If you want to see how weird and nasty Norman Finkelstein is, watch this interview on Lebanese TV.
What does he make of the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah? Solidarity!
I was of course happy to meet the Hizbullah people, because it is a point of view that is rarely heard in the United States. I have no problem saying that I do want to express solidarity with them
You see, they are like the French resistance fighting Hitler.
Listen, in Nazi-occupied Europe, you have to remember, most of the populations made the choice to live under the Nazis. All this talk about a French Resistance is just a joke – it never happened. The French Resistance… About 20% of the French population read the Resistance’s newspaper. There were maybe 10% of the French who resisted. The rest said: “Don’t resist,” because the Nazis were ruthless. You resist – four hundred are killed for each soldier who’s killed. That’s how the Nazis operated. So most of the French said, like you: “We want to live.” “Don’t resist.” But now I have to ask you, in retrospect: Who do we honor? Do we honor those who say: “Let us live,” or do we honor those who said: “Let’s resist”?
See his website for much more of this repulsive hatred. Here, for example, he republishes a dispiriting report on antisemitism in British academia, adding this mocking title:
Important new survey of British Jewish students finds…nothing.
How appropriate. For this week Finkelstein is touring British universities (click to enlarge).
The sponsors of his tour are the Palestinian Return Centre (PRC). It is a UK front for Hamas with several connections to Interpal, the British charity that serves Hamas. The terrorists are grateful for the support. Here is Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh hailing the PRC in a message to one of their conferences:
There is no doubt, that by this conference you send signs of solidarity and support for your people in Palestine. No doubt that this conference doubles our capability to remain steadfast. By your good efforts our abilities to challenge and face the aggressors grow more and more and our spirits grow as well so we forget our wounds and pain.
Finkelstein and Hamas are far from the only haters the PRC promotes. On its website you will find plenty of poison, such as this line from Alan Hart, which would be at home on Stormfront:
Some members of Congress who applauded Netanyahu in a scene that reminded me of the enthusiasm for Hitler at Nazi rallies accused Obama of betraying Israel. There has indeed been a betrayal, but what has been betrayed is democracy in America. The many members of Congress who read from Zionism’s script and dance to its tune in order to secure election campaign funds and organized Jewish votes in tight races are not merely stooges. Because they are putting the interests of a foreign power above those of their own country, it’s time to call them what they really are: traitors.
The PRC also invited Hungarian neo-fascist Krisztina Morvai to one of its London conferences:
A close ally of Nick Griffin, leader of the British National party, has been forced to withdraw from speaking at a London conference in support of Palestine amid mounting fury from anti-fascist groups.
Several politicians due to speak at the conference, organised by the Palestinian Return Centre (PRC), were alarmed to learn the background of fellow speaker Krisztina Morvai, a Hungarian MEP and leader of the far-right Jobbik party in the European parliament.
The fledgling party, which recently formed an alliance with the BNP, has attracted fierce criticism for its links to a grassroots militia and the controversial views expressed by some of its supporters towards gay people and and Jews.
No matter. The PRC hatred bandwagon trundles on and Finkelstein is a happy passenger. If there’s any trouble this time, as there appears to have been in Manchester, wonderful people such as Manchester Quakers can be roped in to help:
The Manchester lecture will now take place at the Friends Meeting House, 6 Mount Street, M2 5NS at 6 pm on November 8.
Since the PRC has been crowing about support for the tour at UCL, perhaps its provost Malcolm “extremism on campus is made up” Grant could have Finkelstein and the Hamasniks round for tea.
