The debate between the Left and Right in Israel has taken a surprising turn recently. Along with arguing over the Palestinian issue and the future of Judea and Samaria, a new-old discussion has been rekindled about the anti-Semitism rearing its head in Europe. Jeremy Corbyn in Great Britain is a good example of the new anti-Semitism espoused by the Left in Europe, and some of the new right-wing parties are contributing to the debate. Is the Polish Holocaust law anti-Semitic? Is Viktor Orban an anti-Semite? What are the positions of the Freedom Party of Austria? How should we approach France's Marine Le Pen?
These are fundamental questions in and of themselves, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's current linkage with elements on the new right, who are hostile to the European Union, have polarized the Left and Right in Israel: Each side accuses the other of linking up with anti-Semites or of tolerance toward their positions.
One factor, however, is absent from the equation: Zionism. Let's set aside the important distinctions between the various parties for a moment and basically assume they're all anti-Semitic. The radical Left, the new Right, the populist Right and the far-Right – they all exhibit a similar degree of Jew hatred, very reminiscent of the 19th century. So what do we do? Will the people of Europe hate us into perpetuity? Can nothing be done to cure the world's anti-Semitism?
Let me propose a new start-up: Zionism, an ideological movement that accepts Western anti-Semitism as a given and aspires to find a solution to the Jewish problem, without presuming to change the nature of Europe. The gentiles will always be anti-Semitic; therefore the Jews must establish a state and defend themselves. This is History 101.
In recent decades, in light of the horrors of the Holocaust, European countries have tried creating a new reality by shirking their anti-Semitic pasts. The Holocaust was placed in school curricula; the issue of human rights became the paramount dogma; the regime of political correctness sought to obscure reality. The success of these efforts has been mostly partial, accept for one central endeavor: It caused the Jews to fall in love with progressive Europe again, simultaneously undermining Israel's international standing by casting it as a reactionary nationalist state which hasn't internalized the lessons of the Holocaust.
Generational change and Muslim immigration are cracking Europe's outward appearance of enlightenment. It appears that today, 121 years after the First Zionist Congress, we're back at the starting point again. Everyone is anti-Semitic, thus, much like the past, the answer is Zionism.
Here we arrive at the crux of the matter: If everyone is anti-Semitic, how can we distinguish friend from foe? With whom should Israel forge relations? With whom should Israel strengthen its diplomatic ties? The Zionist answer is undoubtedly the clearest: The Zionist interest is the determining factor. Those who support Israel; accepts its diplomatic positions; want to reinforce the nation state and understand the danger posed by fundamentalist Islam; fight the boycott movement; oppose the phony universalism of the EU and United Nations – are the true friends of Israel. Sadly, more and more elements on the European Left are shedding these principles in favor of open hostility toward Israel; even if on the personal level they are certified philo-Semites.
