Criticizing Israeli policy often leads to being labeled anti-Semitic, a tactic that protects Israeli interests and influences Western politics and journalism. This manipulation, led by a powerful pro-Israel lobby, obscures the ongoing violence and colonial ambitions in Palestine. Despite Netanyahu’s recent overreach and the catastrophic Gaza genocide exposing the harsh reality, many people, including Jews and Israelis, are victims of this propaganda. True anti-Semitism is minimal, but the courage to stand against this injustice is crucial for dignity and humanity.
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Anyone who dares to criticize Israeli policy is labeled as anti-Semitic. In politics or journalism, even the slightest accusation of hatred towards Jews can ruin a career. During the genocide in Gaza, grotesque linguistic and writing acrobatics and embarrassing bias were observed. The prolonged Palestinian tragedy, reaching such tragic levels, is partly due to Western politicians and journalists who often failed their duties and sold out, from Rome to Washington, via Brussels. But let’s proceed step by step.
After the tragedy of World War II, it is logical and understandable that the Jewish community would strive to prevent such tragedies from recurring and fight anti-Semitism. They created a lobby that, among many others, reached impressive levels of power, to the point of holding the American Congress and several European governments on a leash. This power comes from money, key positions, and the hypocrisy of those who conform to the dominant thought for careerism. The point is that the pro-Israel lobby has nothing to do with fighting anti-Semitism. Jews as a culture and community are one thing, and the unfortunate Israeli government is another. The pro-Israel lobby influencing Western politics and journalism is a powerful tool through which figures like Netanyahu and his accomplices impose their Zionist agenda, conditioning the foreign policy of Western countries to gain support, protection, and impunity.
Israel is essentially a colonial project out of its time, seeking to annex Palestine by expelling or subjugating the natives. To achieve this, they have always resorted to violence and developed a diabolical propaganda over the decades to reverse reality and get away with it. They have managed to portray themselves as victims rather than perpetrators, with Israel being a model democracy full of rights it denies others and a crucial Western ally fighting for all of us against Arab incivility. Netanyahu repeated this to the American Congress amid standing ovations. Truly astonishing. Meanwhile, even the UN has certified the illegal occupation, apartheid, and numerous violations of international law. On one side, the reality, and on the other, one of the most impressive propaganda operations in history that concerns us all. We Westerners are victims of a thorough manipulation by a powerful lobby that exploited history and guilt, as well as the good faith of many. But let’s move to the present.
Netanyahu and his accomplices seemed to have found the magic formula to complete the colonization of Palestine. However, after decades, a cornered and career-ending Netanyahu overstepped following October 7th, causing everything to collapse. He couldn’t resist the temptation to unleash his visceral hatred against the Palestinians and realize his youthful Zionist dreams before retiring. A fatal error. Israeli colonialism has not stopped for a single day over the decades, but it was gradual. The devastating genocide in Gaza changed everything, bringing the Palestinian drama back to the global forefront in all its tragedy, disrupting decades of Zionist propaganda and lobbying. This is also how the horrifying scenes in Washington should be interpreted: a desperate attempt to regain control of the narrative. But it’s too late. Protests are filling squares worldwide, many governments are moving to recognize Palestine, and international institutions are working to bring about a trial that will finally do justice and help turn the page of history forever. The survival of Israel will also depend on the regional context, but Netanyahu’s Zionist drift is undoubtedly at its end. And all this has nothing to do with hatred towards Jews. Anti-Semitism exists just as hatred towards any human category exists, but it is a minority, the usual handful of extremists applying prejudices based on stupid generalizations. Many decent Israelis and Jews worldwide are victims of Netanyahu just like the Palestinians and all of us. Far from propagandistic anti-Semitism, we must have the courage to react. Politicians, supposed journalists, common people. It is a matter of dignity and humanity.
