Notorious Dutch anti-Semite Gretta Duisenberg is suing Elsevier magazine and author Afshin Ellian for calling her an anti-Semite. Basically, the noted anti-Semitic harpy Duisenberg is upset that there is an unpleasant name for her type.
We sympathise deeply with anti-Semitic Gretta. Life is so unfair, isn't it? Especially to despised minorities like anti-Semites, racists, bigots, cockroaches ........
Anyhooooo.
Per the Telegraaf Newspaper:
"Duisenberg doet aangifte tegen Elsevier
AMSTERDAM - Gretta Duisenberg heeft maandag aangifte gedaan bij de politie in Amsterdam tegen weekblad Elsevier en columnist Afshin Ellian wegens belediging en smaad. Zowel in een recent artikel in het weekblad als op het Elsevier-weblog van de columnist is zij antisemiet genoemd. Dat meldde de pro-Palestinagroep Stop de Bezetting, waarvan Duisenberg voorzitter is. "
[Translation: Duisenberg files complaint against Elsevier.
Amsterdam - Gretta Duisenberg on Monday files a complaint with the Amsterdam Police against weekly magazine Elsevier and columnist Afshin Ellian for 'insult and libel'. In both a recent article in the weekly and in the Elsevier-weblog of the columnist she was called an anti-Semite. This per the pro-Palestine group 'Stop the Occupation, of which Duisenberg is the chairman.]
SOURCE:
http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/8092909/__Aangifte_Duisen-berg_tegen_Elsevier__.html?p=14,1
"Volgens een woordvoerder van de organisatie is de bedoeling van de aangifte breder. Duisenberg wil dat er een eind komt aan het gegooi met modder in haar richting door sommige media. „Dat gebeurt al jaren maar ze heeft er nu genoeg van. Het debat voeren over de kwestie Israël-Palestina wil ze wel, maar dan wel binnen grenzen.” "
[Translation: According to a spokesperson of the organization, the purpose of the complaint is actually broader - Duisenberg wishes that there should be an end to the slinging of mud in her direction. "That has been happening for years but she has had enough. She is willing to pursue the discourse regarding the issue of Israel-Palestine, but only within limits"]
"Hoofdredacteur Arendo Joustra van Elsevier zei in een reactie: „Wij wachten het rustig af”."
[Translation: Chief editor Arendo Joustra of Elsevier said in a response: "we calmly await".]
GRETTA DUISENBERG: ANTI-SEMITIC ARCHTYPE
Like many Europeans, the widow Duisenberg adheres to the neo-Marxist narrative of Palestinians as innocent victims, and Jews as cruel subhumans. This is the acceptable modern-day version of traditional anti-Semitism, reformulated in a dialectic that echoes ancient tropes but does not disturb today's world-citizens, for whom the fond image of helpless non-European victims of American imperialism and the daemonic Jews exercises an infinite attraction.
To be an anti-Semite is traditionally European, but in modern Europe one has to disguise it with the proper intellectual and politically correct terminology.
An upstanding member of the Dutch upper-class, Gretta Duisenberg could not possibly be so crude as to spew tired old clichés - instead, she formulates her hatred and bigotry into politely phrased brutalism.
As an activist for the more rabid element among the Dutch anti-Israel fringe, Gretta Duisenberg often seemed to take delight in offending and insulting. Her notorious statement that she wished six million signatures for her petition against the occupation was widely seen as a sneering reference to the holocaust.
Among her ideas is one she seldom tires of expressing, namely that a Jewish cabal controls the US government and influences policy - in her own words: "de puissant rijke joden in Amerika zijn die Israël in stand houden, waardoor ze in Israël de Palestijnen kunnen onderdrukken" (the powerful rich Jews in America that maintain Israel, whereby they can in Israel oppress the Palestinians); "de rijke Joodse lobby in Amerika" (the rich Jewish lobby in America).
Such statements are quite common in Europe, where many people grasp neither that they are offensive, nor that they are a traditional trope. The belief that rich Jews direct international politics should probably be considered part and parcel of European Culture by now, much like xenophobia and soccer riots.
One of Gretta's more eccentric statements was physiognomical:
"Israëli's liegen altijd. Dat zie je aan die koppen. Schoften zijn het" (Israelis always lie. You can see that from their heads. They're brutes).
There are far too many anti-Semitic utterances of hers to list here, as she's a tireless hate-speechifier and a publicity-whore of no mean aptitude.
I encourage you to research her on the internet - and if you read Dutch, you should probably also read Afshin Ellian in Elsevier magazine:
Weblog Afshin Ellian
It is not surprising that such a poisonous partisan of Hamas as Gretta Duisenberg is also a very warm friend of former Dutch prime-minister Dries van Agt, a clench-arsed bigot of a profoundly old-fashioned and pan-European hue.
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HOLIDAY GRAYITY
It was supposed to stop raining. It didn't. The whole day yesterday was marked by drizzle, drip, actual rain, blattering, suspended mois...
10 comments:
Invariably it always boils down to the same result:
If you do not agree with what Israel does you are an antisemite..
Well.... that is pertinently NOT true!
I am a Moslim woman, living in Holland. Married to a Dutch man whose father (RIP) was Jewish... we love and respect each other's beliefs and principles. I have the utmost respect for all world's faiths.. but I am a passionate anti-zionist! Its an idealogy I do not agree with and since when is that a crime? And please do not refer to my Moslim background as an excuse for bashing me for my beliefs and convictions.. I am a progressive Moslim woman (yes they exist:) I have my own company, I've worked all my life.. raised 2children both with Masters degree now. I'm married to a man with jewish ancestry... so I cannot be a Jew-hater...
Zionism is a no no for me... And I dare anyone to call me an anti-semite..!
(by the way Moslims are Semetic people too..)
Yours truly,
Amalia
My dear Amalia,
"Invariably it always boils down to the same result: If you do not agree with what Israel does you are an antisemite."
Good heavens no! I often disagree with Israeli policies. One can in fact find much about Israel objectionable.
But I defend Israel's right to exist, as a Jewish nation, for the Jewish people. What Gretta does is deny her that right, and deny Jews their people-hood. In addition to making any number of statements nominally in support of the Palestinians and against Israel that are in the main completely Jew-hating.
So yes, Gretta Duisenberg and her ilk are deeply and profoundly repulsive and anti-Semitic.
" I am a Moslim woman, living in Holland. Married to a Dutch man whose father (RIP) was Jewish... we love and respect each other's beliefs and principles. I have the utmost respect for all world's faiths.. but I am a passionate anti-zionist!"
And yet, the attachment to the land of Israel is fundamental as an undercurrent in Judaism. Le shana haba bi Yerushalayim - next year in Jerusalem. All the festivals are festivals of a people tied to the land, the most fundamental celebration of Judaism is the entry into the land after exile among the Egyptians. One cannot, without twisting oneself into a pretzel, divorce the importance of the land of Israel from Jewish belief, or Jewish identity. Even the Christians acknowledge this, as do the Muslims (several times in the Koran).
[Please don't mention 'Een ander Joods Geluid' as a contrary example, as they are absolute self-hating scum.]
(continued)
"It's an idealogy I do not agree with and since when is that a crime?"
Disagreement is fundamental to discourse. What Gretta does is called 'haatzaaierij'. Which, in the Netherlands, IS a crime.
"And please do not refer to my Moslim background as an excuse for bashing me for my beliefs and convictions."
Why would I do that? Is Ahmed Aboutaleb merely a Muslim, or is he arguably one of the best officials the Netherlands has? How about Abdelkader Benali? Only a Muslim? Or one of the best literateurs that verkrampte modderlandje can presently boast? I would argue that unless one spouts religious-based hatred, one is always more than merely a believer among any faith. And you will note that qua religious differences, here in the US members of the Muslim faith have received support for their religious freedoms, and their opposition to certain reprehensible hate groups, from a broad spectrum of religious leaders, including Orthodox rabbis.
(continued)
"I am a progressive Moslim woman (yes they exist:) I have my own company, I've worked all my life.. raised 2children both with Masters degree now. I'm married to a man with Jewish ancestry... so I cannot be a Jew-hater..."
Actually, you COULD be a Jew-hater - even some Jews are Jew-haters - but I will assume that an independent-minded person such as yourself probably has considerably more 'nuancerings-vermogen' than most.
"Zionism is a no no for me... And I dare anyone to call me an anti-semite..!"
Well, Zionism is a yes-yes for me. And I am not a Semite. We'll just have to 'agree to disagree' on that particular subject.
(continued)
"by the way Moslims are Semitic people too..
Neither material, nor accurate.
Anti-Semitism is a term coined by Europeans to mean hatred of Jews, whether based on now discredited racial theories or the inchoate religion-based bigotry of the masses.
See this Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antisemitism. QUOTE: "While the term's etymology might suggest that antisemitism is directed against all Semitic peoples, the term was coined in the late 19th century in Germany as a more scientific-sounding term for Judenhass ("Jew-hatred"), and that has been its normal use since then"
And you will find that most of the Muslims in the world, are, in fact, not Semitic at all. Iran is 'Indo-European', as is Pakistan. Over one hundred and fifty million Indians are not Semitic. Over two hundred million Indonesians and Malays are not Semitic. The Turkish peoples (from modern Turkey all the way to Chinese Turkestan) are not Semitic. The Berbers of North-Africa are not Semitic. Nor are the Somalis, or the Ghanaian Muslims. Neither are the peoples of the Caucasus. Et cetera.
It is correct to say that some Muslims are Semitic.
And as an aside, almost all Druze are Semitic. Though arguably not Muslims - at least according to Wahhabis. Though Assad pere et fils tried to seek a semblance of common ground and a pretence of unity with Ishmaelis and other factionalists.
Hello The back of the Hill ..(for lack of another name)
“But I defend Israel's right to exist, as a Jewish nation, for the Jewish people…”
As Voltaire said:"I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it... "
In my opinion a nation/country built on the notion of a same religion is to preposterous for words.. I equally oppose a "christian country" or an Islamic country" or a "Buddhist country".. etc..
" And yet, the attachment to the land of Israel is fundamental as an undercurrent in Judaism....
You mean to Zionism. It is my understanding that the creation of Israel is regarded by Jewish believers as an error, a mistake. Worse, they claim that it transgresses G-d’s commandment forbidding the creation of the country Israel.
The prohibition lies in three oaths that were imparted to the Jewish people and are discussed in a midrash of the Talmud.
In my opinion a nation/country built on the notion of a same religion is to preposterous for words.. I equally oppose a "christian country" or an Islamic country" or a "Buddhist country"..
One crucial error in your argument is that you overlook that while Judaism is, arguably, one religion (and there are many who would dispute even that), Jews are a people. Admittedly, the definition of their peoplehood includes a religious/ritual component, but one is a Jew irrespective of one's beliefs and practices, provided one is born of a Jewish mother.
Genetic studies have shown a remarkable sameness of descent among Jews all over the diaspora - there has been very little intermarriage, compared to for example Irish-Americans or Netherlanders.
The elephant in the room is that numerous countries ARE defined, and legitimately so by the standards of their people, in terms of religion. Almost all the Arab countries consider Islam the one true religion, most have legislated it as the official religion. The Palestinian authority proposes that if and when parts of the West-Bank become a Judenrein Palestine, that their state will be an Islamic state. Pakistan is specifically a Muslim country, with other religions merely suffered as a bow to the tender sensibilities of the rich Western Countries to whom that bunch of retrogrades whore themselves, Iran and Saudi Arabia legally discriminate against every other creed than their state sanctioned heresies.....
Note also that European monarchs are, STILL TODAY!, largely the protectors of their state religions - the Anglican church in GB, Dutch Calvinism in NL, Lutheranism and Catholicism elsewhere. And this despite those countries even in the past having a far more diverse population than the Jews represent. Belgium, in fact, embodies little more than the Catholic Netherlanders' bile and irritation at being ruled by "those heretics".
And there are others..... Shinto is not the official religion of Japan anymore only because the Americans forced that issue. Thailand has a state cult, Malaysia considers Muslims to be Malay, and Islam to be a defining characteristic of both the Malaysian state and the Malay people. Sri Lanka ..... Etc.
Now, regarding the Talmud.
Do not argue Talmud regarding this matter, because the astute scholar will find, for every point in the Talmud, several passages that explicitly contradict precisely that point. The Talmud is a living discourse, still ongoing, with multiple interpretive possibilities, and should be seen NOT as a corpus of laws that have been firmly settled, but rather as a methodology of discourse and legal dialectic. What it imparts are not hard and fast rules so much as a reflection on how to formulate rules in accordance with the commandments. Note, for instance, that several commandments impose a death penalty or something equally harsh - an eye for an eye - but that Halacha (Jewish law - the application of the thought processes recorded in the Talmud and several hundred subsequent commentaria) does NOT consider the death penalty a reasonable recourse in the vast majority of those cases.
Rabbis, by the way, focus primarily on the portions of the Talmud that apply to purity and the relations between people - including subjects as diverse as menstruation, contract law, kashrus (food laws), and shiluach ha kan (look it up on line - it's quite interesting, and in a narrow sense of no actual use whatsoever, but it opens up an entire philosophical discussion that still grows even today).
Again, much in Talmud is to be ignored in practice but studied for conceptualizability.
Rabbi Kook, and several others, offered valid interpretations of the commandment to 'reside in the land', and disputed, equally validly, the applicability of the oaths that you mention.
And please look up Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (aka Maimonides/'The Rambam' on that point - some of his dicta explicitly command the observant Jew to 'live in the land'). This can also be found in Gershonides, as well as the Ramban (Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman), several of the Kabalists (including the Ramchal), and, can even be substantiated by gericht citing of my favourite, the Sfas Emes.
And, as far as actual Jewish practice is concerned, the entire Passover Seder is drenched in the necessity of being in Israel, at least in spirit even if circumstances prevent one from actually being there. The Seder, in one sense, is both a forward looking statement of something that MUST be done, as well as a reliving, as if one were personally involved, of a fundamental nation-forming event. One cannot read most Haggadot without the concept of Jewish peoplehood, nationhood, and the Jewish land being intrinsic.
Note also that both today AND in the throughout past, there have been Jews and non-Jews who were fundamental to the Jewish state - today Druze proudly serve in the army, the vice-consul in San Francisco was a Bedouin Arab Muslim (Ismail Khaldi), and twenty percent of the citizens of Israel are neither Jewish by religion nor Jewish by descent.
For the far past, Uriah the Hittite is perhaps a significant name. What David did to him argues as well against the Davidic Messiah tradition as anything else - but note that David himself was descended from a foreigner, Ruth the Moabite. And the Talmud holds that Moabites are traditional enemies.......
Other notorious Dutch anti-Semites:
Jan Den Hertog
Meindert Dijkstra
Guus Hoelen,
Kim Hop
Bindiya Jaggan
Bisan Kassis
Rena Netjes
Mick Pantelaras
Janneke Stegeman
Henri Veldhuis
Margo Vlamings
Yolanda Voorhaar
Manon Wolfkamp
Ghada Zeidan
Greta Duisenberg: quite the most Helen Thomas of Dutch people.
Many of whom are totally Helen Thomas.
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