as usual when the israeli state accelerates its ongoing attempted genocide against palestinians, Neturei Karta is getting attention (this time, from what i’ve seen, almost entirely under their publicity label “Torah Jews” as opposed to the usual name of their sect).

which means it’s time to remind people that they are a part of the religious far right, and should not be considered allies to any liberation work. their anti-zionism is not based on any anticolonial vision; it is theological, and even so a matter of disagreeing with the zionist movement about the timing and conditions of the conquest of palestine. NK believes that it should only happen under the auspices of the messiah, whose coming they hope and pray for. when he cleanses the holy land, it’ll be just fine by them.

[edited] they also directly tie their antizionism to their virulent and violent anti-queer politics, as in the NK statement from 2006, below. it is about the jerusalem Pride march scheduled for the next day, but is in response to that summer’s (rather small) pinkwashing World Pride march in jerusalem and the (quite large) queer palestine solidarity march that countered it. both are “perversion”, “desecration”, “evil” in their eyes, and responsible in part for the existence of zionism.

[edited to add] to be clear: this statement is their endorsement of – and promise to follow through on – threats of physical attacks against queer and trans people at Pride, which the previous year had involved the stabbing of three participants, and would escalate to murder during another stabbing spree in 2015. because of those threats, the mainstream (i.e. zionist) march was cancelled in 2006 – which meant that only the pink-and-black bloc of queer and trans radicals (mostly involved in militant palestine solidarity work) took the streets the day after this statement came out. where NK and their friends attacked them, with the support of the israeli police.

the far right has no place in our solidarity work. NK should not be welcomed or celebrated by anyone committed to liberation.

When the fear of the Almighty is Absent All Becomes Permitted

A Neturei Karta Statement on the Parade and Demonstration in Favor of Moral Abominations in Jerusalem

November 9, 2006

The Glory of Mercy of the Almighty fills the universe. He is the center of existence and of the lives of all men. We are summoned to serve Him and obey His law in a spirit of joy and gratitude.

If this is done, all will be well. It will be well for us as individuals and  as members of groups and nations and peoples.

The rejection of Divine Law and its good and just norms can only yield tragedy.

Today in the Holy Land in the holy city of Jerusalem just such a sorrowful tragedy is being played out. A march is planned that will advance the absurd and evil notion that the most basic elements of Divine moral law, accepted by all nations down through the ages, are a source, not of peace and blessing but of “oppression,” G-d forbid.

The public acceptance and assent to perversion as a “legitimate” way of life is cruel and barbaric. It wars against the very decency that lies at the root of life’s spiritual and material bounty, purity and happiness.

Thousands of Jews and many others have taken to the streets of Jerusalem to protest this planned desecration.

But at root the desecration is a symptom of far greater evils. It is a symptom of all the materialist rejections of the Divine that have plagued our people over the last two centuries. This rejection has spawned the evil of Zionism with its rejection of the Divine plan of exile and redemption and its cruelty and arrogance towards other nations.

Without the light and true kindness of Torah there will be, Heaven forbid, rebellion and cruelty and, yes, perversion.

With humility and compassion in our hearts we humbly pray that those Jews and all people ensnared by these evils should repent and realize that they are the victims of pernicious propaganda. When returning to Torah and the Divine plan they will find that which they seek, truth and beauty, family and empathy and then and, only then, will they be able to be truly gay, in the real sense of the word. May the Almighty grant that it be so, speedily in our days.