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Antisemitism: Humanity’s totalitarian swamp
Jew-hatred spikes when societies are under stress and totalitarian thinking spreads, Left and Right.
By GIL TROY | July 30, 2025
Tisha B’Av prayer book. (Image by Bazhdar.sherwan – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikipedia)
Decades ago, when we commemorated Tisha B’Av at Young Judaea’s Camp Tel Yehudah, we related to the long list of Jewish traumas as historical events that afflicted our unfortunate ancestors, forever ago, in ghettoized galaxies far, far away. Born into the post-Auschwitz covenant, we considered Jew-hatred passé, doomed, like racism. Alas, today, it’s surging.
Jew-hatred spikes when societies are under stress and totalitarian thinking spreads, Left and Right. Antisemitism is humanity’s totalitarian swamp thing. This creature thrives when people start mistrusting one another, thinking in all-or-nothing terms, seeking scapegoats, or being stirred by demagogues.Over centuries, this swamp creature acquired certain characteristics; that’s why Jews keep getting accused of being devilish, committing the most hated acts of the moment, seeking power and money. While each bigoted act is uniquely despicable, Jew-bashers often build on slurs festering in the swamp. That makes antisemitism particularly useful to haters: from this foundation of familiar lies, it can be constantly updated – as we see with today’s anti-Zionist antisemitism abroad, and Jew-hating, anti-Zionism against Israelis.Since October 7, 2023, I have added the word “obsessive.” Millions are preoccupied, exaggerating one country’s alleged sins, while leftists and rightists each find much to hate in the Jewish state or the Jews. I also now distinguish between “Jew-hatred,” when bullies beat Jews, versus “antisemitism” the obsessive conspiracy-minded ideology that even lovely professors embrace, perpetually lambasting the Jew or the Jewish state.
A history of tragedy
The many calamities Jews endured on Tisha B’av, the ninth day of the month of Av, reveal antisemitism to be the longest hatred and the most plastic hatred – moldable, artificial, often toxic. When the fast starts this Saturday night, Jews will time-travel throughout bloody centuries, while noting today’s hostilities too.
Putting Jewish tragedy in perspective, the First Temple’s destruction in 586 BCE was devastating, but it probably wasn’t “antisemitic.” The Babylonian emperor Nebuchadnezzar conquered Israel. Destroying the Temple hurt the Jewish religion, but other conquered nation-states endured similar fates.A rapacious empire also destroyed the Second Temple in 70 CE. But the Romans escalated their war against Judea into a pagan war against Judaism and the Jews, reflected in their obsession with defiling the Holy Temple.After the Romans crushed Bar Kochba’s revolt – on Tisha B’av, 132 CE – they committed “historicide,” trying to kill the Jews’ ties to Israel by renaming Judea, “Syria Palaestina.” One year later, on the ninth of Av, Turnus Rufus plowed over the destroyed Temple’s site as the Romans christened Jerusalem “Aelia Capitolina.”During the chaos, a monotheistic rival to Judaism formed – Christianity. In spreading throughout the empire before Rome fell in 476, distancing themselves from their Jewish roots but still enmeshed in Roman pagan power-plays, some Christians honed a new anti-Jewish, theologically based bigotry.As the Catholic Church dominated key monarchies, and Jews settled in Christian Europe, Jews became the favorite scapegoat. In 1095, when Pope Urban II declared the first Crusade on Tisha B’av, the murder of 10,000 Jews symbolized the growing intensity of the medieval church’s Jew-hatred.Such bloodiness, from the Crusades through the Holocaust, fed a myth that Islam was not antisemitic. If the only mode of bigotry is mass murder, Muslims rarely descended that low – until recently, alas. But Islamic law deemed Jews, “Dhimmis,” like Christians, born inferior. And as Jews lived for centuries in North Africa and the Middle East, including in Ottoman-era Palestine, they suffered periodic riots and ongoing oppression.On Tisha B’Av 1290, the Jews’ expulsion from England added another dimension to antisemitism. The haters seized the Jews’ books and property. Increasingly, greed, sometimes economic jealousy when Jews prospered, intensified the theologically based hatred.Although Arabs attacked Jews increasingly as Zionism flourished, Arabs rioted with particular intensity when Jews prayed at the Western Wall on Tisha B’av, 1929. Now, Islamist Jew-hatred fed by nationalist venom spawned Arab Jew-hatred, today’s bloodiest form of antisemitism.The Nazis updated their antisemitism by adding pseudo-scientific “racial” dimensions.Targeting Jewish bloodlines, they persecuted German Lutherans raised by Protestant parents, if even one grandparent was Jewish. On Tisha B’Av 1942, the Nazis killed their first Jews in Treblinka. By year’s end, they murdered 713,555 people there, making it the second deadliest death camp, following Auschwitz.In 1994, Hezbollah terrorists, trained by Iran’s anti-Zionist Revolutionary Guards, blew up the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires. By murdering 86 people and wounding 300 others, they blurred Jew-hatred and anti-Zionism, as haters so often do today.Antisemitism is the longest hatred partly by sheer longevity; Jews have survived since ancient times, to be targeted still. But the plasticity of antisemitism, far Left to far Right, among pro-Trump white supremacists and progressive universalists, among monotheistic Islamists and atheistic Marxists, is more vexing. Although constituting only a sliver of the world’s population, Jews are prominent enough to be hated for standing out and fitting in. That made them excellent targets, then and now.Contemplating this Tisha B’av litany, it’s easy to despair. Instead, learn from some religious Jews in Jerusalem. They stop fasting at 5 p.m., and read quotations from the prophets envisioning a time when children, laughter, and light will return to Jerusalem’s streets… because we’re living that dream now!The writer, a senior fellow in Zionist thought at the Jewish People Policy Institute, is an American presidential historian. His latest books, To Resist the Academic Intifada: Letters to My Students on Defending the Zionist Dream and The Essential Guide to October 7th and its Aftermath, were just published.
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Peter Baum
Update Time : Saturday, February 25, 2023
Atrocities, atrocities and more atrocities. Historical evidence is in abundance on the suffering of Jewish people by those identifying as followers of Islam. On review of this horrific diary one notices the absence of barbarities committed by Palestinians. And this is simply because there was no nationality, tribe, race, people nor culture as the Palestinians until they were invented as an identity in the 1960’s.
Each tragic event identified caused human suffering of epic proportions to sons and daughters; brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers. Families wiped out simply because they were adherents to a religion different to those who perpetrated the atrocities. People, children, human beings butchered by a section of Muslims. Educate me and convince me if hundreds of years after the first atrocity, what has changed. The two Palestinian charters of 1868 and 1988 taught to every Palestinian child both demand extermination of Jews. And the global majority is sympathetic to the Palestinian cause.
May I apologize for the lack of accreditation to the individuals who originally composed this list and to those who have sent me amendments and updates as there are too many to mention and unfortunately, I have lost the original posts sent to me some years ago.
When one reviews the conflicts still being waged in the name of Islam against Christians in the Sahel and Central Africa as well as the internal Islamic wars raging in Arab countries, we must surely recognize that political or radical Islam is not a religion of peace.
622 – 627: Ethnic cleansing of Jews from Mecca and Medina, (Jewish boys publicly inspected for pubic hair. if they had any, they were executed),
629: 1st Alexandria Massacres, Egypt,
622 – 634: Extermination of the 14 Arabian Jewish tribes,
822 – 861: Islamic empire passes law that Jews must wear yellow stars, (a lot like Nazi Germany), Caliph al-Mutawakkil,
1106: Ali Ibn Yousef Ibn Tashifin of Merakesh decrees death penalty for any local Jew, including his Jewish physician and military general,
1033: 1st Fez Pogrom, Morocco,
1148: Almohadin of Morocco gives Jews the choice of converting to Islam, or expulsion,
1066: Granada Massacre, Muslim occupied Spain,
1165 – 1178: Jews nationwide were given the choice (under new constitution) convert to Islam or die, Yemen,
1165: Chief Rabbi of the Maghreb burnt alive. the Rambam flees for Egypt,
1220: Thousands of Jews killed by Muslims after being blamed for Mongol invasion, Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Egypt,
1270: Sultan Baibars of Egypt resolved to burn all the Jews, a ditch having been dug for that purpose; but at the last moment he repented, and instead exacted a heavy tribute, during the collection in which many perished,
1276: 2nd Fez Pogrom, Morocco,
1385: Khorasan Massacres, Iran,
1438: 1st Mellah Ghetto Massacres, North Africa,
1465: 3rd Fez Pogrom, Morocco (11 Jews left alive),
1517: 1st Safed Pogrom, Ottoman Palestine,
1517: 1st Hebron Pogrom, Ottoman Palestine and
1517: Marsa ibn Ghazi Massacre, Ottoman Libya,
1577: Passover Massacre, Ottoman empire,
1588 – 1629: Mahalay Pogroms, Iran,
1630 – 1700: Yemenite Jews were considered “impure” and thus forbidden to touch a Muslim or a Muslim’s food. They were forced to humble themselves before a Muslim, to walk to the left side, and greet him first.
They could not build houses higher than a Muslim’s or ride a camel or horse, and when riding on a mule or a donkey, they had to sit sideways. Upon entering the Muslim quarter, a Jew had to take off his foot-gear and walk barefoot. If attacked with stones or fists by Islamists a Jew was not allowed to defend himself. (anti-Zionist miss those days),
1660: 2nd Safed Pogrom, Ottoman Palestine,
1670: Mawza expulsion Yemen,
1679 – 1680: Sanaa Massacres, Yemen,
1747: Mashhad Massacres, Iran,
1785: Tripoli Pogrom, Ottoman Libya,
1790 – 92: Tetouan Pogrom. Morocco (Jews of Tetouan stripped naked, and lined up for radical Muslim perverts),
1800: New decree passed in Yemen, that Jews are forbidden to wear new clothing, or good clothing. Jews are forbidden to ride mules or donkeys, and were occasionally rounded up for long marches naked through the Roob al Khali dessert,
1805: 1st Algiers Pogrom, Ottoman Algeria,
1808 2nd 1438: 1st Mellah Ghetto Massacres, North Africa,
1815: 2nd Algiers Pogrom, Ottoman Algeria,
1820: Sahalu Lobiant Massacres, Ottoman Syria,
1828: Baghdad Pogrom, Ottoman Iraq,
1830: 3rd Algiers Pogrom, Ottoman Algeria,
1830: Ethnic cleansing of Jews in Tabriz, Iran1834: Safed Pogrom, Ottoman Palestine,
1839: Massacre of the Mashadi Jews, Iran,
1840: Damascus, ritual killings (Muslims, along with French Christians kidnapped, tortured, and killed Jewish Children for entertainment), Ottoman Syria,
1840: Blood libels introduced to the Muslim world from Europe,
1844: 1st Cairo Massacres, Ottoman Egypt,
1847: Dayr al-Qamar Pogrom, Ottoman Lebanon,
1847: Ethnic cleansing of the Jews in Jerusalem, Ottoman Palestine,
1918 – 1948: law passed making it illegal to raise an orphan Jewish, Yemen,
1920: Irbid Massacres: British mandate Palestine,
1920 – 1930: Arab riots, British mandate Palestine,
1921: 1st Jaffa riots, British mandate Palestine,
1922: Djerba Massacres, Tunisia,
1928: Ikhwan Masacres, Egypt, and British mandate Palestine,
1928: Jewish orphans sold into slavery, and forced to convert to Islam by Muslim Brotherhood in Yemen,
1929: 3rd Hebron Pogrom British mandate Palestine,
1929: 3rd Safed Pogrom, British mandate Palestine,
1933: 2nd Jaffa riots, British mandate Palestine,
1934: Thrace Pogroms, Turkey,
1934: 1st Farhud Massacres, Iraq,
1936: 3rd Jaffa riots, British mandate Palestine,
1936: 2nd Farhud Massacres, Iraq,
1941: 3rd Farhud Massacres, Iraq,
1942: *Amin al-Husseini or Amin al-Husayni’s collaboration with the Nazis, plays a part in the final solution,
1942: Struma disaster, Turkey,
1942: Nile delta Pogroms, Egypt,
1938 – 1945: Arab collaboration with the Nazis,
1945: 4th Cairo Massacres, Egypt,
1945: Tripolitania Pogrom, Libya,
1947: Aden Pogroms,
1947: 3rd Aleppo Pogrom, Syria,
1948: “Emptying” of the Jewish quarter of Damascus, Syria,
1948: 1st Arab Israeli war (1 out of every 100 Jew was killed),
1948: Oujda & Jerada Pogroms, Morocco,
1948: 1st Libyan Inquisition of Jews,
1951: 2nd Libyan Inquisition of Jews,
1955: 3rd Istanbul Pogrom, Turkey,
1956: 1st Egyptian Inquisition of Jews,
1965: 5th Fez Pogrom, Morocco,
1967: 2nd Egyptian Inquisition of Jews,
1967: Tunis riots, Tunisia.
We end at 1967 with the creation of the Palestinians and their charters of 1968 and 1988 commanding extermination of the Jewish people by Jihad. So far, they have failed miserably in achieving their objectives but have successfully indoctrinated their children with Nazi ideology.
As Golda Meir said, there will never be peace between Israel and the Palestinians until they, the Palestinians learn to love their children more than they hate Jews.
Editorial note:
Amin al-Husseini or Amin al-Husayni was a Palestinian Arab nationalist and Muslim leader in Mandatory Palestine. Here is a news site report giving details of meeting between Amin al-Husseini and Adolf Hitler.
Avatar photo Peter Baum, Editor (International Political Affairs) to Blitz is a research-scholar, who writes extensively on Israel, Holocaust, Zionism, Middle East, Anti-Semitism, and other issues. Peter Baum has worked for four decades in the International Financial Markets specializing in the Capital Market. He held directorships at large International Financial Institutions and ended career as consultant to an Investment Management company. Baum is a member of the Institute of Directors. He has worked extensively abroad in the Asia, Africa, the USA and Europe and after retirement spends his time as a political researcher, activists and columnist. In addition to his engagement with Blitz, Peter Baum has also been writing for the Gatestone Institute, Conservative Woman and Decisive Liberty and regularly appears on various TV channels and radio mainly talking about Israel and the Middle East.
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Accounts throughout history document numerous instances of violence perpetrated by Muslims against Jewish communities, including massacres and forced conversions.
Here are some examples of such incidents:
7th Century: Following the refusal of Jewish tribes in Medina to convert to Islam, some were expelled, and men of one tribe, the Banu Qurayza, were massacred, with women and children enslaved.
1033 Fez Massacre: The Banu Ifran tribe attacked Fez, killing over six thousand Jews, seizing their belongings, and capturing Jewish women.
1066 Granada Massacre: An Arab mob in Granada, Spain, massacred 5,000 Jews and destroyed the Jewish quarter.
1465 Fez Massacre: Arab mobs in Fez slaughtered thousands of Jews, leaving only 11 alive, following an incident involving a Jewish official and a Muslim woman. This triggered a wave of similar massacres throughout Morocco.
1785 Tripoli Massacre: Ali Burzi Pasha ordered the massacre of hundreds of Jews in Tripoli, Libya.
1834 Hebron and Safed Pogroms: Following Muhammad Ali of Egypt’s takeover, these events involved looting, murder, rape, and maiming targeting Jews in Hebron and Safed.
1839 Allahdad Massacre (Mashhad, Iran): This pogrom resulted in the killing of 30-40 Jews and the forced conversion of the entire community to Islam.
1840 Damascus Affair: This blood libel accusation led to the death of two Jews, forced confessions, and the capture of Jewish children to extort information about a supposed ritual murder.
1929 Hebron Massacre: During anti-Jewish riots, 67 Jews were murdered and hundreds more wounded.
1941 Farhud (Iraq): This pogrom killed approximately 180 Jews, injured 600 others, involved the rape of countless women, and the looting of stores and homes.
These are just some examples from a long history of violence and discrimination faced by Jews in various Muslim lands. It is important to note that the nature and frequency of these events varied across different regions and time periods, with periods of relative tolerance alongside these instances of persecution. The rise of Arab nationalism and the Arab-Israeli conflict in the 20th century further fueled antisemitism and led to the exodus of nearly all Jewish communities from Arab countries, according to the Jewish Virtual Library.
Both Islam and Christendom alternated between toleration and genocide. The list of Muslim massacres of Jews goes way back. Mohammed wiped out the Jews of the Arabian penninsula. The Jews of Granada were massacred in 1066. For example. I think Peter Baum of Weekly Blitz posted a long list, once.
On the other hand, Jews were invited to Lithuania upon its founding.
Thanks to the influence of Dona Gracia Mendes Nasi, Jews fleeing Spain were rescued by the Ottoman Turkish armada which put – was it Venice – under embargo for its persecution of Jews.
Here is the tale about the Crusaders shorty after they finally broke into Jerusalem after ending their journey through Europe where they massacred the hapless Jews in every village, town and city the Crusaders entered.
Upon reaching Jerusalem in 1099, they forced every Jewish man, woman, child and infant into the largest synagogue, closed the doors on them and set the building on fire.
With their crosses held aloft, the crusaders then marched round and round the synagogue to the unbearable screams of the terrified Jews burning to death while the Christian Crusaders sang as one, “Christ we adore thee.”
Correction: Not Venice, Anacona.
https://mizrachi.org/hamizrachi/dona-gracia-nasi-a-16th-century-religious-zionist/
found it:
https://weeklyblitz.net/2023/02/25/never-ending-atrocities-on-jews/
Both Islam and Christendom alternated between toleration and genocide. The list of Muslim massacres of Jews goes way back. Mohammed wiped out the Jews of the Arabian penninsula. The Jews of Granada were massacred in 1066. For example. I think Peter Baum of Weekly Blitz posted a long list, once.
On the other hand, Jews were invited to Lithuania upon its founding.
Thanks to the influence of Dona Gracia Mendes Nasi, Jews fleeing Spain were rescued by the Ottoman Turkish armada which put – was it Venice – under embargo for its persecution of Jews.
For example
Here is the tale about the Crusaders shorty after they finally broke into Jerusalem after ending their journey through Europe where they massacred the hapless Jews in every village, town and city the Crusaders entered.
Upon reaching Jerusalem in 1099, they forced every Jewish man, woman, child and infant into the largest synagogue, closed the doors on them and set the building on fire.
With their crosses held aloft, the crusaders then marched round and round the synagogue to the unbearable screams of the terrified Jews burning to death while the Christian Crusaders sang as one, “Christ we adore thee.”