Comments on: The Barbarian Streak in Spain http://blog.z-word.com/2009/02/the-barbarian-streak-in-spain/ Commentary about Zionism, anti-Zionism, antisemitism and the conflict in the Middle East Tue, 22 May 2012 17:34:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5-RC1.1 By: Soler Redux: Criticizing Israel and Antisemitism at Z-Word Blog http://blog.z-word.com/2009/02/the-barbarian-streak-in-spain/#comment-3696 Soler Redux: Criticizing Israel and Antisemitism at Z-Word Blog Thu, 19 Feb 2009 07:00:27 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1060#comment-3696 [...] in response to my translation of part of a column by Jordi Soler, David Schraub says, … of late I’ve observed that [...] […] in response to my translation of part of a column by Jordi Soler, David Schraub says, … of late I’ve observed that […]

]]> By: Lefty http://blog.z-word.com/2009/02/the-barbarian-streak-in-spain/#comment-3687 Lefty Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:36:41 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1060#comment-3687 I have to agree with Paul Malin. When someone describes the Israeli military action as "the massacre of the Palestinian civilian population, with emphasis on the children, [that] was unspeakable and unforgivable even by God," he's coming awfully close to being effectively anti-Semitic, because he's unfairly criticizing a Jewish country with the sort of extreme rhetoric used by anti-Semites. The phrase "emphasis on the children" is especially disturbing, because it's such nasty, unwarranted accusation. What is it about Israel that causes even well-meaning people like Jordi Soler to lose it? It shouldn't be hard to write a piece arguing that the Hamas attacks are terrible but the Israeli attack was morally disproportionate, especially considering the huge number of Palestinian civilians killed compared to the number of Israelis that had been killed by Hamas. I wouldn't agree with such an article, but I could see where the author was coming from. I have to agree with Paul Malin. When someone describes the Israeli military action as “the massacre of the Palestinian civilian population, with emphasis on the children, [that] was unspeakable and unforgivable even by God,” he’s coming awfully close to being effectively anti-Semitic, because he’s unfairly criticizing a Jewish country with the sort of extreme rhetoric used by anti-Semites. The phrase “emphasis on the children” is especially disturbing, because it’s such nasty, unwarranted accusation.

What is it about Israel that causes even well-meaning people like Jordi Soler to lose it? It shouldn’t be hard to write a piece arguing that the Hamas attacks are terrible but the Israeli attack was morally disproportionate, especially considering the huge number of Palestinian civilians killed compared to the number of Israelis that had been killed by Hamas. I wouldn’t agree with such an article, but I could see where the author was coming from.

]]> By: Alas, a blog » Blog Archive » Breaking the Seals http://blog.z-word.com/2009/02/the-barbarian-streak-in-spain/#comment-3684 Alas, a blog » Blog Archive » Breaking the Seals Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:33:43 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1060#comment-3684 [...] focused on the intersection between anti-Zionist and anti-Semitism than I am. Which is why I think this post is important — it not only affirms that “It is possible to be very critical of Israel [...] […] focused on the intersection between anti-Zionist and anti-Semitism than I am. Which is why I think this post is important — it not only affirms that “It is possible to be very critical of Israel […]

]]> By: Paula http://blog.z-word.com/2009/02/the-barbarian-streak-in-spain/#comment-3678 Paula Tue, 17 Feb 2009 11:23:24 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1060#comment-3678 Eamonn, On reading your note "Enrique Krauze on Gaza", I had a look at the original article in El País and was quite surprised to read that over 50 per cent of secondary school children in Spain would prefer not to sit next to a Jewish pupil. I would have thought that such a sentiment would be prevalent among the over 60 or 70, not shared by teenagers ! http://www.elpais.com/articulo/opinion/enfasis/sospechoso/elpepuopi/20090204elpepiopi_17/Tes Eamonn,

On reading your note “Enrique Krauze on Gaza”, I had a look at the original article in El País and was quite surprised to read that over 50 per cent of secondary school children in Spain would prefer not to sit next to a Jewish pupil.

I would have thought that such a sentiment would be prevalent among the over 60 or 70, not shared by teenagers !

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/opinion/enfasis/sospechoso/elpepuopi/20090204elpepiopi_17/Tes

]]> By: Muslims Against Sharia http://blog.z-word.com/2009/02/the-barbarian-streak-in-spain/#comment-3673 Muslims Against Sharia Mon, 16 Feb 2009 23:51:40 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1060#comment-3673 "We all agree that the response of the Israeli army ..." speak for yourself, dipshit. “We all agree that the response of the Israeli army …”

speak for yourself, dipshit.

]]> By: Eamonn McDonagh http://blog.z-word.com/2009/02/the-barbarian-streak-in-spain/#comment-3665 Eamonn McDonagh Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:59:15 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1060#comment-3665 He also makes being born Jewish sound rather like being born with some kind of handicap. But still, by comparison to a lot of other op-edists in recent weeks... He also makes being born Jewish sound rather like being born with some kind of handicap. But still, by comparison to a lot of other op-edists in recent weeks…

]]> By: Paul Malin http://blog.z-word.com/2009/02/the-barbarian-streak-in-spain/#comment-3662 Paul Malin Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:36:08 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1060#comment-3662 Agreed that Soler makes a valiant attempt to expose the antisemitism in Spain. Perhaps it's a mark of the intellectual air he breathes that he only gets so far: <i>"the massacre of the Palestinian civilian population, with emphasis on the children"</i> is the writing of a man who's view of reality is obscured by prejudices of his own, antisemitic or otherwise, and in a heavily Catholic country like Spain <i>"unforgivable even by God"</i> has to have weight beyond the rhetorical. I'm not that familiar with Spanish society. Is there a strong tendency to pin ultimate responsibility for everything bad on Franco, or is this piece unrepresentative in that regard? Agreed that Soler makes a valiant attempt to expose the antisemitism in Spain. Perhaps it’s a mark of the intellectual air he breathes that he only gets so far: “the massacre of the Palestinian civilian population, with emphasis on the children” is the writing of a man who’s view of reality is obscured by prejudices of his own, antisemitic or otherwise, and in a heavily Catholic country like Spain “unforgivable even by God” has to have weight beyond the rhetorical.

I’m not that familiar with Spanish society. Is there a strong tendency to pin ultimate responsibility for everything bad on Franco, or is this piece unrepresentative in that regard?

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