Anti-Semitism vs. Anti- Imperialism

Venezuela Analysis February 12, 2008

In this article the author James Sugget, tries to stress the difference that he sees between anti- semitism and anti- imperialism. He begins the article by mentioning that two prominent Rabbi's of the Venezuelan Jewish community attended and assisted the attempted coup d'etat of President Chavez in 2002. He wanted to point out that the Jews are "actively participating" in the opposition movement. La Hojilla a pro- Chavez television station displayed a scene of a February 3 protest in which the leader of the protest was the brother of one of the prominent Rabbi's. Sugget denounces the idea that these media outlets are anti-semitic rather they are opposed to the opposition actions. He believes that anti- semitism is commonly "erroneously conflated with anti-semitism". His first example looks at the police search of the Jewish school and community center, Hebraica. This search was fueled by the murder of Venezuelan Federal Prosecutor, Danilo Anderson under specific evidence cited by the Venezuelan government that suggested that "some" collaborators were members of the Venezuelan Jewish Community. There was the suspicion that the owner of Globovision, Federico Alberto Ravel, was collaborating with a wealthy businessmen from Hebraica to assassinate Chavez. To Sugget no one can claim that the searches were "inexplicable" because there were clearly suggestions of subversive actions. Even newspapers like Vea which claims the Mossad was involved,is not anti-semitic rather just bias.The attacks on the school were followed with the accusation that Tarek El Aissami, the Vice President of Citizen security, initiated the attack. Sugget says this accusation came just because the Jews were angry by his appointment to office. Sugget says that the actions of the Jewish community are clearly more relevant to why the search occurred and he goes on to add that the search was "not illegal nor was it carried out improperly". Sugget now refers to the Pro-government media discussing how many people confuse anti- Israel feelings with anti-semitism. He refers to pictures which appeared in the pro- Government newspaper, A Plena Voz which included, the image of the star of David with a Swastika,an Israeli flag with a swastika in the middle and a star of David with a Swastika in the middle. He says the target of these articles are not the Jews rather Israel. He mentions that he believes there should be a difference made between the Israeli government and the Israeli people. He then goes on to denounce newspapers like Vea for referring to Jews and Israeli soldiers interchangeably and for clear anti-semitism. He also condemns the anti-semitic graffiti that surrounds Venezuela.
Although Sugget becomes more sympathetic towards the Jews at the end of his article, he is clearly misinformed. He makes it seem as though the issue is black and white, yet in most cases the truth is that there is a large wave of anti-semitism. The raid may have been provoked by the actions of the Jewish leaders but it did not need to be done on school property, disrupting the children.Even he said there was evidence that "some" Jews were involved, the whole community should not have been affected. The fact that they blamed an Arab leader is not uncommon and not far-fetched.Chavez has filled the seats in his government, with very publicly anti-semitic figures that would want the Jewish Community destroyed. The swastika is an image that is offensive to Jews no matter what, even if it is used in an anti- Israel context, the suffering the Jews experienced is incomparable to anything occurring around the world. Sugget has to realize that even though there may be a sense of anti- Imperialism, the sense of anti- semitism around society is much stronger and more powerful. Anti- Israel or not, they are still criticizing a crucial element of the Jewish people and attacking the community indirectly. It does not matter what their original intention was, the government's inability to suppress the pro- government media, suggests that they support their anti- semitic statements, making the situation ever more dangerous for the Jewish community.
Link to Original Article:http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/3148