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Criminalizing Criticism of Israel

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On October 16, 2004, President George W. Bush signed the Israel Lobby’s bill, the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act.  This legislation requires the US Department of State to monitor anti-semitism world wide.

To monitor anti-semitism, it has to be defined.  What is the definition?  Basically, as defined by the Israel Lobby and Abe Foxman, it boils down to any criticism of Israel or Jews. 

Rahm Israel Emanuel hasn’t been mopping floors at the White House.
As soon as he gets the Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 passed, it will become a crime for any American to tell the truth about Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and theft of their lands.  

It will be a crime for Christians to acknowledge the New Testament’s account of Jews demanding the crucifixion of Jesus.

It will be a crime to report the extraordinary influence of the Israel Lobby on the White House and Congress, such as the AIPAC-written resolutions praising Israel for its war crimes against the Palestinians in Gaza that were endorsed by 100 per cent  of the US Senate and 99 per cent  of the House of Representatives, while the rest of the world condemned Israel for its barbarity. 

It will be a crime to doubt the Holocaust.  

It will become a crime to note the disproportionate representation of Jews in the media, finance, and foreign policy.

In other words, it means the end of free speech, free inquiry, and the First Amendment to the Constitution. Any facts or truths that cast aspersion upon Israel will simply be banned. 

Given the hubris of the US government, which leads Washington to apply US law to every country and organization, what will happen to the International Red Cross, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, and the various human rights organizations that have demanded investigations of Israel’s military assault on Gaza’s civilian population?  Will they all be arrested for the hate crime of “excessive” criticism of Israel?

This is a serious question. 

A recent UN report, which is yet to be released in its entirety, blames Israel for the deaths and injuries that occurred within the United Nations premises in Gaza.  The Israeli government has responded by charging that the UN report is “tendentious, patently biased,”  which puts the UN report into the State Department’s category of excessive criticism and strong anti-Israel sentiment.

Israel is getting away with its blatant use of the American government to silence its critics despite the fact that the Israeli press and Israeli soldiers have exposed the Israeli atrocities in Gaza and the premeditated murder of women and children urged upon the Israeli invaders by rabbis.  These acts are clearly war crimes.  

It was the Israeli press that published the pictures of the Israeli soldiers’ T-shirts that  indicate that the willful murder of women and children is now the culture of the Israeli army.  The T-shirts are horrific expressions of barbarity.  For example, one shows a pregnant Palestinian woman with a crosshairs over her stomach and the slogan, “One shot, two kills.”  These T-shirts are an indication that Israel’s policy toward the Palestinians is one of extermination.

It has been true for years that the most potent criticism of Israel’s mistreatment of the Palestinians comes from the Israeli press and Israeli peace groups.  For example, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz and Jeff Halper of ICAHD have shown a moral conscience that apparently does not exist in the Western democracies where Israel’s crimes are covered up and even praised.

Will the American hate crime bill be applied to Haaretz and Jeff Halper?  Will American commentators who say nothing themselves but simply report what Haaretz and Halper have said be arrested for “spreading hatred of Israel, an anti-semitic act”?

Many Americans have been brainwashed by the propaganda that Palestinians are terrorists who threaten innocent Israel.  These Americans will see the censorship as merely part of the necessary war on terror.  They will accept the demonization of fellow citizens who report unpalatable facts about Israel and agree that such people should be punished for aiding and abetting terrorists.

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http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/

Paul Craig Roberts was an editor of the Wall Street Journal and an Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury. His latest book, HOW THE ECONOMY WAS LOST, has just been published by CounterPunch/AK Press. He was awarded the Treasury Department's (more...)
 

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George Washington on Israel by Thomas Johnson on Friday, May 8, 2009 at 5:37:43 PM
This all I have to say on the subject by Sister Begonia on Friday, May 8, 2009 at 9:01:25 PM
Confusing War Crimes and Social Work by Jason Paz on Saturday, May 9, 2009 at 8:59:39 AM
Criminalising Anti-Semitism. by Eddy Schmid on Saturday, May 9, 2009 at 10:27:09 AM
THOUGHT CRIMES by William Whitten on Saturday, May 9, 2009 at 11:50:55 AM
Obama's sold soul by W. Christopher Epler (Bill) on Saturday, May 9, 2009 at 3:57:39 PM
frankly, by richard on Saturday, May 9, 2009 at 8:01:09 PM
SOS to American Americans by W. Christopher Epler (Bill) on Saturday, May 9, 2009 at 9:16:12 PM
By DECEIT they shall rule by Bia Winter on Monday, May 11, 2009 at 11:02:05 AM
yes... by William Whitten on Saturday, May 9, 2009 at 11:42:46 PM
I'm a liberal progressive by Bia Winter on Monday, May 11, 2009 at 10:57:49 AM
Hate Crime by Archie on Saturday, May 9, 2009 at 12:37:43 PM
And they had it all by Patrick on Saturday, May 9, 2009 at 2:54:21 PM
Spies and Lies by Patrick Lafferty on Sunday, May 10, 2009 at 12:10:42 AM
It's not their religion, it's their damn government by Dave Kisor on Sunday, May 10, 2009 at 2:08:39 AM
Jews Running America Is a Surprise to Many of Us by Jason Paz on Sunday, May 10, 2009 at 4:48:51 AM
criminalizing criticism of Israel by paul craig roberts on Sunday, May 10, 2009 at 8:48:46 AM
I'd like to offer one too by Patrick Lafferty on Sunday, May 10, 2009 at 7:09:26 PM
Paz...lets just start with entertainment and media: by William Whitten on Monday, May 11, 2009 at 7:22:35 PM
And then... by William Whitten on Monday, May 11, 2009 at 7:26:13 PM
Even more troubles and woes... by William Whitten on Monday, May 11, 2009 at 7:44:33 PM
Typical by Critter Can on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at 10:37:25 AM
What are they afraid of ? by arthur adze on Sunday, May 10, 2009 at 2:25:17 PM
Increasing US irrelevance by kwalsh on Sunday, May 10, 2009 at 7:12:17 PM
"Tell her they're all Terrorists" by Bia Winter on Monday, May 11, 2009 at 11:45:18 AM