Constantinos Tsoukalas on the accusation
of antisemtism against Mikis Theodorakis

“Obviously, neither Mikis nor any right-minded citizen could ever express themselves as an anti-Semite. Equally obviously, there can be no real collective or moral responsibility of peoples for any actions of their governments, even if elected, especially when a significant minority of the citizens of Israel strongly disapprove of Sharon’s policies. Finally, it is impermissible for anyone to forget the persecutions, the ghettos, the Holocaust victims and the legitimate desire of Jews to gain their own land.

Symbolic solidarity with the persecuted Jewish people is by now an inseparable part of the common heritage of the civilized world.”

(...)

Whether we like it or not, and regardless of whether it is correct, right or rational, it is a fact that Sharon’s policies towards the Palestinians directly reflects the way which the “others”, or at any rate many “others,” speak of the Jewish people in their entirety.

Expressly or silently, the now widespread anti-Israelism is transformed into a secret anti-Semitism. Though winding, the road which leads from disapproval of a government’s specific policy to the rejection of the collective rights of a constituted national state, and to open verbal prejudice against the fictitious body of citizens and believers of which it consists, is not a long one. And this is precisely the point where Sharon bears the gravest responsibility towards his nationals, and history itself. Within a few years, he has threatened to wholly disperse the huge accumulated moral capital which has allowed Israel to proceed, unpunished, with its uncontrolled policy of national “defence” in defiance of international legality.

The result is that in the end the symbolic bill will be footed by the people, by definition non-participants…

in: To Vima, 19 November 2003

Constantinos Tsoukalas is Professor at the University of Athens, works together with the Center for Mediterranean Civilizations Project in cooperation with Mishkenot Shaananim (Jerusalem), and writes articles in the Mediterranean Historical Review (Tel Aviv University, Israel)