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| ==Politics== | ==Politics== | ||
| Atzmon has caused controversy with his |
Atzmon has caused some controversy with his outspoken political statements. These are often criticised by those who support Israel as ], or cited as evidence of Atzmon being a ]. He frequently criticises the Israeli state, comparing it to ] ], and questions the ] of the Nazi ]. | ||
| He has responded to accusations of anti-semitism by questioning the |
He has responded to accusations of anti-semitism by questioning the notion of Jewish identity itself; "Because Anti-Semite is an empty signifier, no one actually can be an Anti-Semite and this includes me of course. In short, you are either a racist which I am not or have an ideological disagreement with Zionism, which I have." | ||
| "Because Anti-Semite is an empty signifier, no one actually can be an Anti-Semite and this includes me of course. In short, you are either a racist which I am not or have an ideological disagreement with Zionism, which I have." | |||
| He wrote, in an article entitled ''On Anti-Semitism'': "e must begin to take the | He wrote, in an article entitled ''On Anti-Semitism'': "e must begin to take the | ||
| accusation that the Jewish people are trying to control the world very | accusation that the Jewish people are trying to control the world very | ||
| seriously...American Jewry makes any debate on whether the 'Protocols of the elder of Zion' are an authentic document or rather a forgery irrelevant. American Jews (in fact Zionists) do control the world."<ref></ref>. |
seriously...American Jewry makes any debate on whether the 'Protocols of the elder of Zion' are an authentic document or rather a forgery irrelevant. American Jews (in fact Zionists) do control the world."<ref></ref>. | ||
| In an August ] article for ], Atzmon wrote that "Hence, there is no room for comparison between Israel and the Nazis. If a comparison is to be made, then it is the Israelis who win the championship of ruthlessness and the reasons are obvious. Nazi Germany was a ], Israel is a democracy led by a centre-left ]." . | In an August ] article for ], Atzmon wrote that "Hence, there is no room for comparison between Israel and the Nazis. If a comparison is to be made, then it is the Israelis who win the championship of ruthlessness and the reasons are obvious. Nazi Germany was a ], Israel is a democracy led by a centre-left ]." . | ||
| In June 2005, ] picketed Bookmarks, the bookshop of the ], after Atzmon was invited to speak on "The Deconstruction of Zionist Identity". The SWP, however, their invitation and published a statement from him stating he was neither a ] nor racist. His performance at the subsequent SWP summerschool 'Marxism 2005' in July 2005 led to criticism from the ], who picketed the meeting, and ] columnist ] . | In June 2005, ] picketed Bookmarks, the bookshop of the ], after Atzmon was invited to speak on "The Deconstruction of Zionist Identity". The SWP, however, their invitation and published a statement from him stating he was neither a ] nor racist. His performance at the subsequent SWP summerschool 'Marxism 2005' in July 2005 led to criticism from the ], who picketed the meeting, and ] columnist ] . | ||
| In an exchange of letters with anti-Zionist activist Deborah Maccoby during February and March 2006, Atzmon described her as a "modern day Christ killer", after she described Jesus as human rather than divine. | |||
| == External links == | == External links == | ||
Revision as of 01:28, 1 January 2007
Gilad Atzmon (born June 20, 1963) is an Israeli jazz musician, author and anti-zionist activist.
He was born a secular Israeli Jew in Jerusalem, and trained at the Rubin Academy of Music there where he learned to play soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones. He also plays clarinet, sol, zurna and flute. He moved to the UK aged 20 to study philosophy, and still resides in London.
Gilad's main instrument is the alto saxophone. His jazz style is bebop/hard bop, veering at times into free jazz. He can also play two saxophones at once, taking after Roland Kirk.
He has other musical interests, notably in music of the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe. He is notably also a member of the veteran punk rock band The Blockheads. He has recorded and performed with Shane McGowan, Robbie Williams, Sinead O'Connor, Robert Wyatt and Paul McCartney.
In addition to being a jazz musician, Atzmon is also a novelist. His Guide to the Perplexed was published in 2001 and his My One and Only Love in 2005. Both novels explore Jewish and Zionist psychology.
Politics
Atzmon has caused some controversy with his outspoken political statements. These are often criticised by those who support Israel as anti-Semitic, or cited as evidence of Atzmon being a self-hating Jew. He frequently criticises the Israeli state, comparing it to Nazi Germany, and questions the political framing of the Nazi Holocaust.
He has responded to accusations of anti-semitism by questioning the notion of Jewish identity itself; "Because Anti-Semite is an empty signifier, no one actually can be an Anti-Semite and this includes me of course. In short, you are either a racist which I am not or have an ideological disagreement with Zionism, which I have."
He wrote, in an article entitled On Anti-Semitism: "e must begin to take the accusation that the Jewish people are trying to control the world very seriously...American Jewry makes any debate on whether the 'Protocols of the elder of Zion' are an authentic document or rather a forgery irrelevant. American Jews (in fact Zionists) do control the world.".
In an August 2006 article for Al-Jazeerah.info, Atzmon wrote that "Hence, there is no room for comparison between Israel and the Nazis. If a comparison is to be made, then it is the Israelis who win the championship of ruthlessness and the reasons are obvious. Nazi Germany was a tyranny, Israel is a democracy led by a centre-left national unity government." .
In June 2005, Jews Against Zionism picketed Bookmarks, the bookshop of the Socialist Workers Party, after Atzmon was invited to speak on "The Deconstruction of Zionist Identity". The SWP, however, defended their invitation and published a statement from him stating he was neither a Holocaust denier nor racist. His performance at the subsequent SWP summerschool 'Marxism 2005' in July 2005 led to criticism from the Alliance for Workers' Liberty, who picketed the meeting, and Times columnist David Aaronovitch .
External links
- Gilad Atzmon home page and his political views.
- See also Articles on this Website by Gilad Atzmon.
- Gilad Atzmon and Marxism 2005 The page on the website of the British Socialist Workers Party which includes Atzmon's statement.
- Gilad Atzmon's A Guide to the Perplexed
- A Review of Gilad Atzmon's My One and Only Love
- Gilad Atzmon interviewed by Manuel Talens