tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12677825.post4635289797670587832..comments2024-03-14T02:22:26.957+00:00Comments on Point of No Return: Jewish Refugees from Arab and Muslim Countries: Philip Mendes's essay on Iraqi Jews: good in partsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12677825.post-17618846936206300392008-10-23T15:58:00.000+01:002008-10-23T15:58:00.000+01:00Why do leftist Jews like Mendes so often undercut ...Why do leftist Jews like Mendes so often undercut their own people's case?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12677825.post-29644904226524552202008-10-22T00:13:00.000+01:002008-10-22T00:13:00.000+01:00Mendes cites "persecution" of Jews in Iraq in hist...Mendes cites "persecution" of Jews in Iraq in history without explaining that this was not sporadic persecution but a part of Muslim law, the dhimma condition. He also insinuates that the notion that Jews suffered "persecution" in Iraq is an overdone or exaggerated claim by Zionists. Mendes does this by a rather vague mention of "push and pull" factors. No doubt there were such factors. But Mendes sets up two allegedly imbalanced, opposing positions and finds the "truth" somewhere in the middle. Yet, the legal oppression of Jews in Iraq and in the Islamic world as a whole is not a matter of point of view or partisan exaggeration. It is fact. Edward Said's remarks as quoted are meant to acknowledge some unjust actions on the part of the Iraqi govt while whitewashing Arab nationalism [to which Said was loyal]. Meanwhile, Mendes misrepresents history by suggesting that claims of "persecution" of Jews in Iraq are exaggerated by Zionist partisans.Eliyahu m'Tsiyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07973268399414290195noreply@blogger.com