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797Il y a quelques temps, Tony Judt, Britannique enseignant aux USA, intellectuel de grande renommée, parla de l’influence du “lobby juif” sur la politique extérieure des USA. Tony Judt est lui-même juif. Il n’en fut pas épargné pour autant.
Graham Bowley, du Financial Times, qui a eu un entretien avec lui, note dans un article, dans les éditions du 16 mars : «[Judt] has a beard of greying stubble, a broad balding head, an intelligent pale face, a precise handshake and smile — an intellectual. Not at all, I think, the incendiary figure who has recently drawn the ire of some Jewish groups in New York City by arguing that an “Israel lobby” influences US policy towards the Middle East and shuts down proper debate about it.»
Tony Judt décrit à son interlocuteur ce qui survint à la suite de cet incident, avec quelques réflexions annexes :
«“In the worst moments I have had death threats, and much worse, threats against my family,” says Judt, after he sits down opposite me and begins to describe the reactions to his writing and his talks. “These people would call up my office and they would say, 'Tell Tony Judt he had better not let his kids out on the street,' or 'Tell Tony Judt this is Hitler calling and he says, Congratulations.'” He winces and shakes his head. “I didn't think I knew until then just how deep and how uniquely American this obsession with blocking any criticism of Israel is. It is uniquely American.” Not European, not Israeli.
»He adds: “People accuse me of wanting to see the abolition of Israel, which is nonsense. Israel exists. The question is what kind of state is it going to be in future years, what kind of laws is it going to have for first- and second-class citizens?”
»Judt, who is Jewish, grew up in a stoutly middle-class family in London. In an impressive academic career, he went to King's College, Cambridge, Paris's Ecole Normale Superieure, Berkeley and Oxford. He moved to New York in 1987 to teach European history and French studies, when, he says ruefully, “the study of France was still a fashionable and desirable activity and not something you had to hide your head in shame about.”»
Ainsi en est-il de l’Amérique et de Tony Judt en Amérique. La conclusion de Judt à la fin de l’entretien est l’inverse de l’American Dream qui conduisit nos illusions pendant deux siècles :
«As the breach with Europe widens — “Now we are passing through a period of America's simultaneous withdrawal and resentment at the world,” he says — he knows for sure which side he wants to be on.
»“I am tempted at least twice a day to go back to Europe,” he says.»
Mis en ligne le 17 mars 2007 à 11H49
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