel for alleged
war crimes, called it an apartheid state – it was a wake up call for
us."
However following an Israeli diplomatic effort and a roaring
objection, the Berkeley student body president overturned the
decision.
But the damage had already been done and similar events began to take
place across other well-known universities in the country.
'Ground is ready for extremism'
These anti-Israeli incidences are not happening by chance. There has
always been a great duality amongst liberal American Jews towards
Israel, which has only increased in recent years, manifesting into
antagonism.
A recent survey showed that Jewish Americans under the age of 35 would
not consider the disappearance of the State of Israel to be a great
personal loss.
"Unlike their grandparents and parents, these youngsters are not
connected to Israel by past traumas," explained researcher and author
Shmuel Rosner.
"They have stronger identity circles than Israel… In college they are
detached from their parents for the first time and begin to rebel.
"That kind of ground is ready for extremism."
Anti-Israeli Muslim organizations recognized this phenomenon and
realized the best way to harm Israel is by convincing American Jews
that Israel is doing them wrong. These organizations chose to fight it
out in the greenhouses of politicians, economists, intellectuals and
industrialists – in the prestige American universities.
One such organization is the Muslim Student Association, known to be
behind infamous anti-Israeli protests like the Israeli Apartheid Week.
With over 600 branches across the US and a public connection to the
Muslim Brotherhood movement, the Association's agenda is to display
Israel, and sometimes the US, as the enemy.
The Association provides lectures across US campuses under the names
"Holocaust in the Holy Land" and "Israel – a third Reich state." It
was also previously linked to organizations defined by the State
Department as terror organizations.
Atmosphere effects Jewish students
This harsh atmosphere has a negative effect on the Jewish students.
"As a Jew, the feeling in the campus isn't good," described Jonathan
Weinberg, a former student at UC Berkeley. "Those who chose to support
Israel risk their careers… There were violent acts in the past. I felt
like I was walking around with a target on my back."
Weinberg added that they had tried to get Hillel to object and get
involved, but said they refused to cooperate. They even declined to
place Israeli flags in Berkeley claiming some find them disturbing.
Berkeley was only the beginning. "There is an atmosphere of fear and
terror here," said Tammi Benjamin, a lecturer at the University of
California Santa Cruz. "It's turned into a situation in which you can
say anything against Israel and the Jews in the name of freedom of
expression, including caricatures and hate marches. If such things
were being said against Hispanics, Afro-Americans and even about
Muslims the university would have objected."
"Those who support Israel pay a heavy personal price when it comes to
promotions and social ties. It's obvious that one should stick to
doing research and keep his head down. It's no wonder that students
cannot fight this phenomenon, because in doing so they would be going
against their lecturers and hurting their grades," she added.
In light of such feelings one would think a Jewish organization like
Hillel would not be linked to anti-Israeli movements. However this has
not stopped Hillel from being apart of such events.
It seems the anti-Israeli organization become a lot more powerful when
their claims are being backed up by Jews and Israelis.
Hillel - an empty vessel?
In once such incident, in September 2009, the Students for Justice in
Palestine organization invited two Israeli girls, who wrote an
anti-Israeli petition, to an event conducted by Hillel's Kesher
Enoshi. The event called for a boycott against Israel.
In 2009, the organization held a rock concert together with Kesher
Enoshi members composed of anti-Israeli songs comparing the State to a
Nazi regime and to an apartheid state.
A few months late some Breaking The Silence activists, sponsored by
the Students for Justice in Palestine, Muslim organizations and Kesher
Enoshi, took the stage. In February 2011, a Sheikh Jarrah
representative was there as well.
Meanwhile some worried citizens have tried to object. Dr. Ealon
Joelson, 44, a neurologist, established a pro-Israeli organization by
the name of Israel Peace Initiative.
"Organization like Hillel are empty vessels. If those in charge were
better directors they would be able to turn it into a pro-Israeli
organization," claimed Joelson.
Professor Abraham Miller of the University of Cincinnati and a former
consultant to the National Institute of Justice on counter terrorism
recalled his time in UC Berkeley.
"I saw a lot of slogans and posters against Israel. I didn't see such
things against any other group…. When Jewish student organizations
cooperate with this it's unbearable," said Miller.
When lecturers expressed their wish to talk about Israel from a
positive perspective, the Hillel organization said they would rather
not bring in people who speak about controversial issues.
"Hillel is committed to creating deep and supportive relations with
the State of Israel and everything we do it with that in mind," said
Berkeley Hillel Executive Director Rabbi Adam Naftalin. "We will not
allow anyone calling for a boycott against Israel to become part of
us."
The Hillel administration at Washington University stated: "The
foundation is the cornerstone of pro-Israeli activities in
north-American campuses, working together with the Jewish Agency and
other organizations to provide students of different backgrounds the
opportunity to build a relationship with Israel."
"The foundation has established rules and regulations intended to
prevent activities with organizations calling to boycott Israel," they
added.
4. Guess what proportion of all the rapes in Norway in 2010 were
perpetrated by non-Moslems:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/145161
5. Let Bashar Asad, the dictator of Syria, know that not all is lost.
There is a pro-Asad lobby now operating inside Israel. Its leading
member is Mohammed Nafa (or Naffa), who used to be a member of the
Knesset from the Israeli communist party (and still is its general
commissar). He recently published an article singing subservient
praises of darling Bashar. Published in the Arabic newspaper Al-Huar
Al-matmadan
