Understanding Antisemitism

Antisemitism has been a problem for a long time.  It is hostility and/or prejudice against Jews.  With the present fighting between Israel and Hamas, the news reports that antisemitism is rising across the world.  The increase is likely a reaction to the military action by Israel in the Gaza strip.  The U.N. currently reports that about 90% of those living in Gaza have been displaced in the recent attacks (Ramy Inocencio and Tucker Reals, “U.N. says Israel-Hamas war causing “unmatched” suffering in Gaza, pleads for new cease-fire, more aid.”  CBS News, 12/11/23, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-hamas-war-un-gaza-unmatched-suffering-calls-new-cease-fire-aid/.)  (For an understanding of Israel’s actions in light of just war theory, please the list of my recent articles regarding this at the end of this article.)

To be fair, there are also attacks against Palestinians outside the Middle East such as the murder of three Palestinians in Vermont in November.

What is the reason for the conflict between Jews and Muslims?  We could also include Christians here.  Jews, Christians, and Muslims all share a common origin.  All three name Abraham as their father in faith.  Sharing a common beginning, one would think we could “get along.”

Jews and Christians share a common history until Jesus Christ came into the world.  Jesus himself was a faithful Jew.  Mary and Joseph saw that He kept all the Jewish customs growing up.

Muslims share Abraham as their father in faith.  However, unlike Jews and Christians who trace their heritage through Abraham’s son Isaac, Muslims trace their heritage through Ishmael, born of Abraham and Hagar, Sarah’s slave.

Many see the blame for the conflict between the Muslims and the rest of the world as rooted in the Quran’s (the holy book for Muslims) call to kill all infidels.  The world does not approve of this but before we rush to condemn all Muslims for this, we should realize two things.  First, not all Muslims today believe non-Muslims should be killed.  In fact, most don’t.  Secondly, Jews and Christians should not forget our own past.  How many non-Jews were killed when the Israelites entered the promised land under the leadership of Joshua (see chapters 7-12 of the Book of Joshua)?  Led by the Holy Spirit, we have changed.  We pray for the same for Muslims (and anyone else) who seek to kill in the name of religion.

While the current conflict in the Middle East is between Jews and Muslims, Christians should not forget our contribution to antisemitism.  It is unfortunate that for centuries, Christianity were guilty of despising the Jews.

Why?  There are two reasons that I will mention here.  First, we need to ask the question, “Who had Jesus killed?”.  It was some Jews who had Jesus arrested and handed him over to Pilate.  Thus, the death of Jesus is often blamed on the Jews.  Some blame the Romans because the Crucifixion happened at Pilate’s command.

Who really is responsible for the death of Jesus?

We are, that is, those of us who are sinners.  Jesus’ life was not taken from him.  He freely sacrificed his life for us on the Cross.  If there was no sin, Jesus would not have been crucified.  Don’t blame the Jews.

The second reason for antisemitism among Christians ties to the first.  In reading the Gospel of John, the Jews are blamed for the persecution and death of Jesus.  However, we must realize that not all Jews persecuted Jesus and his followers.  Many of the Jews in Jesus’ time on Earth did become Christians.  We need to look no further than the Apostles to see this.  We must not blame all Jews.  Now, on every Good Friday, every Latin rite Catholic Church in the world offers the following prayer for Jews.

For the Jewish people
Deacon/:         Let us pray also for the Jewish people,
Lector             to whom the Lord our God spoke first,
                       that he may grant them to advance in love of his name
                       and in faithfulness to his covenant.

Prayer in silence.  Then the Priest says:
Priest:              Almighty ever-living God,
                        who bestowed your promises on Abraham
                                    and his descendants,
                        graciously hear the prayers of your Church,
                        that the people you first made your own
                        may attain the fullness of redemption.
                        Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

Muslims may hold Jews in some disregard since the Jews follow the line of Isaac rather than Ishmael.  There are other differences that are beyond the scope of this article.

Returning to the present conflict, when did the conflict between Israel and Hamas start?  David Remnick dates the beginnings of Hamas to 1967 when Israel invaded the Gaza strip (page 33, David Remnick, “Letter for Israel, In the Cities of Killing.”  The New Yorker, November 6, 2023, pages 29-41.  My references are to the print edition.  The article is available online at https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/11/06/israel-gaza-war-hamas).

Remnick tells us that “Hamas’s fight was with Zionism, not with the Jewish people as such, but it unhesitatingly reaffirmed its ultimate ambition of eliminating the “Zionist entity””(34).  Zionism began as a movement to establish a Jewish nation and continues today to work to ensure Israel continues as a Jewish nation.

The conflict today has much older roots.  Why did Zionism claim the Jews should have a nation of its own?  One can find a reason for this in the Bible.  The Israelites were given the land by God.  Does this make it a religious war?  Religion is one of the reasons but it is not the sole reason.  How many times was the nation of Israel overcome by its enemies?  There was Persia (the fall of the northern kingdom), Babylon (the fall of the southern kingdom), the Greeks (see 1 & 2 Maccabees in the Bible), and the Romans.  However, I don’t think any of these wars were strictly for religious reasons.  They involved religions as the invaders were all non-Jews who expected the Jews to convert.  However, they did not attack for religious reasons.  They attacked for political reasons.  They wanted to expand their kingdom.

Having once ruled in the Holy Land, Jews have a political reason to seek to live there.  So do the Palestinians who have lived there for centuries.  In religious terms, Jews, Christians, and Muslims all claim holy sites there. 

How do we all get along?  Remnick quotes Sari Nusseibeh, “We have made so many advances-in technology, A.I., medicine, everything except human relations” (38, my emphasis). 

If we want to end war, we need to learn how to get along.

When will the cycle of violence end?  Israel says it is defending itself.  Is their response in proportion to the attack by Hamas that started the immediate conflict?  This is not a conflict that began in October of this year.  This is a conflict that has been going on for centuries.

A parishioner asked me on Sunday if I would consider doing a presentation on the historical issues in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.  I was already working on this article but I have expanded it to incorporate her question.  However, I know this article does not fully address her question.  This article doesn’t even address all my concerns.  Presently, I don’t have the knowledge to fully address her concern or mine.  I wish I did because what is going between Israel and Muslims doesn’t make sense to me.  How much of it is about religion?  How much is politics?  What will it take to change things?

Jesus tells us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27, 35).

Violence begets violence.  If you want to change the world, then respond to hate with love.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Here are the recent articles I have written applying Just War Theory to the present conflict between Israel and Hamas:

10/10/23 – “Escalating Conflict” – https://blog.renewaloffaith.org/escalating-conflict/

10/17/23 – “The Importance of Building Relationships” – https://blog.renewaloffaith.org/the-importance-of-building-relationships/

10/24/23 – “Is Life Being Respected?” – https://blog.renewaloffaith.org/is-life-being-respected/

10/31/23 – “Two Things” – https://blog.renewaloffaith.org/two-things/

The following articles are not specifically on the present conflict between Israel and Hamas but they do apply to the situation.

11/7/23 – “What’s It Going to Take to End the Violence?” https://blog.renewaloffaith.org/whats-it-going-to-take-to-end-the-violence/

11/14/23 – “What’s It Going to Take for People to Realize the State of Things? – https://blog.renewaloffaith.org/whats-it-going-to-take-for-people-to-realize-the-state-of-things/