"The War of a Million Cuts" - Dr. Manfred Gerstenfeld
"The War of a Million Cuts" - Dr. Manfred Gerstenfeld

Israel's ambassador to the United Kingdom, Zvi Shtauber, was asked by reporters at the start of his term in 2001:  "We want your assurance, Mr. Ambassador, that it is not the official policy of the government of Israel to shoot journalists."

Can't be, you say to yourself, rubbing your eyes in amazement as you read and reread the delusional statement made by those who are in charge of telling us what is happening in the world, as quoted in Dr. Manfred Gerstenfeld's new book, The War of A Million Cuts (JCPA). You, the commoner, know very well that in Israel, journalists are free to go anywhere and in fact, they come here in droves, many choosing to "report" on the Middle East from Tel Aviv bars and restaurants. They do this in Israel because this is the only place in the entire madly self-destructing region where they are not in danger. Isn't it ISIS that has actually beheaded journalists? Could there be some confusion between the two words, both beginning with IS? 

No such luck. A careful reading of this readable (but not so easy on the soul) book, a well-organized, thorough and systematic exposition of the current and massive resurgence of anti-Semitism the world over, subtitled "The Struggle against the Delegitimization of Israel and the Jews and the Growth of New Anti-Semitism," reveals the truth about the well-oiled machine of lies being promulgated about the Jewish people and their sliver of a country.

How can they tell truth from lies when they are being bombarded by lies; why should they tell the truth if they are being paid well to lie – and what about those who tend to be anti-Jewish to begin with?
First and most important, this carefully researched book by a writer who has been called "the greatest authority on anti-Semitism" and who often writes op-eds for Arutz Sheva, puts paid to the idea that it is something new, anti-Zionism, that we are facing. Hatred of Zionism and Israel, as the writer proves beyond any doubt, is a branch of anti-Semitism, and by far not the only branch that has come back to life. So much for those who believe that without Israel or with an indefensibly small Israel, all would be well for the world's Jews.

The writer's conclusion is that Anti-Zionism is intertwined with anti-Semitism. It is simply an addition to the varied and creative reasons the world finds and has always found for hating Jews.  Anti-Israelism is the newest face of anti-Semitism, one that makes use of the au courant issue of "human rights."  The entire litany of pretexts is extant, however, explained and documented in the book's well-written pages, things like Jews as absolute evil, Jews controlling the world, Jews responsible for everything that goes wrong, Jews as avaricious cheaters and Jews involved in whatever you wish to hate today.  

The book's title, "The War of a Million Cuts" attests to the one change that the global village's world of communications has contributed to classic anti-Semitism: instead of Jew hatred being based on one idea, like the church's religious fury or the Nazi pseudo-genetics, today's hatred comes from every direction and gets to every corner of the globe, using diversified and inventive canards to demonize Jews and delegitimize Israel.  The most devious methods employed are setting double standards for Jews versus the rest of the world, accompanied by shocking and stultifying moral equivalence of perpetrator and victim (See Obama's call for "all sides" to cease violence after a 64 year old Jew was murdered by Arab youth who hurled large rocks at his car, causing him to lose control of the vehicle and hit an electricity pole, on the Jewish New Year.)

After defining anti-Semitism, categorizing its characteristics and motifs, and delineating the Muslim origins of the demonization of Jews, the writer goes on to giving each main perpetrator of attacks on Jews its own eye-opening chapter. This includes the media (including its horrendous cartoons) Catholic incitement, Protestant churches, academia, schools and the United Nations; how war is fought against Israel in the courts (lawfare), how political parties make use of anti-Semitic feeling. He does not spare Israeli and Jewish inciters, nor supposed humanitarian organizations, nor the EU's sins of omission and commission - Europe hovering just one step behind all-pervading Muslim animosity towards Jews.

When incidents occur in real time, it is tragic and upsetting, but somehow less shocking than seeing the comprehensive picture the book affords. The sheer weight and different sources of anti-Semitic activity are mind-boggling, but diabolically, it is this proliferation that is causing it to make an inroad, convincing those who were neutral or even positive with regard to Jews to believe the lies.The fact that we know the claims are ridiculous, or decry the violence and injustice, does not mean that anyone else sees the truth or cares about it. Who is going to fight for us? How can they tell what is true or false when they are being bombarded by lies from every side, why should they tell the truth if they are being paid well to lie – and what about those who tend to be anti-Jewish to begin with?

It is appalling to see how much effort is expended to demonize the people who gave the world so much, from the Bible up to the cell phone, angioplasty and drip irrigation. And six million of whom were systematically murdered just 75 years ago. 

That is why it is vital that this book is read by those who make decisions and not just the general public, because it is not a mere list of incidents and developments. Its writer upsets us, but he also offers hope. He means to prove the need for action and suggests a way to go about it. 

He calls on the Israeli government to become pro active, to fight, to make that fight visible. Yes, we know that  anti-Semitism is imbibed with mother's milk for time immemorial– but nevertheless, one can shame liars, one can fight misrepresentation, one can keep a campaign in the public eye and leave no challenge unanswered. At this point, nothing happens to blatant anti-Semites, they are in a win win situation, but world Jewry can organize to give them their due. Israel can organize World Jewry and coordinate its own plan for action. It depends on no one except ourselves, to paraphrase a Talmudic tale. 

It means forming an agency to fight anti-Jewish propaganda, fighting it with its own tools as well as with the truth about Israel.  It means funding. Ministers of various countries and other well known figures have provided back cover comments for the book, whose introduction is by the former president of the government of Spain, Jose Maria Aznar, all of whom tell the world to heed the author's call for serious and professional coordinated action against  anti-Semitic poison and double standards for Jews.

The effects of the demonization of Israel and Diaspora Jews are laid out in this book.  Let us hope it makes a difference. Reading it is a start in the right direction, because it is up to each one of us to do something, both pressuring Israel's government or fighting our own fight,  before it is too late.