Why Israel's Fiercest Enemies Are Fascinated with Judaism

Historical Precedents: From Admiration to Annihilation

This blend of allure and animus is not new. Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, initially approached Judaism with scholarly curiosity. He studied Hebrew, translated the Bible, and even advocated for kinder treatment of Jews in hopes of converting them to Christianity. However, when conversions failed, his interest curdled into rage.

In his 1543 treatise On the Jews and Their Lies, Luther called for burning synagogues, destroying Jewish homes, and expelling Jews, branding them "venomous beasts" condemned by God.

His deep dive into Jewish texts fueled one of history's most influential antisemitic screeds, which later inspired Nazi ideology.

Similarly, Friedrich Nietzsche, the 19th-century philosopher, navigated this duality. Self-described as an "anti-anti-Semite," Nietzsche admired Jewish resilience and intellectual contributions, viewing them as a "stateless people" who had endured millennia of persecution.

Yet, his writings veered into antisemitic territory, critiquing Judaism as the root of "slave morality" that weakened Western society. Nietzsche's fascination, rooted in philosophical envy, provided fodder for later antisemites, including the Nazis who selectively quoted him.The Nazi regime itself embodied this twisted captivation.

Heinrich Himmler, architect of the Holocaust, was obsessed with Jewish mysticism and the occult, amassing a vast collection of stolen Jewish artifacts for a planned "Museum of an Extinct Race."

Adolf Hitler, while railing against Jewish "conspiracies," drew from forged documents like The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which he studied obsessively to "understand" supposed Jewish world domination. This perverse interest didn't mitigate their genocide; it justified it, turning fascination into extermination.

In the Arab-Israeli context, figures like former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad displayed a morbid curiosity. Ahmadinejad hosted Holocaust denial conferences, delving into Jewish history not to learn but to distort it, claiming the Holocaust was a "myth" fabricated for Zionist gain. Such engagements reveal a strategic fascination, studying Judaism's narratives to undermine Israel's legitimacy.

Even in the Americas, Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's far-right former president and a vocal critic of left-leaning Israeli policies, professed "philosemitism" while echoing antisemitic tropes. He portrayed Jews as a powerful, conspiratorial elite, dividing them into "good" conservatives and "traitorous" leftists, a fascination that recycled stereotypes of Jewish influence.

The Psychological Underpinnings: Why Fascination Fuels Hate

Psychologists and historians attribute this phenomenon to ambivalence. Philosemitism, admiration for Jewish achievements in finance, intellect, or resilience, can flip into resentment when those traits are seen as threats.

As Mark Twain noted in his 1899 essay "Concerning the Jews," qualities like perseverance and business acumen could inspire envy, leading to hatred. Twain's work, intended as complimentary, was later co-opted by Nazis, illustrating how fascination sours.In religious contexts, Christian Zionists support Israel for eschatological reasons, believing Jewish return to the land heralds the Messiah, but some variants harbor antisemitic undertones, viewing Jews as mere props in an apocalyptic drama.This "End Times" fascination, as seen in some evangelical circles, paradoxically bolsters anti-Jewish bigotry.

Lessons for Today: Breaking the Cycle

The recurring theme among Israel's enemies, from Luther's theological probes to Fuentes' ideological dissections, is that fascination often serves as a gateway to dehumanization. It allows haters to "know" their enemy intimately, crafting more potent narratives of conspiracy and otherness.

In an era where figures like Fuentes amplify their views to millions, recognizing this twisted allure reminds us: True enemies don't ignore Judaism, they fixate on it, to their own peril and ours.