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Revision as of 02:39, 29 August 2006 by SlimVirgin (talk | contribs) (repetition)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Jewish lobby is a term referring to allegations that Jews exercise undue influence in a number of areas, including politics, government, and international finance. It is used predominantly by the far right, Islamists, and some elements on the left.
The expression is regarded as an anti-Semitic slur. Chip Berlet of Political Research Associates, an American research group that tracks right-wing extremists, writes that it combines the classic elements of anti-Semitic stereotyping and scapegoating, and is part of the discourse of conspiracism.
Uses
Mark Strauss links the term's use to a sentiment present in the Anti-globalization movement. The Guardian's David Hirsh feels that it indicates a lack of "care, thought" and "self-education," commenting on Chris Davies, MEP for the northwest of England. Davies resigned after having used the slur in an e-mail considered inappropriate by the public and the Liberal Democrats.
Madeleine Albright noted to the Council on Foreign Relations that she sees "linkage between the Christian evangelicals and a lot of part of the Jewish lobby, if you want to call it that, because the Christian evangelicals in reading the Bible believe that Israel has to be — the people of Israel have to be free so that the Messiah can come back." She cautions that "it's very easy to get on this tack all of a sudden that it’s some kind of an overly powerful Jewish lobby. There are other lobbies that are very strong, and Washington is full of lobbyists."
Writing in The Guardian, David Aaronovitch argues that: "too many leftwingers and liberals are crossing the magic line right now. Let me spell it out for you. There is no all-powerful Jewish lobby. There is no secret convocation. Most journalists with Jewish names do not write the things they do because of loyalty to their race or religion. Nor can you simply change the word "Jewish" to "Zionist" and somehow be exempt from the charge of low-level racism. And it's no good wiffling on about your Jewish friends or trying to slip your prejudices past the guards by boldly proclaiming your refusal to be intimidated. There are no Elders and there are no Protocols."
Notes
- ^ Aaronovitch, David. "Message to the left: there is no all-powerful Jewish lobby", The Guardian, May 27, 2003
- ^ Berlet, Chip. "ZOG Ate My Brain," New Internationalist, 372, October 2004.
- ^ Michael, George. The Enemy of my Enemy: The Alarming Convergence of Militant Islam and the Extreme Right, 2006, p. 46-47 and 228-238.
- Ramadan, Tariq. "Muslims and Anti-Semitism", UN Chronicle, June 10, 2005.
- Strauss, Mark. "Antiglobalism's Jewish Problem", Foreign Policy / YaleGlobal Online, November 12, 2003.
- Hirsh, David. "Revenge of the Jewish lobby?", The Guardian, May 5, 2006.
- ^ Albright, Madeleine. "The Mighty and the Almighty", Council on Foreign Relations, May 1, 2006, accessed August 27, 2006.