Ron Dermer has been the closest advisor to Prime Minister Netanyahu over most of the last decade. He certainly has been his main advisor for international affairs relating to the United States. He is also an excellent example of saying it like it is with straightforward bluntness and super clear logic. He has actually become one of the most respected Israeli politicians in Israel in the last few years.
His statements on antisemitism are absolutely correct. Antisemites used to say to Jews 100 years ago – “Go back to Palestine” where you belong. The word “Palestine” was a term that was used to describe the geographic area in the Middle East that was the homeland of the Jewish people. There were no Arabs who claimed to be part of a so-called “Palestinian people.” Some Arabs did claim that their families lived in the area termed “Palestine” and some Jews boasted that their families lived in the area termed “Palestine” for 8 generations. Both are true.
But the real truth is that the vast majority of the entire Land of Israel was empty of Jews and empty of Arabs. There was no Palestinian State, no Palestinian people, and no Palestinian national cause until the 1960’s.
Dermer explains that antisemitism in its modern form has morphed from calling on Jews to “go to Palestine” to calling on Jews to “leave Palestine.” But Ron Dermer hits it on the head when he explains that the major change that has occurred in the world in the 20th century and especially in the 21st century is that Jews now possess power. That is something that the Jaw-haters have a really hard time dealing with.
It is understandable that those who were raised on hatred of Jews will not all of a sudden have a change of heart. But in today’s day and age, it is time for the Jewish people to project more power – not less. That will bring more respect from the rest of the world and draw in more Jewish people into the fold.