Comments on: Mainstream or Just Extreme? http://ajcwire.org/2007/09/24/mainstream-or-just-extreme/ blog of the American Jewish Committee. Articles on Jewish life, current events, and Israel. Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:41:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: len roth http://ajcwire.org/2007/09/24/mainstream-or-just-extreme/#comment-1962 len roth Wed, 26 Sep 2007 23:39:39 +0000 http://ajcblog.org/2007/09/24/mainstream-or-just-extreme/#comment-1962 interesting look at both anti-Israel books. interesting look at both anti-Israel books.

]]> By: Adam Levick http://ajcwire.org/2007/09/24/mainstream-or-just-extreme/#comment-1961 Adam Levick Tue, 25 Sep 2007 14:02:50 +0000 http://ajcblog.org/2007/09/24/mainstream-or-just-extreme/#comment-1961 I read both books and, despite clear similarities in their descriptions of a Jewish cabal acting against the best interests of the U.S. government, the narrative advanced by Petras is remarkable in the degree of malice (and power) ascribed to Jews, Israel and the Israel Lobby, and in his willingness to advance often explicit anti-Semitic narratives without qualification. In fact, while Walt and Mearsheimer support a continued – albeit diminished – US relationship with Israel and at least tepidly support Israel’s right to exist, Petras portrays Israel as a Nazi-like state which represents the biggest single threat to peace, human rights, and democracy around the globe. Indeed Petras’ book contains 19 references which – usually implicitly, but sometimes more explicitly – employ language which suggests a comparison between Israel and Nazi Germany, and 11 references which suggest that Israeli treatment of the Palestinians represents nothing short of a Holocaust or Genocide. I'm IN NO WAY defending Walt/Mearsheimer, but I would like to point out the following Petras quote to show the open hostility towards Jews that is prevalent his book: "At a time when Israel was killing children in the streets of Rafah and destroying hundreds of homes under the horrified eyes of the entire civilized world...US Congressional leaders and the two major Presidential candidates pledged unconditional support to Israel, evoking the BLOODTHIRSTY CHEERS of investment brokers, dentist, doctors, lawyers – the cream of the cream of American Jewish society. ‘The cause of Israel is the cause of America’ rang out from the mouth of every candidate as the Israelis bulldozed homes and snipers shot small girls on their way to buy candy." I read both books and, despite clear similarities in their descriptions of a Jewish cabal acting against the best interests of the U.S. government, the narrative advanced by Petras is remarkable in the degree of malice (and power) ascribed to Jews, Israel and the Israel Lobby, and in his willingness to advance often explicit anti-Semitic narratives without qualification.

In fact, while Walt and Mearsheimer support a continued – albeit diminished – US relationship with Israel and at least tepidly support Israel’s right to exist, Petras portrays Israel as a Nazi-like state which represents the biggest single threat to peace, human rights, and democracy around the globe. Indeed Petras’ book contains 19 references which – usually implicitly, but sometimes more explicitly – employ language which suggests a comparison between Israel and Nazi Germany, and 11 references which suggest that Israeli treatment of the Palestinians represents nothing short of a Holocaust or Genocide.

I’m IN NO WAY defending Walt/Mearsheimer, but I would like to point out the following Petras quote to show the open hostility towards Jews that is prevalent his book:

“At a time when Israel was killing children in the streets of Rafah and destroying hundreds of homes under the horrified eyes of the entire civilized world…US Congressional leaders and the two major Presidential candidates pledged unconditional support to Israel, evoking the BLOODTHIRSTY CHEERS of investment brokers, dentist, doctors, lawyers – the cream of the cream of American Jewish society. ‘The cause of Israel is the cause of America’ rang out from the mouth of every candidate as the Israelis bulldozed homes and snipers shot small girls on their way to buy candy.”

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