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Chomsky and anti-semitism

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The anarchist Noam Chomsky is well known as for his criticism of the policies of Israel, his opposition to United States military and diplomatic support for Israel, opposition to the concept of a Jewish state and his alleged ties to Holocaust deniers. Many hold that Chomsky has merely defended the universal and absolute right of free speech for everyone, and has never himself supported non-democratic ideologies. Others, such as journalist David Horowitz, and lawyer/professor Alan Dershowitz, have labeled him as an anti-Semite. Sociology professor emeritus Werner Cohn writes in his book Partners in Hate, that Chomsky's "politics derive as much from the extreme right wing ­­ particularly right-wing anti-Semitism ­­ as from the rhetoric of the American Left." Chomsky, a Jew, rejects charges of anti-Semitism and claims that he has always spoken out against bigotry, including anti-Semitism.

Almost everything about Noam Chomsky's political ideas are controversial. His contentious writings have earned him a great number of supporters among liberals and anarchists, as well as anti-Semites; he also has many detractors both in academia and the general public.

Chomsky's views on Israel and American Jewish Organizations

Noam Chomsky "grew up...in the Jewish-Zionist cultural tradition" (Chomsky Reader, p. 11). His father was one of the foremost scholars of the Hebrew language and taught at a religious school. Chomsky has also had a long fascination with and involvement in left-wing Zionist politics. As he described:

"I was deeply interested in...Zionist affairs and activities--or what was then called 'Zionist,' though the same ideas and concerns are now called 'anti-Zionist.' I was interested in socialist, binationalist options for Palestine, and in the kibbutzim and the whole cooperative labor system that had developed in the Jewish settlement there (the Yishuv)...The vague ideas I had at the time [1947] were to go to Palestine, perhaps to a kibbutz, to try to become involved in efforts at Arab-Jewish cooperation within a socialist framework, opposed to the deeply antidemocratic concept of a jewish state (a position that was considered well within the mainstream of Zionism)." (Chomsky Reader, p. 7)

Many Jews hold that while in theory there may be a difference between the concept of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism, in practice "anti-Zionism is just a new manifestation of old-school anti-Semitism". (Anti-Semitism Rears Ugly Head). Under this theory, Chomsky's opposition to a Jewish state is thus indicative of anti-Semitism.

Chomsky is extremely critical of the policies of Israel towards the Palestinians and ethnic minority Jewish populations within Israel. Among many articles and books, his book The Fateful Triangle is considered one of the premier texts among those in the American political left who oppose Israeli treatment of Palestinians and American support for Israel. He has also condemned Israel's role in "guiding state terrorism" for selling weapons to Latin American countries that he characterizes as U.S. puppet states, e.g. Guatemala in the 1970s. (What Uncle Sam Really Wants, Chapter 2.4) In addition, he has repeatedly and vehemently condemned the United States for its military and diplomatic support for Israel, and the American Jewish community for its role in obtaining this support. For example, he says of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL):

"The leading official monitor of anti-Semitism, the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai Brith, interprets anti-Semitism as unwillingness to conform to its requirements with regard to support for Israeli authorities.... The logic is straightforward: Anti-Semitism is opposition to the interests of Israel (as the ADL sees them).
"The ADL has virtually abandoned its earlier role as a civil rights organization, becoming 'one of the main pillars' of Israeli propaganda in the U.S., as the Israeli press casually describes it, engaged in surveillance, blacklisting, compilation of FBI-style files circulated to adherents for the purpose of defamation, angry public responses to criticism of Israeli actions, and so on. These efforts, buttressed by insinuations of anti-Semitism or direct accusations, are intended to deflect or undermine opposition to Israeli policies, including Israel's refusal, with U.S. support, to move towards a general political settlement." (Necessary Illusions, Appendix V)

(For more on ADL criticism of Chomsky, see below.)

The Faurisson Affair

In 1979, Robert Faurisson, a French professor, wrote a book claiming that the Nazis did not have gas chambers, did not attempt a genocide of Jews (or any other groups), and that the "myth" of the gas chambers had been put forth by Zionist swindlers for the benefit of the state of Israel and to the detriment of Germans and Palestinians. (The Chorus and Cassandra)

Shortly after, Chomsky signed a petition condemning censorship of Faurisson's works in France. The petition claimed that Faurisson's works were based on "extensive independent historical research." (On Faurisson and Chomsky) Following an extensive controversy regarding this petition, Chomsky wrote an essay entitled Chomsky's preface to Faurisoon's book, which dealt mainly with the freedom to conduct and publish unpopular research, but also stated that he had no found evidence of anti-Semitism in the parts of Faurisson's work that he had reviewed. Chomsky granted permission for this essay to be used for any purpose. It was used as the preface for a book by Faurisson. (Later Chomsky requested that Faurisson cease using it, but that request was declined.) Chomsky went on to write of anti-Semitism in Faurisson's work:

"I see no anti-Semitic implications in denial of the existence of gas chambers or even denial of the Holocaust. Nor would there be anti-Semitic implications, per se, in the claim that the Holocaust (whether one believes it took place or not) is being exploited, viciously so, by apologists for Israeli repression and violence. I see no hint of anti-Semitic implications in Faurisson's work" (quoted in Noam Chomsky's Search for the Truth)

Many Jewish groups were outraged, as they held that Faurisson's statements were the definition of anti-Semitism, and that the logical conclusion of Chomsky's statement would be that Naziism was not anti-semitic. For example, Deborah Lipstadt wrote in Dimensions, the journal of the ADL:

"Chomsky's example shows why the dangers of free inquiry should be taken seriously. Even the supposed protectors of reasoned dialogue can fall for the convoluted notion that all arguments are equally legitimate. Those who argue that the deniers must be given a fair hearing fail to recognize that the deniers' quest is not a search for truth. Rather they are motivated by racism, extremism, and virulent anti-Semitism."

References

Further Reading

  • Fateful Triangle, Noam Chomsky (ISBN 0-89608-601-1)
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