Internationally acclaimed jazz saxophonist, Gilad Atzmon was born in Israel and has become an advocate for peace and justice for Palestinians. In this article article Gilad looks at the attack on Alison Weir and If Americans Knew by the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and Jewish Voice for Peace. For background see our article: “The ADL Style Attack Against Palestinian Activist Alison Weir & IAK Results in Expulsion.”
End The Jewish Occupation Of The Solidarity Movement
I would like to congratulate The US Campaign To End Israeli Occupation (EOIO) for confirming the substance of my argument that Jewish domination of the solidarity movement has had a corrosive effect on the movement. My argument is detailed in my recent book, The Wandering Who.
Ten days ago, we learned that the Israeli Government has actually recruited left organisations to cleanse the Solidarity movement of its ‘radicals’ –those who dare to tell the truth about the Jewish State and the culture and ideology that drive its politics. EOIO seems to be exceedingly enthusiastic about its role as dictated by its Jerusalem masters. Following JVP’s, AKA Jewish Voice Police campaign against Alison Weir, the EOIO has now published its complete list of ‘accusations’ against Ms. Weir. Alison Weir is a dedicated, articulate pro Palestinian American patriot and the founder of the very informative outlet, If Americans Knew.
The list of ridiculous ‘charges’ made by the EOIO against Weir demonstrates that the EOIO is determined to block any attempt to explore the crimes committed by the Jewish State within the context of Jewish culture, Jewish politics, Jewish ideology, Jewish religion or Jewish history. Imagine an anti Nazi organisation that blocked any attempt to examine Nazi crimes within the context of Nazi culture, Nazi politics, Nazi ideology, Nazi spirit or Nazi history. Such an endeavour seems unthinkable. I guess that in the eyes of the EOIO, Jews are exempt from such standard intellectual examination, somehow privileged or shall we say ‘chosen.’ No wonder neither this umbrella organisation nor similar campaign groups have achieved a thing for Palestine or humanity other than to dilute the resistance by use of some faulty Judeo-centric terminology.
To the EOIO, the Jewish State has nothing to do with the ‘J word’ whatsoever. This is slightly ridiculous since the Israel defines itself as ‘The Jewish State’ and is supported by the vast majority of world Jewry and their institutions. Although Netanyahu’s previous cabinet passed the Israeli National Bill that confirms that each Israeli policy must reflect Israel’s Jewishness, our so-called liberal Jewish ‘allies’ at JVP and EOIO are determined to conceal all evidence of Jewish symptoms. They want us to support Palestine but with our hands tied behind our backs.
This must change now. Time for emancipation. Before anything else, before we move forward on anything related to Palestine, we must liberate ourselves from the Zionist occupation that has settled at the heart of the Palestinian solidarity movement.
Let’s review what Alison Weir did that ‘violated’ the EOIO’s so-called ‘anti-racism principles’.
1. Ms. Weir posted a blog on her personal website noting that Jews as a race have been “an object of hatred to all the peoples among whom it has established itself,” effectively blaming Jews for anti-Semitism.
Gilad Atzmon comment: In case our EOIOs are not familiar with Jewish history, I will help them out. Jewish history has been an endless chain of holocausts. No one can deny that. I understand that Jews tend to blame the so-called goyim for this, but one would expect ‘pro’ Palestinians liberals to grasp that there is something fundamentally misleading in such an approach to Palestine. Given Israel’s brutality, perhaps ‘pro’ Palestinian supporters might accept the remote possibility that there may be something within Jewish culture, politics, religion or ideology that makes Jews unpopular in so many different palaces including the Middle East. There might be something in the Jewish universe that made Zionism into what it is. There may even be something intrinsic to Jewish politics that made Israel into a global disaster and the world’s biggest enemy of peace.
Maybe, instead of blaming the messengers, Alison Weir, yours truly and others, the Jerusalemites at EOIO might want to glance in the mirror. The answer is there. The realization that liberal Jews are primarily interested in their own tribal interests is creating a tidal wave of resentment toward liberal Jews within the solidarity movement. Once again, I am happy to offer advice to my former brethren. Stop blaming the gentiles, just take responsibility for your own actions.
2. In writing about a controversy surrounding allegations that the Israeli military harvested the organs of Palestinians in 2009, Ms. Weir responded to supporters of Israel, who claimed the allegations constituted a new “blood libel,” by citing the research of Ariel Toaff, who purported to have uncovered ritual murder of Christian children by Jews in medieval Europe (the very definition of “blood libel”). (See Section 2 of part 3)
Gilad Atzmon comment: Jewish Academic Ariel Toaff did admit that murdering Christian children was a Jewish medieval ritual and there is NO wrong in Alison Weir or anyone else quoting or referring to his academic research, even if it makes solidarity Jews feel uncomfortable.
3. Ms. Weir has appeared at least five times for hour-long episodes on notorious white supremacist and militiaman Clayton Douglas’s radio show, the “Free American Hour,” between 2010 and 2012. A cursory glance at Douglas’s homepage would raise concerns about the host and program’s political content. Douglas’s homepage features the Confederate flag, a video that opens with the title: “9/11 Brainwashing and the Holohoax,” and numerous references to the “Jew World Order” and its “war on Adolph Hitler,” as well as claims of “ritual murder of Christians and children by Jews.” While Ms. Weir was interviewed…. Ms. Weir made little to no effort to challenge, confront, or rebut any of these views; on the contrary, she continued to appear on the show, placing Palestinian rights advocacy within the context of — rather than in opposition to — those views.
Gilad Atzmon Comment: Guilt by association is a popular Jewish political hobby – both Zionist and so called ‘anti’ constantly practice this sport. However, America tends to regards itself as a free place. This means that people are entitled to express their thoughts in public whether or not they make other people comfortable.
Weir is accused by the EOIO of not ‘confronting’ Clayton Douglas’ views; a bizarre accusation. Are we duty-bound to ‘correct’ those whom we may not agree with? Is this a new progressive commandment? If it is, we should have been told in advance. Or it may be that Alison Weir at least partially agrees with Clayton Douglas’ views and there is no wrong there either.
Maybe the ‘anti’ Zionists at EOIO should spend some time learning Jewish history. They should search for the ‘1933 Judea Declaration of a war against Germany’. Apparently, Douglas is more familiar with Jewish history than our EOIO leadership is. Rather than be offended and attempting to make the solidarity movement into a synagogue of ideological collectivism, maybe our EOIO elders should look into all these ‘infuriating’ terms used by Douglas; they may even grasp where he comes from. After all, you might expect a certain degree of tolerance and intellectual curiosity from those who claim to carry the anti- bigotry flag.
4. During appearances on Douglas’s radio show, Ms. Weir:
a. explained her view that Muslims are much closer to Christians than Jews, stating “…sadly, if you look at the theology of Judaism, that is quite different. So again, it’s not that I like to tell negative things about any group, but we do need to be fully informed on this.” (See Section 4a of Part 3)
Gilad Atzmon comment: Weir comment is theologically well-grounded.
Not many people are aware that the name Jews call Jesus (Yeshu), is actually an abbreviation for Yamach Shemo Ve-zichro (May his Name be eradicated) – a unique Jewish vile epitaph reserved for the biggest evil enemies of the Jewish people such as Hitler and Ahmadinejad. When you think about it carefully, Jesus did indeed commit the ultimate anti Semitic crime – he preached to his Jewish brothers to love their neighbours as themselves, something even our Liberal Jews at JVP and EOIO should be able to cope with. However, for Muslims, Jesus is actually a prophet. Alison Weir was obviously correct that the Muslims are closer to Christians in their theology.
b. Acknowledged several books Douglas mentioned when ranting about communism and its connection to Jewish people, stating that she “read some portions of those books and they are as you say, they do discuss the Jewish connection to the Gulags…”(4b, Part 3)
Gilad Atzmon Comment: The connection between Jewish Bolsheviks and the Soviet Gulags is an accepted scholarly fact. Prominent American Jewish academic Yuri Slezkine explores this in his invaluable book The Jewish Century. He came to the conclusion that Jews were Stalin’s willing executioners. Weir is denounced for stating the truth. And maybe, we should insist that our LibZionist elders at EOIO accept that reading books is, in general, a positive adventure. Otherwise, our Jewish masters at JVP ought to provide us with a kosher reading list. We should also resolutely insist that our Jewish educators burn the prohibited books. Because the temptation to read them could turn into a mass collective agony. Maybe we should accept to avoid such torture and allow ourselves to be led blindfolded by our chosen masters.
c. Acknowledged that Douglas is perceived as racist, but indicated that she dismissed these allegations.
Gilad Atzmon Comment: Whether Douglas is a racist is open to debate, yet I fail to understand what makes Douglas more racist than JVP, with its Jews only board, or IJAN with its purely Jewish leadership. Maybe EOIO and liberal Jews can enlighten us so we can finally understand why Jewish racial exclusivity is kosher while white people who follow the same exclusive doctrine are vile?
5. In addition to appearing on the “Free American Hour”, Ms. Weir spoke more than once, and as recently as April 2015, to the American Free Press, another white supremacist publication whose homepage currently features numerous defenses of the confederate flag, including an article proclaiming that the outrage around the Charleston shooting of nine Black church-goers is a tactic in the “ongoing war on traditional America.” The front page of their print publication declares “Civil War II: Hate group exploits tragic shooting as catalyst for vicious assault on Christian, Southern culture.” (See Section 5 of Part 3)
According to her response to our inquiry, Ms. Weir is fully committed as a matter of principle to continuing to contribute to American Free Press, “Free American Hour”, and any other show regardless of its agenda. That may be her principle but it is not ours.
Taken as a pattern, we concluded that Ms. Weir’s views and actions, on behalf of If Americans Knew, contradict the US Campaign’s anti-racism principles.
Gilad Atzmon Comment: In case the EOIO is unable to understand, Alison Weir is not the editor of the American Free Press and is not responsible for its editorial decisions. However, the ‘progressive’ EOIO is delivering a clear message. American patriots and nationalists are not welcome in the Palestinian solidarity movement.
Unlike the Jerusalemites who dominate the EOIO, I believe that patriots and nationalists are the first to support Palestine, and among the first to see the devastating lethal continuum between Gaza, Athens and Baltimore.
The clan at the EOIO seems not to understand that the Palestinian plight is a nationalist struggle and the leading resistance groups in Gaza are actually Islamic, patriotic and nationalist. Not exactly the followers of the Jewish progressive cult advocated by the EOIO.
Since the EOIO attributes such importance to its ‘anti racism principle,’ it might be worth a review. It reads as follows: “Our coalition stands opposed to Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, all forms of racism, and any other expressions of bigotry directed at any person or group. We also reject the charge of anti-Semitism when it is used spuriously to silence legitimate criticism of Israel’s policies and practices.”
Interesting, since the EOIO failed to establish at any point what Alison Weir did that breached their anti racism ‘principle.’ Weir wasn’t engaged in any act of racism or bigotry directed at any person or a group. Weir is a reader of Jewish and American history. She formed a legitimate views of Jewish culture and politics that are shared amongst a number of prominent Israeli and Jewish thinkers such as Spinoza, Bernard Lazare, Israel Shahak, Shlomo Sand and many other thinkers including Heidegger, Bultmann, Sombart, Mearsheimer & Walt and yours truly of course.
The Jewish campaign against Alison Weir is further proof that we cannot anymore trust any group that operates politically under a Jewish banner. In The Wandering Who, I explained that the Jewish left is not the solution, it is at the heart of the problem: while Jews identifying with the Torah can form a totally innocent category, and Jews who merely identify with their Jewish ancestry also represent an innocent mind set; Jews who identify politically as Jews, whether Zionist or ‘anti’ are uniquely problematic. We are dealing with a category of people who are primarily attached to their tribal interests. These people should be encouraged to form their political groups and cherish their cultural heritage but cannot anymore be dominating any universal call or campaign. For the simple reason that tribalism and universalism are like oil and water! They don’t mix at all.
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The Zionists don’t like Gilad Atzmon as demonstrated in this short interview:
Disclose.tv – Banned in Manchester: ‘No Sax, We’re Zionist!’ [Gilad Atzmon @ Going Underground]