Holocaust deniers in B'Tselem
Op-ed: Organization is not dealing with human rights, but encourages anti-Semitism. It's not about criticizing Israel's actions or about healing world; it's about Jewish support of fabricated blood libels meant to assist Hamas.
There is such a thing as Jewish anti-Semitism. Those involved in it are good Jews, some of them are even the descendant of Holocaust survivors, who simply want Tikkun Olam (healing the world in Hebrew) and fight against the "genocide" that Israel has been conducting in Gaza.
Last week they published an article in the New York Times about the Israel's "genocide" in Gaza. This shouldn't come as a surprise after so many lies have been published in recent weeks about the conflict in Gaza in a series of articles and interviews given mostly by "human rights" activists and organizations such as "B'tselem" and "Breaking the Silence".
It is quite possible that their intentions were good, but when claiming in advance that Israel is guilty before it has even responded, their good intentions become some what problematic. One should read the types of articles written by "Breaking the Silence" Spokeperson Avner Gvaryahu in a British Newspaper as well as the comments written in response to it, in order to understand the sources from which anti-Semitism and Jewish anti-Semitism spring forth.
B'Tselem is the main supplier of factual background material thanks to researcher Atef Abu a-Rub who is also a Holocaust denier. The man is responsible for dozens of "researches" and reports about the Israeli abuse in the territories. He is so good at his job that when foreign reporters calls B'Tselem to visit the territories, it is Abu a-Rub who is sent to serve as their tour guide and shows them the area through his eyes.
The problem is not Atef Abu a-Rub; the problem is his operators. His former boss was Lizi Sagie, the organization’s former information director. Lizi claimed that Israel is responsible for humanity's greatest atrocities and that it adopted Nazi values. Sagie quit B'Tselem, but her spirit remained.
Member of B'Tselem public council Hussein Abu Hussein described Israel as a "big monster that attacks us on a daily basis and nibbles through our flesh… we all feel like crushing its head, but just talking will not help, therefore everyone has a role. Atef Abu a-Rub has a role. He is responsible for a flowing supply of "information" to describe Israel as a monster.
How much Abu a-Rub's information is worth? According to him, the mountains adjacent to the Jordan Valley used to be green until the Jews came and stole the water beneath them. In addition those Jews "kill dozens in their sleep and tell everyone it's because of the resistance". But the Jews, he said, manage to hide their evil deeds because they have a strong media. Yes, that is the man's opinions and the world is fed with B'Tselem "researches".
This diabolic propaganda is fascinating, because it succeeds in turning the tables. Holocaust surviving Jews become part of Hamas' propaganda mechanism that wishes to continue the work of those who were engaging in extermination of the Jewish people. Abu a-Rub and other "human rights" activists like him, succeed in creating one of the biggest scams of recent decades.
On one side stands a terror organization, who is also recognized as such by the EU and most of the Western powers, and declares regularly, in the most explicit manner, that its main goal is to annihilate the Jewish people. Since the Nazi regime there hasn't been such a strong body, almost a country, with such a diabolical ideology. On the other side stands Israel who withdrew from the Gaza Strip and begs this reign of terror to renounce terror and choose prosperity.
But the good Jews, the "Tikkun Olam" followers have really turned a corner. There is no doubt that Abu a-Rub and the likes of him have achieved an amazing success. The responsibility of most of it is his employers; B'Tselem's board which Hussein Abu Hussein is one of its members.
Amos Oz and A. B. Yehoshua, who are also sit in B'Tselem board, have completely different opinions, but them sitting there gives legitimacy to Abu a-Rub and Abu Hussein's radical views. They are having a hard time admitting that their organization is not dealing with human rights, but encourage anti-Semitism; it's not about criticizing Israel's actions or about healing the world, it's about Jewish support of fabricated blood libels meant to assist Hamas.
Abu a-Rub's story is taken from a fascinating book called "Catch the Jew" by Tuvia Tennenbaum. Tennenbaum, a former Israeli, wrote the book to a German publishing house following a similar journey through Germany, which was depicted in his book "I Sleep in Hitler's Room" Where Tuvia posed as a German reporter and toured the realm of the "human rights kingdom". The results were terrifying.
Tennebaum is a figurative character with figurative writing. Initially, I thought he was exaggerating, but I was worng. Tennebaum wasn't only writing, he also documented everything via photos and recorders. Tennebaum asked from B'Tselem a tour in the territories and B'tselem sent Atef Abu a-Rub who, off course, told him his 1001 Arabian Nights tales about the Jews' wrong doings.
It's important to mention that Abu a-Rub also contributes to Gideon Levy's research, so next time someone is reading this research they should know that perhaps, occasionally, they point out to things that needs fixing, but mainly they prove that this is a satanic propaganda mechanism; it is not clear whether B'Tselem and Levy planned it that way, but they sure serve as key players in it.
Tenenbaum wasn't just satisfied with one organization – he joined additional bodies and activists that together created a terrifying industry of lies. One of these organizations is "Rabbis for Human Rights" headed by Rabbi Arik Ascherman. Ascherman sent Tenenbaum with the organization's field agents who thought he was speaking only German and English, therefore spoke in Hebrew and in Arabic, two languages Tuvia is fluent in. They tried hard to provide him with evidence of Israel's atrocities, but he wasn't buying it.
Tennebaum was having a hard time understanding people like Ascherman who tries to make Israel look like a monster wrapped in the title of "human rights". Tenenbaum wrote in his book that even Ascherman's wife gave up on him; the man, she explained, is not interested in the facts.
It's rather crazy that we actually need to refute this "genocide" libel, but it's impossible not to. Israel's donation to the violence in the world since its establishment and in recent years is close to nothing. The difference is that every fatality in the Arab-Israeli conflict gets a thousand times more coverage than in any other conflict. But facts never confused anti-Semites, even if they are Jews.
Ben-Dror Yemini is the author of the new book "The Industry of Lies," due out in the coming days by Yedioth Ahronoth publishers.
