Pappe later told the audience that since the outbreak of Israel’s latest war on Gaza, he has been shocked by Europe’s response.

“I share with a lot of people a surprise at the European position,” he said on stage. “Europe, that claims to be a model of civilisation, ignored the most televised genocide of modern times.”


This is an attempt by a new leadership of Zionism to complete the work that they started in 1948, namely of taking over officially the whole of historical Palestine and getting rid of as many Palestinians as possible and in the same process, and [this is] something new, creating a new Israeli empire that is either feared or respected by its neighbours – and therefore can even expand territorially beyond the borders of mandatory or historical Palestine.

Historically, I’m willing to say with some caution that this is the last phase of Zionism. Historically, such developments in ideological movements, whether they are colonials or empires, it’s usually the final chapter [that is] the ruthless one, the most ambitious one. And then it’s too much and then they fall and collapse.

  • Ogmios@sh.itjust.works
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    21 days ago

    “Ignored” is a rather strong word, as most of Europe is dealing with their own problems at home. Almost like it was coordinated.

    • Keeponstalin@lemmy.world
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      21 days ago

      Europe is also experiencing an escalation of Fascism

      Al Jazeera: Going back to the more powerful alliance that you say is upholding Zionism, you talked about the rise of the far right in Europe. Among them though, there are still strains of anti-Semitism.

      Pappe: This unholy alliance was there from the very beginning. If you think about it logically, both anti-Semites and Zionists, when it comes to Europe had the same target, they didn’t want to see the Jews in Europe. Seeing them in Palestine could be an objective both of the Zionist movement and anti-Semitic movement.

      Now there is a new layer of uniformity of ideas between the neo-right and Israel, and this is Islamophobia.

      The new right is now, although it has still strong anti-Jewish, namely anti-Semitic elements in it, it’s targeting mainly Muslim and Arab communities. It doesn’t target Jewish communities, in particular.

      They see Israel as the most important anti-Islamic anti-Arab force in the world, so there’s also identification on that level – but of course, it’s something that Jews would regret outside of Israel if they would be part of such an alliance. Even pro-Israeli Jews in Europe feel a bit uneasy about [those that] don themselves with the Israeli flag, but at the same time with the Nazi flag.

      Hopefully, it will make them rethink their association with Israel. We already see the signs, especially in the American Jewish community among the young generation, that they understand that Israel is now part of a political alliance that they as American Jews cannot identify with.

      • Ogmios@sh.itjust.works
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        21 days ago

        I’m talking about “both sides” of the conflicts there. Everyone’s getting played against each other for the dumbest reasons, preventing any cohesive response to any issues of actual significance.

        • Keeponstalin@lemmy.world
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          21 days ago

          Capitalism inevitably leads to Fascism in the pursuit of ever increasing profits

          Beyond the economics that leads capitalist countries to fascism are race and racial politics. Toscano discusses this in detail, reminding the reader of WEB DuBois’ observation that European fascism in the twentieth century was born in colonialism. The treatment of the Roma, the Jews and others deemed undesirable by the Nazis and (in different degrees and with different foci) the Italian fascists had been honed over decades of European colonialism in the Americas, Africa and Asia. It is an oft-repeated trope that Hitler acknowledged the US genocidal wars against the indigenous peoples of North America that provided him with the template for what became known as the Holocaust. Richard Rubenstein’s classic work, The Cunning of History, expands on this idea by linking the Nazi work camps to US and Brazilian slavery and its mechanization of humanity… The ongoing social upheaval caused by the privatization and ultimate destruction of most government support systems has not only caused massive inequality, it has as its ultimate goal the reduction of the government to its essential roles: war and repression. Given this, a fascist government is the ideal means to produce such a system.

          • Ogmios@sh.itjust.works
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            20 days ago

            You’re doing it.

            Every system we’ve ever created devolves into something terrible on a long enough time scale. The important thing is for individual people to deliberately seek something better with intention, instead of sitting around prophesying doom and gloom.

            • Keeponstalin@lemmy.world
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              20 days ago

              I’m doing what, recognizing the current situation?

              You can’t discuss solutions without first recognizing the problem.

              The problem is capitalism which prioritizes increasing profit accumulation at the expense of everyone. The solution is social organization of our community, the workplace, and the economy. Getting involved with grassroots community organizations, unionizing the workplace, shifting necessities like housing and healthcare to public control to provide them for every citizen. Considering the topic of this article, also joining the BDS Movement