Imam Shamsi Ali
The US Congress just passed a resolution equating being critical of Israel as a country and nation, and as a government, to being critical to the Jewish faith or Judaism. I am sure all may know that criticisms (dislike and hate) of Jews and Judaism is called Anti Semitism. The resolution wants to confirm that criticism of the State of Israel or the Israeli Government is a form of hatred against the Jewish people and Judaism.
This is surely a blatant ignorance and misleading. In fact, it uncovers the true face of American politics and politicians when it come to the issue of Israel. Amazingly or sadly that shows how Israel is apparently placed more highly and is more honored than America itself. You can/may criticize America and its government and be applauded for exercising your freedom of speech and expression, but never do that to Israel and its government.
As an American myself, and I am sure many Americans agree, this is unacceptable based on at least two foundational grounds:
First, America is often claimed to be an exceptional nation. It’s large and arguably the most powerful nation on earth. But why do American politicians, on almost all levels, place Israel even higher and more honorable than America itself? What is actually the real reason behind it?
It is surely agreed that it is a part of our human nature to love the country we belong to. Although America is an immigrant nation, all those citizens and those who reside in this country among non citizens must be proud and honor this country. This is a way to appreciate what the country has given us. As President Kennedy said: do not ask what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country”. Putting another country over our own is a disservice and disrespect to America in my view.
Second, what is more important, is that any country or nation, even if that country claims to officially take a particular religion as its official religion, can not be considered to represent the religion in its entirety. Israel although they claim to be the Jewish state can not be seen as the representation of the Jewish religion or Judaism. Making Israel as a representation of a religion for me is a blasphemy to the religion (Judaism). Judaism is divine and Godly. Israel is human in nature.
Israel as a nation and country is a human-made institution. It is naturally human and full of human limitations. Hence it can commit mistakes, wrongs and even as we are witnessing these days Israel is committing unbelievable oppression and mass murder against Palestinians. How it is possible with all these evil doings that it can be equated to a religion or faith? Is this how a supposedly divine and godly inspired and perfect religion acts? I fully doubt it!
For this very reason I see the equation as a degradation of Judaism from its honorable divine position. As a Muslim surely I will oppose any claim by Muslims that equate Islam to any nation or country. I am not and will never accept any Muslim country, even those claiming to implementing shariah, such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, as their land’s constitution claim to be the representation of Islam. Again, for me such a claim is an insult and blasphemy to the religion of Islam.
Therefore, that Congressional resolution equating criticism of Israel to a criticism of Judaism is unacceptable. It’s unacceptable due to the fact that any country or nation is liable to do wrong things and can be criticized for that and that includes the United States and Israel. And certainly it is unacceptable for a very foundational reason that a religion and a country are two different entities. A country is a human-made entity. While religion is believed to be divine and Godly inspired entity.
The demonstrations which are taking place throughout the US campuses these days are not anti religion (Jewish and Judaism) demonstrations. In fact, many of those students and faculty members are also Jewish and they all should be appreciated for upholding high the very existence of democracy and freedom. More importantly, they are consistently upholding highly the supposed American values of respecting the right of all people to live with justice, freedom and human dignity.
Why then is it considered anti Semitism?
New York City, 2 May 2024