In a recent speech to mark the 60th anniversary of the state of Israel, Canadian PM Stephen Harper suggested that hatred for the state of Israel is tantamount to hatred for the Jewish people:
"Unfortunately, Israel at 60 remains a country under threat - threatened by those groups and regimes who deny to this day its right to exist ... And why? Make no mistake, look beyond the thinly veiled rationalizations: Because they hate Israel, just as they hate the Jewish people."
Linking Israel and "the Jewish people" in this fashion, raises questions about Harper's Zionist sympathies and evangelical affiliations. It is reminiscent of the language used by certain pro-Israel US pastors.
Since Harper's focus was Israel and its 60th anniversary, it's worth pointing out that Israel is not in fact "Jewish", unless you consider non-Jewish Israelis to be widgets rather than citizens. The Jewish population of Israel is around the 76% mark. There are also 16.3% Muslims, 2.1% Christian, 1.7% Druze. Not all of the 76% represent religious or even Zionist Jews. According to a 2004 Israel Central Bureau of Statistics study, 44% of Israelis describe themselves as "secular", and of these only 53% professed a belief in God. Subsequent polling has shown a fluctuation in these numbers.
A more recent TGI poll conducted among 10,000 Israelis reveals that 55% believe that it is important to maintain boundaries between the state and religion. Sixty five percent polled said they felt more Israeli than Jewish. A survey conducted by Ynet and the Gesher organization found that among secular Israelis, 57% would have no problem if their son married a non-Jewish girl. Surprisingly among religious Jews, 13% said they would have no problem with the marriage either so long as the prospective bride had Israeli citizenship.
The identification of the state of Israel with Jewishness entails a leap that some Israelis themselves would question - not just progressive Israeli secularists and Arab Israelis, but also those orthodox Jews who have consistently drawn a line between their Jewish faith and the Zionist state.
Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum, was a Talmud scholar of the first rank. In his book "Va Yoel Moshe", he made clear the orthodox position on Zionism, based not upon his personal opinion or prejudices, but upon midrash ( biblical interpretation). In reference to Tractate Kesubos 111a of the Talmud, Teitelbaum states that God and the people of Israel exchanged three vows prior to the exile from ancient Israel:
1. That the Jewish people would not ascend to the Holy Land as a group using force.
2. That the Jewish people would not rebel against the governments of countries in which they lived.
3. That the Jewish people would not, by their sins, prolong the coming of the Jewish Messiah.
Rabbi Teitelbaum was not alone in this view. Many Hasidic rabbis share his convictions with respect to Zionism.
In Canada, Yakov M. Rabkin, a Professor of History at the University of Montreal, is the author of "Threat Within: A Century of Jewish Opposition to Zionism." A passage from the book illustrates the impact of Zionism upon pure, Torah-based Judaism:
"Worse than the toll of suffering, exploitation, death, and desecration of the Torah, has been the inner rot that Zionism has injected into the Jewish soul. It has dug deep into the essence of being a Jew ... It has wreaked havoc among Jews both in Israel and America, by casting us in the role of Goliath-like oppressors. It has made cruelty and corruption the norm for its followers."
Harper's linking of hatred of Israel with hatred of Jews is a way of closing down political criticism of Israel by inferring that its critics are anti-Semitic. It makes you wonder what type of close minded idealogue has been elected to Canada's top office. At times when you listen to Harper, you could be forgiven for thinking that he believes Israel has a divine mandate none should question. The truth is many Jews do in fact question the state of Israel, while continuing to defend its existence. One such group is the Alliance of Concerned Jewish Canadians, that speaks out against Israeli policies they consider unjust. Are they also anti-Semitic?
Harper has taken such an extreme position on Israel that it is an embarrassment to many Canadians who value the traditional role Canada has played in international affairs. The one-sided views of the Prime Minister were echoed by comments made by Alan Baker, Israeli ambassador to Canada. Baker told The Globe and Mail that Muslims were having a growing influence on the foreign policies of European nations, and he 'feared' this might also turn out to be the case in Canada.
Baker seems to be inferring that Canadian Muslims are somehow crossing a line if they presume to advance their rights and interests as Canadian citizens. He refers to Canadian Muslims as having "their own values and principles" - the inference being that such values are in some way non-Canadian. Note to Mr Baker: Canada isn't a lobby for the state of Israel ... Canada is a fully fledged democracy and the views of Canadian Muslims are no less valid than the views of Canadian Jews.
It should be noted in the context of this discussion that according to the 2001 census, Muslims in Canada number 580,000 as compared with Jewish Canadians at 330,000.
Some of Baker's remarks are presumptuous. He said: "I've got nothing against the fact that Muslims are members of the Canadian Parliament." Talk about high handed. Canada isn't doing its Muslim citizens a favor by including them in the political process - it is their right. Baker appears to be projecting the second-class status of Arab Israelis onto Canadian Muslims - a mistake, because unlike democracy in Israel - democracy in Canada isn't a front for an entrenched supremacist ideology. When the governing party gets kicked out of office, it's baggage goes with it.
At its best Canada is about equal opportunity and fair play for all - not about the cultural and political dominance of a small minority, however wealthy and influential. The disproportionate influence of the pro-Israel Jewish community in Canada, and the extent to which that influence has impacted the policies of the Tory Party should be a matter of grave concern to all Canadians who believe that the role of Canada on the international stage should be a broader and less partisan one than that currently being pursued by Stephen Harper.
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