Many a modern Indian politician’s claim to shame has been built on a pathological prejudice towards Islam and Muslims. But what about anti-semitism—described as a “hostility towards Jews as a religious, racial or ethnic group”?
Are Indians ill-disposed towards Jews and the state of Israel, or not—my enemy’s enemy is my friend and all that?
The question pops up courtesy of Arun Gandhi, the fifth grandson of the Mahatma, who is a professor at the University of Rochester. Arun Gandhi’s comments in a Washington Post blog last Monday was raising a few Jewish hackles even as Harbhajan Singh was attracting an ICC ban for “racist” comments.
Gandhi wrote (emphasis added):
“Jewish identity in the past has been locked into the holocaust experience—a German burden that the Jews have not been able to shed. It is a very good example of a community can overplay a historic experience to the point that it begins to repulse friends. The holocaust was the result of the warped mind of an individual who was able to influence his followers into doing something dreadful.
“But, it seems to me the Jews today not only want the Germans to feel guilty but the whole world must regret what happened to the Jews. The world did feel sorry for the episode but when an individual or a nation refuses to forgive and move on the regret turns into anger.
“The Jewish identity in the future appears bleak. Any nation that remains anchored to the past is unable to move ahead and, especially a nation that believes its survival can only be ensured by weapons and bombs.
“In Tel Aviv in 2004 I had the opportunity to speak to some Members of Parliament and Peace activists all of whom argued that the wall and the military build-up was necessary to protect the nation and the people.
“In other words, I asked, you believe that you can create a snake pit—with many deadly snakes in it—and expect to live in the pit secure and alive? What do you mean? they countered. Well, with your superior weapons and armaments and your attitude towards your neighbors would it not be right to say that you are creating a snake pit? How can anyone live peacefully in such an atmosphere? Would it not be better to befriend those who hate you? Can you not reach out and share your technological advancement with your neighbors and build a relationship?
“Apparently, in the modern world, so determined to live by the bomb, this is an alien concept. You don’t befriend anyone, you dominate them. We have created a culture of violence (Israel and the Jews are the biggest players) and that Culture of Violence is eventually going to destroy humanity.”
Arun Gandhi has since gone on to tender an apology for “my poorly worded post”:
“While I stand behind my criticisms of the use of violence by recent Israeli governments — and I have criticized the governments of the US, India and China in much the same way… I do not believe and should not have implied that the policies of the Israeli government are reflective of the views of all Jewish people.”
On the blog Desert Peace, Dr Efraim Zuroff, the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Israel director, has gone on to interpret Arun Gandhi’s comments as anti-semitism. Its piece titled “Grandson of Mahatma Gandhi an anti-semite?” has been one of the top posts on WordPress the past two days:
“Arun Gandhi’s thoughts on “Jewish identity” are “exceptionally strange, especially in light of the fact that there’s never been any history of anti–Semitism in India and among Hindus.”
“According to Zuroff, the notion that Jewish identity is “locked into” the Holocaust and causes resentment, coupled with the statement that “Israel and the Jews are the biggest players” in a “culture of violence [that] is eventually going to destroy humanity,”clearly amount to anti–Semitism.”
Desertpeace asks:
Have we reached a point where Israel cannot in any way be criticised? Does the special status they seem to want as a nation include the condemnation of all opinions against their policies?
Have we reached a point where Israel cannot in any way be criticised?,/b>
Surely anyone who criticise the jews in America is Anti-samite, and the one who criticise our own jews is Castiest.
Its all US against THEM, and each have (the jew and our own jews) insulated themselves from criticism.
As Arun Gandhi himself has put, except for the choice of words, there is nothing wrong with the conclusions. Israeli/Jewish obsession with someone else’s land has been the root cause of almost all major conflicts in the second half of the 20th century and now. The ubiquitous use of the word Anti-semitism, is itself an indication of the emotional blackmail unleashed by the Jews.
…”“In other words, I asked, you believe that you can create a snake pit—with many deadly snakes in it—and expect to live in the pit secure and alive? What do you mean? they countered. Well, with your superior weapons and armaments and your attitude towards your neighbors would it not be right to say that you are creating a snake pit? How can anyone live peacefully in such an atmosphere? Would it not be better to befriend those who hate you? Can you not reach out and share your technological advancement with your neighbors and build a relationship?…”
I liked this comment on the Washington Post Blog….”You a misguided dweeb:
You make a living based on who your GRANDPA was? Give me a break. You say that Israel is the “biggest player” in violence? Did you forget the slaughter in AFRICA? What about the violence all around INDIA? What of the wars in Europe and the Middle East?
You are yet another Jew-hating, Israel-slandering, left-wing, misguided hippie living off the entitlement of a famous name.
Get a life, Ghandi!”
Yes! that is exactly what he is! When the Jehadists are killing ‘Indians’ a;; over India, this turd would encourage us to offer peace initiatives!
He is implying that, blowing up kindergartens is a noble peacekeeping mission.
I do not know what this petulant Gandhi teaches and his capbility to weigh up facts and prepare arguments. Sound like University of Rochester which once employed ECG Sudarshan has to make up its mind about this Gandhi. He seems to have forgotten the Ottoman Empire and the pernicios wing that it spread across the Middle East and what happened to Israel during those years.
He could easily escape criticising Jews who would at best put up counter arguments and intellectual discussion. We should remind him that had he uttered even a few words remotely critical of muslims and what they have been up to in Middle East, he would be staring at a ‘fatwa’, and would be
hiding in a dark cellar.
***
I took time to look at what this guy has been doing. He has hitched on a Gandhi gravy train and is having a good life thanks to his grandpa. I have read somewhere that his grandpa did not like Jews getting a homeland. Well, his grandpa tried his best to install Jinnah as the prime miniter of undivided India by extracting promise from Nehru that he would serve under Jinnah.
The grandson has gone a step further, and has indulged in Jew-baiting which is what the gist of the nonsense he has dished out.
Jews, muslims, christians… All these middle eastern types want to kill you if you say anything about them :)
Just a point… funnily enough the word semite/semitic also includes not just Jews but Arabs, Canaanites, Phoenicians and others. My question: Why is the term anti-semitism only restricted to prejudice against Jews? Then again, many would say I am an anti-semite to ask that question!
DB, for once i disagree with you. Steven Walt and Mearsheimer have almost met the same fate. The Israelis are more open minded and are at least ready for a debate when compared to Americans.
Aruna,
I agree that Israeli’s are open minded. But ‘mindless’ Gandhian’ principles would have seen Israel completely obliterated from the map. In fact, Gandhiji himself had expressed several bizarre notions on how the Jewish people should have ’embraced’ the ‘final solution’. It is in this contest, I think this Rochester Gandhi is a bit of a turd. Likewise, Palestinians and other fiery Arabs can spend some time working on Gandhian principles and uplift themselves!
OK let me press home the point a little further. You are engaged in farming, right? I was aghast to know that after being goaded by the Central Government some senior officials actually went to Pakistan to teach them dairy farming along the lines of Amul miracle in Gujarat. I ask you wtf is that? That milk distribution and dairy farming was perfected in India with a lot of effort over a few decades. I would appreciate if this ‘technology’ were to be shared with a friendly country. Instead we are running to Pakistan to make them more prosperous at the cost of our present and future happiness!! I can give you several instances where mindless peace initiatives have wrecked the soul of this nation.
This guy is foolish in asking Israel to share its technology with folks who have been committing terrorist acts on Israel. Calling Jews the biggest players in the culture of violence is also stupid. Israel has dealt with its border issues and its enemies firmly and continues to do so. It is not vulnerable to terrorism the way India or United States are. In fact there are things other countries can learn from this Jewish state instead of joining Arabs in Jew bashing.
Unlike US India is growing terrorists amidst the population by encouraging division like muslim personal law, allowing Thiru Karuna to import his Tamil Tiger ‘thambis’ to his state from where they are spread around. Some say, Tiger cells have acquired IT expertise in hacking , phishing to steal IDs and this in collaboration with Russian mafia the best experts in the world. Gandhi’s tree has now grown with many braches and node, and guess that each member of the Gandhi dynasty has been busy setting up centres and institutes in the name of their illustrious ancestor. ‘Gandhi industry’ is one hell of a gravy train.
>>It is a very good example of a community can overplay a historic experience to the point that it begins to repulse friends.
What is this guy’s claim to fame? That he is a grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. To use that “histroical advanatge” to the point of delivering sermons to others as if he himself is MK Gandhi is like the crackpot screaming at the kettle.
I guess nobody in this current generation cares a rats behind about grandpa gandhi himself, so why attach too much importance to utterances of this moron. However, it is better this disease of gandhism is kept localised instead of allowing it to spread to israel who are fighting a losing battle against a 7th century retarded cult
Young Indians are the most pro israeli.
most pro israeli people in india are
gujaratis
punjabis
tamilians.
WE LOVE JEWS AND ISRAEL
VANAKAM
KEM CHO
KIDI HO
JAI HIND
oh.. and mahatma gandhi ZINDABAD, he is a god.
DB,
Indeed I milk the cows twice a day!
Jai Hind,
Do you know anything about the Jewish religion? Its laws and customs, etc. Read about it and tell me whether u as Hindu still love the Jews or not.
Aruna,
Then you should put your ‘milking’ cap on think about mindless Gandhism!
Good news guys, this guy has been made(read booted out) to resign from the academic post he held at Rochester, NY due to American Jewish pressure….Good riddance to bad rubbish. I wish hindus were as united and focused as the jews in safeguarding their interest.
Hick this Ghandi beggar out of US. Deport him Saudi Arabia