http://www.pilarrahola.com/3_0/CONFERENCIAS/default.cfm?ID=116
“I feel Jewish because I am a European, and that is the only moral condition that can redeem a European from his or her own shameful past.”
Europe has chosen to ignore the tightening grip of Judeophopbia. Across the continent, but most notably among leftist intellectuals, there is a blind adherence to the Palestinian-Arab cause – and a chilling demonization of the Jew and the Jewish State reminiscent of the horrors of the not too distant past. According to the author, behind this phenomenon lie two kinds of betrayal – that of memory and that of truth. Where the Holocaust is concerned European society displays a convenient amnesia and an obstinate forgetfulness.
Corroded by leftist dogma, European intellectuals, the Trojan horse of Europe’s erudite antisemitism, also display a shocking disregard for the crimes of the dictators and “freedom fighters” with whom they are captivated. Thus José Saramago and other like him are able to embrace and extol, Pol Pot, Arafat, Saddam Hussein, Castro and even Stalin, while inveighing against the “genocidal policies” of Israel and its leaders. Every day the European media trumpets lies and falsehoods about Israel and “American imperialism.” Age-old European stereotypes of the Jews as a sinister force have been revived. Naturally, terror in the service of the Arab cause, whether against Israelis or Americans, can be ignored. No sympathy for its victims is warranted, because, after all, it is the Israelis and the Americans who are the real terrorists, and even Nazis. Today, Europe faces an epic struggle between the very best and the very worst of its traditions.
Confronted with this struggle, Pilar Rahola declares: “I feel Jewish because I am a European, and that is the only moral condition that can redeem a European from his or her own shameful past.” The Author In 1997, Pilar Rahola, member of the Spanish Parliament with the Catalan Republican Left Party (Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya – ERC), quit both the Parliament and politics in general, stating that the Left had lost its way. One of the main reasons for her decision was the increasingly obvious antisemitic flavor of leftist doctrine hiding under the guise of anti-Zionism and of severe criticism of Israel’s policies. Born and raised in Barcelona in a traditional Catholic and staunchly Republican family, Rahola had no reason to feel Spain’s Judeophobia breathing down her neck. However, as an activist against injustice – especially in the areas of women’s equality, animal rights and media bias – she became outraged by the manner in which blatant antisemitism had made its way into leftist ideology and polite society unchecked.
Rahola holds a doctorate in Spanish and Catalan literature from the University of Barcelona and has served as the director both of Pòrtic Publishing and the Acta Foundation, as well as vice-mayor of Barcelona from 1994-2000. She has written several best-selling books and currently hosts a television talk show. She writes regularly for El País, El Periódico and Avui. WJC INSTITUTE Introduction Europe has never confronted its responsibility with regards to antisemitism – neither in the past, nor present. Nowhere, however, is this omission more glaring than in Spain. In a report of March 2004, Pat Cox, former president of the European Parliament, declared that Spain is currently a main source of incitement against Jews in Europe. The report of the European Union Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia, referring to media coverage of the Middle East conflict, reveals that: “the stereotypes found in that coverage are the same as those waived against the Jews during the 1930s (killing children, controlling the world). It would be impossible to prove that the tremendous wave of anti-Israel sentiment in Spain is in no way connected to antisemitic content in the news.” These findings are supported by the results of a recent survey by the Gallup Organization: 72% of Spanish people would deport the Jews from Israel; only 12% would accept having Jewish neighbors; 69% believe Jews are too powerful and 55% attribute “dark intentions” to them that cannot be summarized. To my sadness, the survey demonstrates that my native Catalonia and the Basque Country both show the highest levels of Judeophobia. Alas, this situation is true to a greater or lesser extent across the length and breadth of Europe. This distressing conclusion and the findings behind them have been published by wellrespected institutions. Yet, have they worried anyone in Europe? More to the point, have they been been read, believed? No, they have become yesterday’s back page. Convinced of the truth of this data, the accusation I make is the following:
Today, Europe, and especially Spain, is “antisemitic” once again. But we are mainly nations that are antisemitic in the style of Communist Poland in 1968, or in Paul Lendvai’s words, we are “antisemites without Jews.” Because these days in much of Europe, including the Iberian Peninsular, there is only a negligible number of Jews. And I say “antisemite” knowing that most of my colleagues (especially in the Left) not only do not accept the term, but find it offensive, as if antisemitism was the exclusive patrimony of the extreme Right and fundamental Catholicism. Many are the camouflages of antisemitism. Anti-Zionism and anti-Israel sentiment are much more bearable for thin skins. But they are fed by the same source of intolerance. It is essentially alright to be a critic of Israel and of course it is true that not every critic can be accused of antisemitism. However, with so many signs of warning, we must analyze them if we do not want to risk the destruction of our society.
