Bashing Israel Only Way To Be Accepted In Some Social Justice Movements, Raheel Raza Warns
Antisemitism is a Virus Too! program highlights the pandemic of antisemitic hate
The Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation has been hosting a series of Web Talks since early April under the overarching theme, Antisemitism is a Virus Too! The programs have highlighted the pandemic of antisemitic hate being spread across communities and continents, with experts addressing the rise of antisemitism in Iran, Turkey, India, England; its incipient spread through Black Lives Matter and other social justice movements; and the history of antisemitism and the three-headed monsters— leftism, Islamism and alt-right. It is not enough to track the spread of this virus, CAEF is encouraging action to thwart it.
Over the millennia, antisemitism has been sometimes dormant, but it always rises during tumultuous times and it conveniently morphs to suit the culture and conditions in which it is ever-present. Today’s antisemitism is stridently anti-Zionist and is built on hideous lies, media distortions, fakery, hoaxes, and myths.
At the July 10th Web Talk, noted journalist, public speaker, human rights advocate, Raheel Raza spoke about Antisemitism, Racism and Social Justice Movements, and pointed out that Islamists have hijacked many just causes by attaching their anti-Zionist messages to the cause of others. So, for example, after the death in the US city of Ferguson in 2014 of a young Black boy, antisemites began chanting “From Ferguson to Palestine”. The 2016 platform of Black Lives Matter carried disturbingly antisemitic clauses calling to end military support and funding for the IDF, and for altering the strategic alliance between the US and its ally Israel.
It would seem that bashing Israel is seen to be the only way to be accepted by some social justice movements; such was demanded of Jewish women in the Women’s March, of lesbians in the Dyke March, and now of Jews in the Black Lives Matter movement. Raheel argued strongly against Jews joining such movements as seeking acceptance or being trendy will not assuage the Jew-haters nor bring social justice. In her talk, Raheel was very passionate about standing up for Israel, for truth, for justice, and not caving. She acknowledged that today’s antisemitism is cloaked in antizionism, and Israel is the Jew! Her CAEF Web Talk can be viewed here: https://www.caef.ca/caef-videos
In her work with Jews, Christians, and Muslims, Raheel has spoken out against all forms of hatred and has created bridges between communities, the most recent being a new committee of Muslims Against Antisemitism. She is a member of a global community of reformist Muslims, fighting Islamism, and radicalization. Her work includes lectures and films, documentaries for the Clarion Project, and most recently she became Chair of the Advisory Board of Rebel Media.
CAEF and Raheel Raza, as President of Muslims Facing Tomorrow, remind the social justice community that Zionism is one of the oldest social justice movements in history, the struggle for centuries for the rights of the Jewish people to their national homeland, the return to Zion and the ending of millennia of being “othered.”
The next Web Talk Series is Unapologetic Zionism with the first speakers being two outstanding, courageous and creative women, Karma Feinstein-Cohen and Lauren Isaacs. Both are active leaders in World Herut, with Karma being the founder and Executive Director, and Lauren being the National Director for Canada and Internship Coordinator for World Herut.
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