Hamas’s PHYSICAL attcak is dependent on the IDEOLOGICAL attack on Judaism coming from the west
Reprints from the JERUSALEM post, December 15, 2023
(photo credit: Edward Gooch Collection/Getty Images)
The Jewish nation is under a dual assault: a physical assault led by Hamas; and an ideological assault led by parts of the media, the UN, and protesters in the streets of Europe and on college campuses in America.
Like in previous large-scale assaults on Judaism, these assaults are autonomous but feed off each other.
Hamas depends on ideological attack on Jews
Hamas’s war doctrine depends on the ideological assault on Judaism: Sustain a few tough weeks or months in the tunnels protected by human shields, and count on their de facto partners in the media, UN, and global organizations to mount international pressure on Israel to stop its counter-operation. Israel, the thinking goes, would eventually be forced to stop, hence Hamas survives and can launch more attacks.
This Hamas media de facto alliance worked well in previous rounds. One recalls the days in 2005 when UN leaders, progressive activists, liberal journalists, and others, urging Israel to unilaterally withdraw from Gaza, pledged that if Israel will ever be attacked from Gaza after its withdrawal, they will all stand with Israel when it fights back against its attackers, since Israel would then have the “moral high ground.”
Indeed, following Israel’s full withdrawal, which included uprooting all traces of Jewish life in Gaza, Israel enjoyed a few months of frivolous love from those circles.
But when Hamas attacked Israel from Gaza, those same “moral high ground” people forgot their pledge, just as the chief butler to Pharaoh forgot Joseph. Instead, they reverted back to their addictive nature of Israel-bashing. Israel’s right to defend itself was even labeled by the UN as a “crime against humanity”!
The equation Jews defending themselves = a crime against humanity is not new. It has been a staple of the 2,300 year-old European-Israeli conflict dating back to the Greek invasion of Judea – the backdrop to Hanukkah.
It carried on with the next invader from Europe – the Romans, who destroyed the Temple and deported the Jews, mostly to Europe. It then continued through abusive persecutions of those Jewish refugees in Europe for nearly 2,000 years.
Indeed, in the mid-19th century, famed opera composer Richard Wagner aggressively promoted that equation to Europeans by explaining that Jews pollute humanity. Moreover, such Jewish “crimes against humanity” are incurable, according to Wagner. A Jew cannot help himself – he cannot be Europeanized; therefore, the only solution to the malaise Jews bring to humanity is annihilation.
Generations of Europeans were indoctrinated with this mantra that the mere existence of Jews is a crime against humanity, which eventually translated into ample European cooperation with the genocide of European Jewry, led by the Nazis.
The Wagner indoctrination led to the spread of antisemitism (the new form of opposition to Judaism during the mid/late 19th century).
The UN indoctrination led to the spread of anti-Zionism (the new form of opposition to Judaism during the early 21st century).
Akin to Wagner’s article “Jews in Music,” the UN issued the 2009 Goldstone Report, accusing Jews in Israel of crimes against humanity. While Goldstone – a Jews himself – later partially retracted his slanderous accusations, it was too late. Rather, it was immaterial in what became a populous multi-front ideological assault on the Jewish nation through Israel-bashing and anti-Zionism.
Rather quickly, it became rooted in Western society that the Jewish state is “happy to kill Palestinian children,” as explained by a BBC presenter earlier this year to millions of viewers. This was based on the fact that some of the Islamic Jihad terrorists murdering Israeli civilians in early 2023 were under 18, hence Israel shooting back at them, per the BBC presenter, amounts to the Jewish state being happy to kill children (the BBC later partially retracted this, but again, it was too late in the indoctrination process).
Add various other reports from the UN, Amnesty International, various NGOs, and endless news items in other credible Western media such as CNN and The New York Times, and naturally the Western mind is set: The Jews are at it again – the Jewish state commits crimes against humanity!
With such solid ideological framing, Hamas could launch its Oct. 7 attack with confidence. Israeli officials would not be able to reverse decades of indoctrination through TV appearances (hasbara), and eventually international pressure would mount on Israel to stop, and to deliver Hamas the victory (“ceasefire now”).
Indeed, when the time comes to investigate the causes of war and how to prevent the next war, one will need to take a fresh look at the media’s role and acknowledge a new difficult reality: The media is not an observer but an actor in the war.
Ideological attack on Jews depends on Hamas
The Hamas physical attack is dependent on the ideological attack on the Jewish nation, carried through anti-Zionism and Israel-bashing at the UN, the media, and by now deeply entrenched in Western society. But so is the reverse: One can not accuse the Jewish state of crimes against humanity if Hamas does not attack.
Herein lies the predictable cycle of violence that has been going on for years: Hamas attacks Israel through rockets, bombs, shooting, and now kidnapping and rape; Israel retaliates against Hamas; and that retaliation fuels the ideological assault on the Jewish nation in the UN and the media through Israel-bashing and anti-Zionism. Such ideological attacks, then give Hamas the assurance that it can launch another attack – more terrorism, more Oct. 7s.
The way to disrupt this cycle of violence is not by telling Israel to stop defending itself, as suggested not just by the UN, journalists, and pro-Hamas demonstrators on college campuses, but shockingly also by 13 of 15 countries on the UN Security Council.
The only way to disrupt this cycle of violence is by countering the root cause of the ideological assault on the Jewish nation: anti-Zionism.
There is a broadly accepted ludicrously zero tolerance for traditional antisemitism (the existential threat to Judaism of the 20th century), with ample tolerance for anti-Zionism (the existential threat to Judaism in the 21st century).
As discussed in this column and in the special October 22, 2022, Jerusalem Post Magazine, Is Zionism becoming the anchor of Judaism?, a broad recognition that Judaism has transformed and Zionism has become its organizing principle (Judaism 3.0) would go a long way toward countering our era’s existential threat to Judaism – anti-Zionism.
Hanukkah marks the miraculous survival of Judaism, sustaining the Greeks’ dual assault: ideological and physical. But Hanukkah’s essence is not just about noting a historic event – it is a template to our life today.
Let us hope that, like then, God will give the Jewish nation the wisdom and fortitude to sustain both the physical assault led by Hamas and the ideological assault led by Israel-bashers and anti-Zionists.
The writer is author of Judaism 3.0: Judaism’s Transformation to Zionism (Judaism-Zionism.com) and chairman of the Judaism 3.0 think tank. For his geopolitical articles: EuropeAndJerusalem.com
Scroll down for videos connecting Judaism 3.0 frameworks to today’s situation
This article is a reprint from the December 15, 2023 Jerusalem Post Magazine. Click for PDF of the magazine:
Related: Those who curse and those who bless
More strategic analysis relating to the Gaza war in Gol Kalev’s daily commentary on American Sunrise: European contributoin to the conflict
Gol Kalev argues that Judaism is going through a historic transformation and Zionism is becoming its anchor (Judaism 3.0).
Increasingly, Jews and non-Jews alike relate to Judaism through Zionism and Israel, whether in the positive and the negative. Zionism has become the most relevant aspect of Judaism. Therefore age-old opposition to Judaism is now expressed through anti-Zionism and Israel-bashing
This has far reaching implications, including in crafting strategies to counter new existential threat to Judaism
Watch the recent Judaism 3.0 discussion: Anti-Zionism as the new Anti-Semitism
Jerusalem Post Special Magazine: Are we in Judaism 3.0?:
Gol Kalev shows how anti-Zionism has turned into an existential threat to Judaism, in a Jerusalem Post article series (2022)
The implications of Judaism 3.0:
This generation’s existential threat to Judaism
Applying Herzl’s thinking to counter Israel-bashing
Occuptionalism: The new form of Colonialism is hijacking the Palestinian cause
Occupationalism is enabled by the Jerusalem-based “Conflict Industry,” known for its lavish parties, insularity, high turnover and its own social hierarchy
European blood libels continue, but now there is a solution
Recognizing that we are in Judaism 3.0 would address existential threats to Judaism, but it would also provide Jewish clarity that would advance humanity
Judaism 3.0: Turning threats to Judaism into enablers of its survival
Like antisemitism in Herzl’s time, today’s Israel-bashing and assimilation of American Jewry also have hidden assets in them
Passover to Shavuot and the American-European divide
How the transition affects today’s geopolitics, the flaws of democracies and the emerging rift: Americanism vs. Europeanism
Threat to Judaism through friends, influenced by Israel-bashing movement
Applying Herzl’s thinking, the threat to Judaism might come through our friends. Such Israel-bashing-light was showcased in the Basel Zionism celebrations in 2022
A broad recognition of Judaism 3.0 would release the Arabs of the Middle-east from debilitating European dogmas that have occupied their true character for the last 100 years
See in Link: Applying Judaism 3.0 to the countering Israel-Bashing
See also The Jerusaelm Report 2022 New Year Magazine: Judaism’s transformation to Zionism – Countering the Israel-bashing movement
Recognizing that Judaism has transformed would rob the Israel-bashers of their starting point: The premise that Judaism is merely a religion.
Summary of above articles:
Gol Kalev shows how Israel-bashing is today’s existential threat to Judaism, having both a populous dogmatic retail component – Occupationalism, and institutional destruction mechanisms that deploy modern-day blood-libels. In such circumstances, Hasbara (Israeli PR) is futile. Yet, a broad global recognition that Judaism has transformed to Judaism 3.0, and Zionism is now its anchor, would dramatically mitigate the threat.
Related. Jerusalem Post Magazine Cover-articles by Gol Kalev:: EUROPE & JERUSALEM
The resurfacing of European Colonialism
Hijacking the Palestinian cause
European opposition to the Jewish state
Time for a new European peace conference
Europe should benefit from Herzl’s vision
For inquiries/comments: info@europeandjerusalem.com
Judaism 3.0 launch: Revolutionary approach to coutnering Israel-bashing
Watch Gol discuss his new book in an i24 interview
Applying the frameworks of Theodor Herzl to today
Judaism 3.0 event: Applying Herzl to today’s strategic issues
Watch Gol Kalev address to the Jerusalem Leaders Summit
Related article: anti-Zionism is anti—humanity
Praise for Judaism 3.0
“A courageous thesis that must be part of any serious discussion of the future of Israel and the Jewish people.”
Michael Oren, historian, former ambassador of Israel to the United States
“Gol Kalev does not just know Theodor Herzl – he lives and breathes Theodor Herzl…This book should trigger the conversation the Jewish community needs about Israel, Zionism, Judaism and Identity. Bravo!”
Professor Gil Troy, author – The Zionist Ideas
ייA remarkable ideas book that is about much more than the state of Judaism…One of the most important books about Judaism, Zionism and global trends of our times.”
Catherine Carlton, former Mayor of Menlo Park, Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur
“This book should play an important role in the discussions about the future of world Jewry and its relations with Israel.”
Natan Sharansky, former Chairman of The Jewish Agency, former Deputy Prime Minister of Israel
“Gol Kalev’s book has the merit to transform the very essence of the State of Israel to becoming an objective expression of Jewish identity“
Dr. Georges Yitzhak Weisz, author – Theodor Herzl: A New Reading
“This book has sparked as much conversation as it has because the premise is so interesting, so counter-intuitive and demand of us that we think many thing anew. That is perhaps the greatest gift a book can give.”
Dr. Daniel Gordis, author – We Stand Divided
“Fresh new thinking about the relationship between Judaism and Israel. Kalev picks up where Herzl left off…A must read for people of all religious and political backgrounds who want to get a deeper understanding of the state of Zionism and Judaism today.”
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem
About the Author: Gol Kalev is a former Wall Street investment banker who has been researching Herzl and Zionism. Growing up in Tel Aviv and serving in the Israeli army, he then lived in New York and now resides in Jerusalem. He also spent time in various European cities and has traveled through both the American and European countryside, learning about contrasting world-views.
He has been chairman of The AIFL Think Tank since 2011 (now the Judaism 3.0 think tank), which explores the state of Zionism and Judaism, and has been writing analysis articles about Zionism, Europe, global affairs and long-term geopolitical shifts for the Jerusalem Post, Jerusalem Report, Israel Hayom, The Daily Wire, The Media Line, Newsweek and Foreign Policy.
He has been praised for his unique understanding of Judaism by people throughout the political and religious spectrum. In this book, he delivers the state of Judaism as he sees it: Zionism as the anchor of Judaism.
Visit the Judaism 3.0 website: Judaism-Zionism.com
Mazo publishing is offering organizations and companies who wish to purchase 100 copies or more, a special edition of Judaism 3.0 with a dedication page. For information:
Europe and Jerusalem 