And we’re advertising it?

I knew I’d catch a lot of flack for putting up that banner. Failed academic Norman Finkelstein has a new book out called This Time We Went Too Far, which is, I assume, his tired, one-sided, distorted and dishonest assessment of the Palestine/Israel conflict applied to the recent war in Gaza. Here, watch the promotional video:

I don’t know if you caught it, but the most telling quotes are as follows:

There is a possibility for resolving the conflict… a two state settlement of the June 67 border and a resolution of the refugee question based on the right of return and compensation. Everybody agrees. The Palestinians agree. Hamas agrees. Iran agrees. If you look at the actual record, the only outliers are Israel and the United States and a few South Pacific Islands. That’s what the record shows. There is a solution. It can be resolved… It’s not so complicated… The problem is not the terms for resolving it, everyone agrees on the terms except for Israel and the United States, the problem is the political will to impose those terms on the recalcitrants, and there I think there’s alot of reason for hope.

Finkelstein makes it look so simple! So straightforward! Israel/America=bad. Palestinians=good. And you know what I think of world views that are black and white. By seeking to impose a, uhm, final solution upon Israel, Finkelstein once again reveals himself to be a highly partisan party who seeks only to pander to those idiotic groups who pay him top dollar to lecture for them and feed them the bile they crave to continue with their depraved perception of the Israel/Arab conflict. Finkelstein’s distortions have never done anything to advance the peace process. The only thing they advance is his career as a lecturer who panders to those whose hatred of Israel knows no bounds.

And the thing is, he’s not even good at it. His arguments are ridiculous. Imagine this statement: “There is a possibility for resolving the problem of the Sudetenland… Everybody agrees. Neville Chamberlain agrees. Germany agrees. The Italians agree. The ethnic Germans in Czechoslovakia agree…” Heh. So the notion that hostile parties committed to Israel’s destruction agree on a course of action is supposed to make that course more compelling? Are you kidding me Norman?

Thus when the ad was offered to me, I pondered what I should do. I mean I have intensely disliked Finkelstein for decades, ever since I saw him lecture in Montreal. After the lecture, an elderly Jewish woman got up and angrily declared to the audience that she was a holocaust survivor and what the Zionists were doing to the Palestinians was exactly the same as what the Germans had done to the Jews. People were amazed at this spontaneous admission. Except it turned out that unbeknown to the audience, this woman was Finkelstein’s Mother and that she was a part of Finkelstein’s dog and pony theatrics. Gross.

So when faced with two choices, a safe one where I wouldn’t be yelled at or a fun one where I could enjoy myself in a mischievous manner, of course I took the ad! I’m not scared of Norman Finkelstein. Not only that, but I will take the money paid for the ad and I will use it to buy kosher for Passover wine produced in settlements behind the green line and donate it to poor families who voted for either Netanyahu’s Likud or Lieberman’s Israel Shelanu parties… and I don’t even particularly like those guys!

Heh. Fuck you Norman Finkelstein!

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About the author

ck

Founder and Publisher of Jewlicious, David Abitbol lives in Jerusalem with his wife, newborn daughter and toddler son. Blogging as "ck" he's been blocked on twitter by the right and the left, so he's doing something right.

44 Comments

  • I think we should be selling Protocols of the Elders of Zion as well. And while we’re at it, why not sell ads for that Turkish movie that shows Israeli soldiers purposely murdering children. Then when that ad run is done, we can sell Ernst Zundel’s latest, to be followed by Walt & Mearsheimer and then by Carter’s book about apartheid in Israel. When we’re done, we can simply close shop and link Jewlicious to Kaboomfest and then to the UCI MSU.

    Why the fuck are we advertising Norman Finkelstein?

    • Oy. Dude. I wrote a post about it. The analogy to the Elders of Zion, that stupid Turkish movie and Ernst Zundel is weak. Finkelstein is an idiot, dishonest, disingenuous etc. but I don’t think he’s an anti-Semite, certainly not on par with those other guys. He’s just a douche bag sleaze-ball opportunist. I guess his publishing company was hoping we’d say no so that they could claim that dissident voices were being shut down. Well, I’m certainly not going to play that game. Like I said, that money is going to be used to save Passover. We’re going to buy settlement wine and give it to poor Likudniks! I thought it was a good idea. I still think it’s a good idea. If it isn’t well, sue me.

      • Well, actually, the analogy to the Turkish movie is pretty good. And you skipped the comparison to Carter.

        But do you really want me to bring up all of his comments about Jewish control of things like the media in order to make my Protocols point?

        I have a better idea. Let’s just promote the guy.

        You’ll notice how he complains about Jews using the “Holocaust card” and shedding “crocodile tears” about the Holocaust and then uses his parents and family, who are Holocaust victims, to browbeat the audience into submission and respect in order to explain why Israel resembles Nazis.

        I know, let’s promote the guy’s book!

        • Here’s a good one. Here he uses the “Holocaust Card,” that is, the victimhood of his parents in the Holocaust, to browbeat a student who asks him whether he attended the Iran “Holocaust” conference. What’s very special is that he then accuses Israel of being like, um, the Germans. He also wishes upon Israel a “devastating defeat” so it can become a “good nation” like the Germans after their defeat in WWII.

          Oh, and he lets us know that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons. And Israel, the “lunatic state” where, you, ck, chose to live, is pushing for war against this innocent regime.

          Let’s promote the guy.

  • I saw an ad for Finkelstein’s book on Haaretz english-online. I was surprised, but only for a second because then I saw Gideon Levy’s name.

  • Finkelstein created the so-called Holocaust industry that he derides. He is a self-hating, ignorant Jew. He speaks no Hebrew, no Arabic. He is so full of himself. His speeches are riddled with errors and half-truths. He didn’t get tenure because he is a lousy academic. I will ask CK again to remove this ad – we don’t need his lousy money. The sad part is that Finkelstein will suffer for all the hard he has done the Jewish people. It will be a kind of divine punishment that we can only hope we never face.

  • “The most peace-leaving, the most morally serious, the most decent of all Europeans are clearly the Germans.”

    Ok/whatever. But they are also still pretty damn uptight and uninteresting.

    Germany’s problem is that they always wanted in on the legacy of civilization left by the Romans, while coming too late to achieving it in any political sense to have prevented the events of 1933 – 1945. They did manage to come up with some good music, though.

  • Yonah, ck isn’t doing it for the money. He’s doing it because the ad exists and he feels it’s wrong to be afraid of it. He’s wrong, but I understand his decision.

    Now excuse me while I post some posts letting him know what I think of this.

  • There’s a reason why I call Norman Finkelstein a douche bag! “I don’t like to play before an audience the Holocaust card…” What a lying sack of shit! His entire career was based on playing the Holocaust card! I met his Mother Maryla at Concordia in the late 80’s. She was a venomous and despicable woman, complicit in her son’s bullshit. One of those lifelong Communists who derided Capitalism while living in its bosom and reaping all its rewards. The hatred on that woman’s twisted face when she got up and denounced the Zionists as Nazi thugs is something I will never forget. Frankly she seemed kind of insane. No wonder Norman turned out the way he did.

    Seriously, you should see the 1st video themiddle shared with us, where the douchebag Finkelstein drives a girl to tears, plays the Holocaust card and then laughs about it immediately afterwards! I relish these opportunities to dump on Finkelstein (and get money for it!) because he really is that loathsome!

    Just to add a little festive tone to all this, allow me to also quote from the Passocver Haggadah:

    אילו היה שם לא היה נגאל

  • I was wondering what was going on when I saw the banner ad on the site yesterday … I wouldn’t have agreed to host it if it was my site, but as long as Finkelstein will get an email from Jewlicious that reads something like “Thank you! The proceeds from banner ads of your book helped us raise $___ for needy families living beyond the Green Line” then perhaps it’s all worth it.

  • Barry: The 1 week ad for Finkelstein’s screed is going to pay $93.75 of which every cent will be used in a manner I am certain Finkelstein will find loathsome. Those of you wishing to make a donation to poor Jews in Israel through our Save Passover campaign, who want their donation used in this way, simply make the donation and send an email to me and let me know. My plan was to buy wines listed by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign, like Tishbi or Binyamina, and give it to poor Likudnik families. I don’t personally know any impoverished Jews in the West Bank though I imagine some must exist in Hebron. If anyone knows of any organization that deals specifically with the poor behind the Green line, let me know and I will re-direct donations that way.

  • tm — there’ve been a few turkish films by now — are you referring to “valley of the wolves, iraq?”

  • Xisnotx, I was referring to the TV series called Ayrilik. That’s the one that got Ayalon to attempt to humiliate the Turkish envoy to Israel. It has now been sold to a couple of Arab TV networks in Arab countries.

  • Finkelstein, and Max Blumenthal, are good progressives which I hold in high regard.

    They are really interested in making the sacrifices needed for peace.

  • Ah Blumenthal. He’s like a wannabe Michael Moore but with less professional ethics right? Tho i don’t think he comes close to Finkelstein’s pure sliminess.

  • Sorry, I wasnt clear enough. I mean Blumenthal and Finkelstein are willing to push Israel to make the sacrifices needed for peace. But judging by Finkelstein’s tenure being torpedoed I think it is fair to say he has sacrificed already (as well as people attacking his character and integrity – but thats what you get when you take on the zionist gangsters).

    And Blumenthal is different than Moore, they both do important work tho. I would be happy if Blumenthal got a major movie like Moore has. He is a voice that needs to be heard beyond the progressive/pro Obama community.

    • “Zionist gangsters?”

      Now, now, Bruce, I thought we had agreed that you would try to tone down the nasty rhetoric.

      Oh, and he lost the possibility of tenure because of his own behavior, not that of any Zionist.

  • http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124×177041

    NO. He was denied tenure because of the intervention of *** zionists like you and Alan Dersowitz who undermined him and destroyed his reputation. Not unlike the right wing full court press trying now to destroy Obama’s middle east peace initiative. Don’t think that progressives are just going to forget how you lot undermined Obama at a very politicaly vulnerable time (right before the passage of health care).

    … I don’t know how much longer I can keep arguing with you dolts, its going to send my blood pressure through the roof.

    • No, Bruce, instead of providing links to every Tom, Dick and Harry on the internet, why don’t you go to Norman Finkeltein’s own website where you will find the letter written to Finkelstein by DePaul’s president informing him that he was denied tenure. In that letter, the president explains his reasons and is very clear that the university did not permit outsiders ON EITHER SIDE of the debate to influence their decision.

      Now, really, go away.

  • In the movie, Defamation, Finkelstein exposed himself as the lunatic we already knew he was. It was fun to watch though, especially coming from anti-Israel propagandist filmmaker Yoav Shamir, who probably was a fan of Finkelstein beforehand.

  • Jeez louise Bruce! This Zionist at least was fully supportive of Obama’s health care bill. Like 100% supportive. If anything, I’d want it to be even more universal-health care-like. I’m more Obama than Obama! I have no idea what bullshit you’re spouting…

  • Glad to hear that. If you really want to help Obama you might stop bashing his middle east peace initiative until after HCR and Cap and trade are passed.

  • Also, as soon as I get my next pay check, I’m going to buy a copy of Finkelstein’s book… just to counteract your initiative to undermine a man who only has good intentions.

    And here is a simple question… why do you not support Obama’s middle east peace initiative? Why not stop construction in east Jerusalem of Jewish buildings? If things don’t work out after totally freezing settlements for a few years, you can always resume building. Why doesn’t Israel want peace?

    I can understand that you’d undermine Obama’s efforts if you just want to undercut Obama because you don’t like him, but, you claim to like Obama. So that leaves one option: you do not actually want peace. It is very simple.

  • I think it’s funny that the troll who claims he doesn’t know anything is now telling us WE don’t want peace.

  • ?

    I just said I was getting informed about all the aspects of the Israeli Apartheid. I’m well aware of the injustice of Israel’s history!

    • You know Bruce, you remind me of a troll we had here for a while. He finally went away, with some help.

      And I’m glad to see that you’re well versed on the injustices facing Israel.

  • ARE YOU really that thick, or are you just trying to **** me off?

    I meant the injustices that Israel has done upon OTHER people, not “injustices” done on Israel.

    He finally went away, with some help.
    You mean how you guys “helped” make someone go away recently in Dubai? lol… next time tell the Mossad to bring the body out, and make sure they’re not being videotaped. Jeez really is amateur hour. There is an upshot to that whole affair, it made it clear that Israel is a rogue state, the UK recently kicked out the Israeli ambassador!!

    • Bruce, of course you meant the injustices done TO Israel all these decades. Are you going to change history now?

      By the way, you mentioned that with your next paycheck you plan to buy the Finkelstein book. If you’re living paycheck to paycheck, you might not wish to buy hardcover books when they’re new. You should wait until you can buy it used on Amazon in a few months. I hope that helps.

  • And Bruce? They didn’t kick out the ambassador. They kicked out the Mossad liaison. His replacement ia already on his way. This sort of thing amounts to a slap on the wrist!

  • For what it’s worth, Muffti admires CKs decision on this one. It’s bold, shows a commitment to embracing speec and upholds thereby one of the principles that has always been present at Jewlicious. We used to put up hate sites and give them links as well for that reason. Hats off on this one, CK.

  • Finkelstein,Chomsky,Said,Shlaim,the non-Jewish Roy,and so many others dont have an ounce of scholarship.They just dont get it,these low life “freethinkers”.If G*D’s commandment is not godd enough,WHAT is?I ask you to please block these persons from all media.They pollute,love stinking roaches and will destroy us.

  • And Bruce,of course we don’t want peace!We want to talk about it,and then talk about it some more and then again some more and more.Some people just don’t get it.Hee Hee.

  • Finkelstein is a failed academic. His mind is so consumed with anti-semitism, that he cannot rationally argue just about **any** point, before diving into his favorite modus operandus ( notice I do not use operandi..as this would imply he actually has more than one) of denigrating, using the Finkelstein words “everyone agrees”, “no-one disagrees”, “all rational people agree”, and his favorites “international law”, “international court”, etc etc, which, basically have nothing to do with the argument at hand. His ridiculing of women (maybe he hates his mother…who knows?) is legendary. (Do a google search for his interview with a woman from Lebanon television).
    Far too many are intimidated by this fool. I would simply suggest…if you can stomach it…do what I once did to prepare for his visit to Seattle…and sit through a few of his “interviews”. They are all the same, all full of distortions and half-truths. His favorite approach, for those that are remotely interested..is to focus like a laser on Israel…as if ***nothing*** else exists….and then sound so “academic” ( which he cannot do anymore as he has been kicked out of most real academic institutions) presenting his skewed view on Israel.
    The best antidote to this failed academic is a real ( and successful) academic….Alan Dershowitz.

  • you guys have no clue
    i don’t like finkelstein perso but he does more to fight holocaust denial than all of jews put together over the last 50 years. here is a guy denouncing the occupation which nobody denies on this site and goes around the world telling anybody about what his parents went through..so any hardline fucked up islamist who still has any doubts in his mind will say to himself..shit here is a jewish guy risking his career denouncing the occupation who keeps reminding the world that his parents survived the camps!!!!
    think about it.a minute!!!!!!!!

    you guys should check out the new film on him..it really shows him the way he is
    passionate, flawed full of contradictions and very jewish and even funny!!!!!

    • Um, that’s bullshit Josh. Like everything else he does, Finkelstein twists the situation into one that reflects negatively on Jews. So sure, he admits there was a Holocaust and he even admits that Jewish people suffered and were murdered or harmed in a genocide. Then, almost in the same breath, he turns this tragedy into a moral cesspool for Jews. Apparently, the Jews who are alive, according to this nutjob, are guilty of creating a Holocaust industry out of the suffering of the “good Jews” who were harmed. The remaining Jews, however, are kinda nasty people who like to, you know, do all those things that anti-Semites accuse us of doing, like being money-grubbers who would stoop to anything to make a buck. That’s his premise, Josh. You get it? Good Jews died or suffered and the bad Jews who control the Jewish world today are nothing but manipulators who chase money and glory over the backs of the suffering or deceased “good Jews.” That’s what Finkelstein is selling. And, make no mistake, he is a great salesman. His books sell in large numbers, he charges a lot for his speaking engagements and he is out there hustling audiences as often as he can. Yes, he is most certainly a flawed human being.

      Oh, and by the way, his parents made out pretty well in terms of reparations for their Holocaust experience. What was it his father was paid over his lifetime, about $250,000 back when a buck was worth a hell of a lot more than today?

  • well i checked his fees and he earns between 600 and 2000 usd so that is not so much
    compared to other pundits and academics like dershowitz , wiesel etc…
    as to his father i am glad he got something. look he might have flaws but i personnally think it is his right to denounce the occupation as fundamentally unhealthy for israel and jews around the world. i have doubts about it as well.

  • I agree with many of the commenters here. Look, Norman Finkelstein is just a self-righteous idiot wannabe. And it’s funny how he has been supporting Hamas and Hezbollah. And he just realized last year that BDS is a cult that wants to destroy Israel. You should’ve seen that video of him with BDS propagandist Frank Barat. He was acting like he revealed something new when he called out BDS as a cult wanting to destroy Israel. My response is,”Really, Norman? No?!!!” Finkelstein is a wannabe idiot. Period.