The Power of AIPAC, Israel, And The Rise Of The Far Right

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Support for Israel, once a bipartisan issue across the West, has now become a wedge issue for the right. 

In New York’s 16th district, Republican donors joined with AIPAC to help defeat an outspoken critic of Israel, Jamaal Bowman, in the House Democratic primary there on Tuesday night. 

Naomi tells Mehdi on this episode of ‘Unshocked’: “I'm not going to sugarcoat it. It was a blow.” For Mehdi, “the idea that 14 or $15 million from AIPAC and the pro-Israel lobby in this district didn't play a role? Come on! That's just an insult to our intelligence.”

Over in France, as elections approach, the center right and center left have together blamed the anti-Israel far left for rising antisemitism - and given the French far right a pass in the process! There are reports that many French Jews may now vote for Marine Le Pen’s National Rally for the first time. 

Naomi says “European politics is a world upside down,” and says it is “chilling” to think that the “charge of antisemitism is potentially going to facilitate the resurgence of fascism in Europe”. 

Although all these far-right parties are staunch supporters of Israel, Mehdi explains how “the old anti-Semitism is still very much alive and well.” A mind-boggling idea regardless of which side of the coin you choose to see it from, so mind-boggling that Mehdi says: “I feel like screaming that no one sees the obvious disconnect… these people are still anti-Semitic and they're pro-Israel. What does that tell you about them?”

What does it also say about Zionism? Mehdi and Naomi discuss Zeteo’s upcoming documentary ‘Israel’s Reel Extremism’ and Mehdi’s participation in the Munk Debate on anti-Zionism in Toronto earlier this month. 

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‘Unshocked’ is a monthly conversation between Zeteo Editor-in-Chief Mehdi Hasan and author and activist Naomi Klein, where they pull viewers ‘out of shock’ through analysis, facts, and history.