“Mondoweiss” is a hate site (UPDATED)

[shira]

35. Mondoweiss' Marc H. Ellis is huge Gilad Atzmon fan

Marc H. Ellis is an extremely popular writer for Mondoweiss.

From Ellis' Future of the Prophetic: Israel’s Ancient Wisdom Re-presented:

“Like the ancient prophets Atzmon exposes Jews. At the same time, Atzmon believes that the Bible, from which the prophets spring, is bogus… Atzmon provides no hiding place for Jews anywhere.” (page 332)

“Atzmon is extreme but, in his extremity, he is much like the biblical prophets.” (page 332)

“Atzmon performs the prophetic for our time. Like the biblical prophets he does not acknowledge, Atzmon believes we are at the end of Jewish history, a history, like the prophets, he no longer believe exists or, if it does, is not worthy of being carried forward. Irony of ironies, he witnesses to the continuity of both”. (page 334)

“Like Moses, though with a twist, Atzmon is constrained from entering the land… Atzmon refuses to return until the Promised Land is liberated from the modern-day Israelites. In short, Atzmon’s homeland is occupied by Jews.” (pg’ 336)

“Instead of King of the Jews, perhaps Atzmon should be recognized as the prophet of old. At least in his self-description and his outreach, this is the way he appears.” (page 332)

“Although largely silent on the prophets, Atzmon’s prophetic voice wants nothing to do with his biblical patrimony. It seems to him contrivance that leads to what Israel has become – and perhaps, more or less, always was. (page 329)

“In an accusatory manner, Atzmon cites diaspora Jews for constructing their identity through the holocaust and the state of Israel. Since most diaspora Jews were born after the holocaust and do not live in Israel, Atzmon views them as voyeurs.” (page 329)

“From the Jewish establishment Board of Deputies to the marginal Jewish Trotskyites – ‘the Jews for this and that’ – Atzmon sees it all as a giant scam.” (page 331)

“Atzmon views the accusation of being an anti-Semite as a last ditch attempt by Jewish groups of different viewpoints to insulate themselves against the deconstruction of Jewish identity. However, while protecting against the deconstruction of Jewish identity another projection comes to the fore.” (page 331)

“For Atzmon Jewish identity lacks foundation. Therefore, ganging up on him becomes an agreed-upon foundation to deal with a group anxiety that there is a little basis of Jewish identity at all. Why else would such diverse group come together to denounce a fellow Jew* with such vehemence? Perhaps, as well, Jewish group-think regarding Atzmon represent an anxiety that Atzmon himself voices and embodies: that the only foundation of Jewishness is injustice.” (page 331)

“He [Atzmon] baits his opponents and leaves them without a place to turn. Nor does he leave himself room to turn. Unlike the biblical prophets, Atzmon’s call to repentance leads nowhere – unless exile is always somewhere else.” (page 334)

“In fact, Atzmon takes pleasure in the ire of Jews he antagonizes with his writing. He delights in calling attention to the restrictive Jewishness of Jews across the board. “(page 330)

“Atzmon’s self-identification has led Jewish and Palestinian groups to publicly disassociate from him. The lead has been taken by Palestinians themselves who struggle to separate Jews and Zionism. For these Palestinians, Atzmon muddies the waters since their dispute with Israel as a Jewish state is not with Jews themselves. By disassociating themselves from Atzmon, Palestinians want to set the record straight about their own views on Israel, Zionism and Jews.” (page 330)