Words have different meaning depending on context.

Legal definitions of words are often at odds with dictionary definitions.

There are also Political definitions of words.

In politics, an Anti-semite is undoubtedly someone who discriminates against Jews.

Words definitons are specified by context. So while legal definitions may apply in a general context, general dictionary definitions do not apply in a legal context.

So academic and historic definitons of Semite are not to be confused with the political definition.

The risk associated with smudging over this distinction is that someone who hates jews could turn round and say "I'm not anti semitic - I love palestinians".

Allegedly clever remarks like this do not help the debate, much less the plight of Palestinians, but serve instead as facile red herrings.

As I have said before in this thread, there are already enough genuinely contentious issues to keep us going for a lifetime without playing diversionary wordgames.


Ed T,

My comment earlier referred directly to Johns comment about a single state solution being bad because it would end the uniqueness of Israel.

There are grounds upon which to doubt the viability of a one state solution, but johns reasons are not amongst them.

It is important to note that his point was that if you believe in a one state solution it is evidence that you are anti-semitic.

In other words, if you don't agree that Israels "unique character" should be preserved no matter what, then it can only be because you hate Jews - or are a self hating Jew.

This pattern is directly analogous to the BNP approach in England concerning British identity. Interestingly, the BNP also directs the lions share of its hatred against Moslems.

Interestingly I have noted lately that the English Defence League (the BNP's unofficial thug army) have been filmed marching with a couple of Israeli flags in their midst on a few occasions over the last couple of years. This reality is an absurd and preposterous one for obvious historical reasons, but it is a reality nonetheless - the common denominator in such demonstrations being the scapegoating of Moslems, and the wierdest most mind boggling idea being that two such diametrically opposed entities could possibly identify with each other in any way.

Anyway, I digress.

Israel/Palestine is a Political problem that needs political solution ... what is the alternative?