The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #160727   Message #3814212
Posted By: McGrath of Harlow
12-Oct-16 - 01:21 PM
Thread Name: BS: What does 'anti-semitism' mean?
Subject: RE: BS: What does 'anti-semitism' mean?
Yes, but only to make the point that it is not antisemitic to criticise Israel, which no-one disputes anyway.

The trouble is, the last part of that sentence isn't actually coorect.

The basis of the confusion is that it is of course true that there are antisemites who do criticise Israel, and whose criticism is founded on hostility to Jews.

There is also a secondary kind of attitude that can be accused of being antisemitic where criticism of Israel potentially leads to hostility towards those who support Israel. If the assumption is made that all Jews everywhere support Israel, that encourages this development. In fact of course that assumption is not true, though it is an assumption encouraged by many Israeli voices. (And even if it were true, the hostility towards those who support Israel would not be justified.)

Inevitably, in a bitter conflict these kind of spreading hatreds arise. It happens in all wars. Palestinians, especially those who have lost family, are likely to feel hatred towards all Israelis, and indeed all Jews. Israelis who have lost family will likely feel hatred towards all Palestinians, and indeed all Arabs, or all Muslims. And it can spread to those outsiders who feel close attachment to those directly involved.

I'd question whether there are many, if any, among Labour supporters who feel any kind of hatred towards Jews as such, or against Muslims as such. There probably are some who feel hostility towards those who are seen as unfairly supportive of Israel, or of Palestine. And that can be seen as anti-semitism, or it's twin, islamophobia.