Jews against Sharon

Israeli policies have begun to represent a source of trouble for Jews living abroad. Emad Gad sees some of the difficulties they face

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Israeli aggression towards the Palestinian people has incited the anger of wide swathes of the Jewish public in Arab and European nations. Jewish leaders in these nations have begun to publicly declare their rejection of these policies; some have even described the killing and terror perpetrated by Israeli forces against the Palestinian people as "state terrorism". Others have openly declared the need to impose economic sanctions on Israel until its government stops perpetrating crimes against Palestinians.

In tandem with these developments, the consequences of Israeli behaviour have begun to affect Israel's image in the West and, in turn, Jewish communities living in the West. It is clear that many in these communities who had seen themselves until recently as thoroughly assimilated in their societies have begun to feel that they are no longer a part of these societies as a result of Israeli government policy. Indeed, the undiplomatic behaviour of Israeli officials has exacerbated the problem. This was made starkly clear when the Israeli ambassador in Sweden vandalised a work of art in a Swedish museum that depicted violence and bloodshed in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, provoking the ire of the Swedish government and the public. The situation was made worse when the Israeli prime minister and foreign minister fully supported the actions of the ambassador. The ambassador became a national hero for a great part of the Israeli public who applauded his rejection of hypocrisy and his stance against "anti- Semitism". It did not matter that the artist was a Jewish Israeli currently living in Sweden.

The actions of the ambassador created problems for many Jews living in Sweden, leading many to conceal their identity. One researcher in anti-Semitism has noted that hatred is prevalent among the older generation of Swedes and that there is now a revival of the myth of Jewish power. Many analysts believe that the controversy over the destroyed piece of art, entitled "Snow White and the Madness of Truth," shows that Israel exploits anti-Semitism for political ends.

Some Jews in Sweden say they are careful to conceal anything that would indicate their Jewish identity. When they say they live a double identity, they mean that at work, school and on the street they will not voluntarily reveal their religion. One Jewish Swede says that he uses his non-Jewish last name and would never dream of walking down the street while wearing a skullcap, Star of David or T-shirt with Hebrew on it. When he went to Israel, he told people upon his return that he had gone to another country. He said that when he speaks with his Jewish friends about "Jewish" subjects like synagogue or kosher, he uses code words. But the camouflage does not always work. The same young man relates that not long ago, when he was standing in a Stockholm subway car, he was approached by someone who asked him about the "Jewish situation". "What do you want from me? I'm a Swede," he replied. The man replied, "Treat the Palestinians nicely." "Then he muttered something about my having a Jewish nose," says the young man. His grandfather came to Sweden in the early 20th century, and up until three years ago, he felt he was an inseparable part of Swedish society. Now he is not so sure about the future of Jews in Sweden. "I have a hard time with the idea that there is anti-Semitism here," he says. "But I have an even harder time with the unwillingness that I feel from the Swedish establishment to deal with the roots of the hatred that is directed at the Jews living here."

The feelings of individual Jewish Swedes should be put in the context of statements by some Jewish leaders in European countries who have begun to question Israel's responsibility for the difficulties and problems they are facing. Israel describes itself as a Jewish nation and was established to solve the suffering of Jews; now Israeli policies and the behaviour of Israeli officials have begun to represent a source of trouble for Jews abroad. Almost everything that is said about anti-Semitism in Europe is linked to Israeli government policies against Palestinians. The killing, assassination and destruction of land perpetrated by the occupation forces has begun to anger Western public opinion, shown clearly in the opinion poll conducted by the EU that found that 59 per cent of Europeans consider Israel the greatest danger to world peace.

In addition, the reactions of the Israeli government and the Zionist organisations that support it, to Western public opinion, and statements by Western officials are often arrogant, involving references to the Holocaust or accusations of anti-Semitism against anyone whose opinion does not toe the Zionist line.

Perhaps the Israeli government is intentionally creating problems for Jewish communities in Western societies to push European Jews to immigrate to Israel. What is certain is that Israeli aggression and the violation of Palestinian rights has begun to open the eyes of the European public, showing up Israel for what it is: an occupying nation pursuing racist policies that are unacceptable to the international community. It has also become clear that the weapon of anti- Semitism, long brandished by Israel in the face of those who disagree with it politically, is no longer effective due to overuse.

To read more about this debate, please visit the Web site of Arabs Against Discrimination (www.aad-online.org).