AUDIO: Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey Blankfort on anti-Semitism. Israel threatens Iran

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Today on Flashpoints: Israel threatens to Bomb a Nuclear Reactor in Iran; Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey Blankfort on the Politics of Anti-Semitism; Open up the Phones to discuss Anti-Semitism with Alex Cockburn.

01:00 Israel's Reaction to Iran's Nuclear Capabilities with Naseer Aruri talking with Dennis Bernstein on the phone. It seems as if Sharon is threatening to attack a nuclear reactor in Iran. Are they serious? Will Israeli hedgemony go on unimpeded. The desire is certainly present... during the days of Sharon's term as Israeli Defense Minister in the early 1980's there was a desire to remap Lebanon, absorb the Palestinian State, and implant a Syrian into the government of Syria who would make the area much safer for Israeli hedgemony. Final question is, "Will eliminating Saddam Hussein stop the resistance in Iraq? No, says Aruri it will allow the various elements of the resistance to sort themselves out and actually give them a stronger focus.

13:00 Music Break

14:00 False Accusations of Anti-Semitism. Alex Cockburn & Jeff Blankfort speak with Dennis Bernstein. When a monster and war criminal like Sharon is loose, the accusations on the right of "Anti-Semitism" get trotted out to increase donations from the elderly. Dick Army goes on record wishing for an ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians. The label is selectively used against the left while ignoring Nixon and Haldeman and Billy Graham and their seriously anti-Semitic conversations on the White House taping system. With the current ethos the moniker is used against anyone who opposes the occupation and other militaristic policies of the Israeli Government. A particular target are the members of the Black Congressional Caucus who oppose the policies of the US and its funding, McKinney, Conyers, and others are the victims of this tactic. Book: The Politics of Anti-Semitism by Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St.Clair. Visit Counterpunch.org for more of Alex, Jeffrey, and many many others.


The remainder of the hour is filled with many interesting questions to Alex Cockburn and commentary from our listeners regarding the situation of genuine anti Semitism in America and how that is differentiated from the pro-Israeli government lobby's opportune use of the term here in the United States to falsely brand legitimate opposition to the occupation of the State of Palestine by the State of Israel.