Steve
Bannon to Speak at Annual Zionist Organization of America Gala: ‘He’s So
pro-Israel’
Steve Bannon is Donald Trump’s former Strategic
Advisor, once the most powerful man in the White House after Trump himself. Having been fired he has gone back to edit
the far-right Breitbart News, house magazine of America’s White Supremacist Alt-Right. Bannon perhaps more than any other figure
represented all that is toxic in Trump’s Administration – the racism, the
misogyny and bigotry.
Advisor, once the most powerful man in the White House after Trump himself. Having been fired he has gone back to edit
the far-right Breitbart News, house magazine of America’s White Supremacist Alt-Right. Bannon perhaps more than any other figure
represented all that is toxic in Trump’s Administration – the racism, the
misogyny and bigotry.
It is also clear that Trump was loathe to dismiss
Bannon and he only did so only because his new Chief of Staff, General John
Kelly, insisted on it as the ‘globalists’ (for which read military hawks
and imperialists) isolated the ‘economic
nationalists’.
Bannon and he only did so only because his new Chief of Staff, General John
Kelly, insisted on it as the ‘globalists’ (for which read military hawks
and imperialists) isolated the ‘economic
nationalists’.
The disputes between one set of warmongers and
another are unimportant. Both factions are equally despicable. What
is of note however is how Bannon has been adopted by the Zionists, in particular the Zionist Organisation
of America headed by Mort Klein.
another are unimportant. Both factions are equally despicable. What
is of note however is how Bannon has been adopted by the Zionists, in particular the Zionist Organisation
of America headed by Mort Klein.
Last year the ZOA also invited Bannon but a large Jewish demonstration, led by Jewish Voices for Peace and IfNotNow, two left-wing anti-Zionist
Jewish organisations, led him to stay away. Despite this ZOA have renewed their
invitation to Bannon for thisyear’s gala dinner.
Jewish organisations, led him to stay away. Despite this ZOA have renewed their
invitation to Bannon for thisyear’s gala dinner.
What one wonders are the attractions of Bannon and
the movement he represents to the Zionists. It is barely in dispute that Breitbart is a sewer
of racism, misogyny and bigotry with articles such as that by Milo
Yiannopoulos, a former Associate Editor, Does
Feminism Make Women Ugly?
the movement he represents to the Zionists. It is barely in dispute that Breitbart is a sewer
of racism, misogyny and bigotry with articles such as that by Milo
Yiannopoulos, a former Associate Editor, Does
Feminism Make Women Ugly?
Yiannopoulous, before he was
forced to resign as a result of his advocacy of paedophilia was, despite his
half-Jewish parentage, a died in the wool anti-Semite. In an interview
with David Rubin he explained how “Like the
Jews run everything. Well we do. The Jews run all the banks. Well we do. The
Jews run the media. Well we do. You know they’re right about all that stuff.” Yiannopoulos insisted that Jewish control over
finance and the media is “not in debate,”
explaining that “Jews completely dominate the media. Vastly disproportionately
represented in all of these professions. That’s just a fact, it’s not
anti-Semitic to point out statistics.”
forced to resign as a result of his advocacy of paedophilia was, despite his
half-Jewish parentage, a died in the wool anti-Semite. In an interview
with David Rubin he explained how “Like the
Jews run everything. Well we do. The Jews run all the banks. Well we do. The
Jews run the media. Well we do. You know they’re right about all that stuff.” Yiannopoulos insisted that Jewish control over
finance and the media is “not in debate,”
explaining that “Jews completely dominate the media. Vastly disproportionately
represented in all of these professions. That’s just a fact, it’s not
anti-Semitic to point out statistics.”
 |
| Milo Yiannopoulous |
It is quite understandable that Yiannopoulous was
looked on favourably at Breitbart given the views of his Bannon himself. Bannon’s former wife, Mary Louise Piccard, testified
during her 2007 divorce proceedings that Bannon didn’t want his children going
to school with ‘whiny Jews’ and complained
that there were too many Jewish students at the elite Archer School for Girls.
looked on favourably at Breitbart given the views of his Bannon himself. Bannon’s former wife, Mary Louise Piccard, testified
during her 2007 divorce proceedings that Bannon didn’t want his children going
to school with ‘whiny Jews’ and complained
that there were too many Jewish students at the elite Archer School for Girls.
“The biggest problem he had with Archer is the
number of Jews that attend,” Bannon’s ex-wife said. The comments were first reported by the New York Daily News.
number of Jews that attend,” Bannon’s ex-wife said. The comments were first reported by the New York Daily News.
“He said
that he doesn’t like the way they raise their kids to be ‘whiny brats’ and that
he didn’t want the girls going to school with Jews,” Piccard
wrote.
that he doesn’t like the way they raise their kids to be ‘whiny brats’ and that
he didn’t want the girls going to school with Jews,” Piccard
wrote.
Bannon complained that another elite school had too
“many Hanukkah books” in its library.
[Steve
Bannon Didn’t Want Children Going to School With ‘Whiny’ Jews, Forward 14.11.16.] See also Will
Steve Bannon Be the Anti-Semitic Firebrand in Donald Trump’s Inner Circle?,
Forward Staff November
14, 2016
“many Hanukkah books” in its library.
[Steve
Bannon Didn’t Want Children Going to School With ‘Whiny’ Jews, Forward 14.11.16.] See also Will
Steve Bannon Be the Anti-Semitic Firebrand in Donald Trump’s Inner Circle?,
Forward Staff November
14, 2016
But if Bannon and
Breitbart are anti-Semitic and supporters of White Supremacism they are also
ardently pro-Zionist and pro-Israel.
Breitbart are anti-Semitic and supporters of White Supremacism they are also
ardently pro-Zionist and pro-Israel.
Liberal
Zionist papers like Forward found this hard to understand and there were
articles, subsequent to Trump’s election asking how this could be. Zionists who had spent the best part of their lives
equating ‘anti-Semitism’ and anti-Zionism found it a shock that you could be
ardently pro-Israel and Zionist and
still dislike Jews.
Naomi Zeveloff almost seemed to be in shock as she explained
that ‘though it would seem impossible to hate Jews but love the Jewish state,
these two viewpoints are not as contradictory as they appear.’ She interviewed Steven M. Cohen, a
sociologist at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, who
explained to her that ‘There is actually “little correlation” between
anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism, according To be sure, anti-Semitism is found
among the anti-Zionist left. But it is also found among the Zionist right’
that ‘though it would seem impossible to hate Jews but love the Jewish state,
these two viewpoints are not as contradictory as they appear.’ She interviewed Steven M. Cohen, a
sociologist at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, who
explained to her that ‘There is actually “little correlation” between
anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism, according To be sure, anti-Semitism is found
among the anti-Zionist left. But it is also found among the Zionist right’
You could almost see the scales falling from Zeveloff’s eyes as Cohen told her that ‘many people who dislike Jews like Israel and
many people who are critical toward Israel are affectionate toward Jews,” This was clearly not what she
had been brought up to believe. [How
Steve Bannon and Breitbart News Can Be Pro-Israel — and Anti-Semitic at the
Same Time, Forward 15.11.16.]
many people who are critical toward Israel are affectionate toward Jews,” This was clearly not what she
had been brought up to believe. [How
Steve Bannon and Breitbart News Can Be Pro-Israel — and Anti-Semitic at the
Same Time, Forward 15.11.16.]
 |
| Steve Bannon – racist, anti-Semitic but ardently pro-Zionist |
To
those of us who are longstanding anti-Zionists this is nothing new. Historically Zionists and anti-Semites have
got on like a house on fire, even if it was Jews who did the burning. From Theodor Herzl, with his trip to see
von-Plehve, the author of the Kishinev pogroms in Russia to Ze’ev Jabotinsky, who allied with the White Russian
leader, Petlyura who had up to ¼ million Jewish deaths on his hands, Zionists
have always found a strategic ally in anti-Semites. The collaboration between Zionism and Nazism
was not an aberration. On the contrary
it was simply a continuation of this historic relationship.
Why
is this the case? Primarily because Zionism
began as a separatist reaction to anti-Semitism which accepted the terms of
debate that the anti-Semites set. Zionis began from the premise that anti-Semitism couldn’t be fought, the non-Jews were inherently anti-Semitic and therefore you had to come to terms with them. The anti-Semites
said that the Jews didn’t belong and the Zionists agreed.
is this the case? Primarily because Zionism
began as a separatist reaction to anti-Semitism which accepted the terms of
debate that the anti-Semites set. Zionis began from the premise that anti-Semitism couldn’t be fought, the non-Jews were inherently anti-Semitic and therefore you had to come to terms with them. The anti-Semites
said that the Jews didn’t belong and the Zionists agreed.
 |
| Mort Klein of the Zionist Organisation of America – has no problem working with neo-Nazis and anti-Semites as long as they are Zionists |
The anti-Semites were more than happy to support Zionism. Indeed they were often passionate about the fact that Jews should go to Palestine. In Poland and elsewhere in Europe anti-Semites demonstrated with the chant ‘Jews to Palestine’ just as today Israeli Jews chant ‘Death to the Arabs.’ The belief that Jews belonged in Palestine, not the countries of their birth, was the fundamental basis of their agreement
and sometimes, if you didn’t know who was speaking, it could either be a Zionist
or an anti-Semite.
and sometimes, if you didn’t know who was speaking, it could either be a Zionist
or an anti-Semite.
To take but 3 examples Israel’s
first Justice Minister, Pinhas Rosenbluth described Palestine as ‘an institute
for the fumigation of Jewish vermin’.[1]
Chaim Weizmann, the longstanding President of the World Zionist Organisation
and 1st President of Israel described German Jewish refugees as ‘the
germ-carriers of a new outbreak of anti-Semitism.’[2]
Jacob Klatzkin, editor of Die Welt
and co-founder of the Encyclopedia Judaica, held that Jews were ‘a people
disfigured in both body and soul – in a word, of a horror… some sort of
outlandish creature… in any case, not a pure national type…. some sort of
oddity among the peoples going by the name of Jew.’ [3]
first Justice Minister, Pinhas Rosenbluth described Palestine as ‘an institute
for the fumigation of Jewish vermin’.[1]
Chaim Weizmann, the longstanding President of the World Zionist Organisation
and 1st President of Israel described German Jewish refugees as ‘the
germ-carriers of a new outbreak of anti-Semitism.’[2]
Jacob Klatzkin, editor of Die Welt
and co-founder of the Encyclopedia Judaica, held that Jews were ‘a people
disfigured in both body and soul – in a word, of a horror… some sort of
outlandish creature… in any case, not a pure national type…. some sort of
oddity among the peoples going by the name of Jew.’ [3]
When
Bannon was appointed, the Anti-Defamation League, a thoroughly Zionist group
initially spoke out against the appointment but the major pro-Israel lobby
group, AIPAC, kept quiet and refused to say anything. The Zionist Organisation of America, which
boasted Alan Dershowitz as a guest at its last dinner, has welcomed Bannon, despite (or
maybe because of?) his anti-Semitism.
Bannon was appointed, the Anti-Defamation League, a thoroughly Zionist group
initially spoke out against the appointment but the major pro-Israel lobby
group, AIPAC, kept quiet and refused to say anything. The Zionist Organisation of America, which
boasted Alan Dershowitz as a guest at its last dinner, has welcomed Bannon, despite (or
maybe because of?) his anti-Semitism.
 |
| Sebastian Gorka |
Their PR adviser, Arthur Schwartz, wrote
“we’re honored to have him as a
guest.” His tweet was quoted by
Sebastian Gorka, another former Trump adviser who was dismissed from the White
House and like Bannon, is close to the American far right. “Can’t wait,” Gorka wrote. “Thank you to Mort Klein and all his team. Patriots, all.”
“we’re honored to have him as a
guest.” His tweet was quoted by
Sebastian Gorka, another former Trump adviser who was dismissed from the White
House and like Bannon, is close to the American far right. “Can’t wait,” Gorka wrote. “Thank you to Mort Klein and all his team. Patriots, all.”
Gorka has been a life lmember and adviser to
far-Right anti-Semitic and neo-Nazi Hungarian groups. Other speakers at the ZOA dinner alongside
Bannon will be American ambassador to Israel David Friedman and former
Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman.
far-Right anti-Semitic and neo-Nazi Hungarian groups. Other speakers at the ZOA dinner alongside
Bannon will be American ambassador to Israel David Friedman and former
Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman.
“Steve
is one of the best friends that Israel has had in any administration,” claimed
Schwartz. Also on the guest list is Gorka. Vanity Fair described
how Gorka was a member of Vitézi Rend, a far-right Hungarian military
organization that supported the Nazis during World War II and how he wore
a medal honoring the group to an inauguration party. Gorka defended the group as historically
anti-Communist, which of course could be said for any neo-Nazi group. “First I am an Islamophobe, then I’m an
anti-Semite, then I am a fascist. Next I am going to be a Martian, you know,
subversive,” he said to The
Telegraph, calling himself a political victim.
is one of the best friends that Israel has had in any administration,” claimed
Schwartz. Also on the guest list is Gorka. Vanity Fair described
how Gorka was a member of Vitézi Rend, a far-right Hungarian military
organization that supported the Nazis during World War II and how he wore
a medal honoring the group to an inauguration party. Gorka defended the group as historically
anti-Communist, which of course could be said for any neo-Nazi group. “First I am an Islamophobe, then I’m an
anti-Semite, then I am a fascist. Next I am going to be a Martian, you know,
subversive,” he said to The
Telegraph, calling himself a political victim.
Although Bannon and Gorka are
welcomed by Zionist organisations in the United States Jewish anti-Zionist and
socialist groups can be expected to demonstrate outside the ZOA’s annual gala
dinner come November.
welcomed by Zionist organisations in the United States Jewish anti-Zionist and
socialist groups can be expected to demonstrate outside the ZOA’s annual gala
dinner come November.
Tony Greenstein
[1] 1. Joachim
Doron, p.169, ‘Classic Zionism and modern anti-Semitism: parallels and influences’ (1883-1914),
Studies in Zionism 8, Autumn 1983.
Doron, p.169, ‘Classic Zionism and modern anti-Semitism: parallels and influences’ (1883-1914),
Studies in Zionism 8, Autumn 1983.
[2] 2. Edwin
Black, p.259, The Transfer Agreement, citing Palestine Post 5.7.33.
Black, p.259, The Transfer Agreement, citing Palestine Post 5.7.33.
[3] 3. Arthur
Herzberg, The Zionist Idea, p. 322/323, Temple, Atheneum, New York 1981.
Herzberg, The Zionist Idea, p. 322/323, Temple, Atheneum, New York 1981.
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