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Would someone please explain to me how being against Israel's actions somehow makes one an anti-Semite?

Israel is a nation-state, and its actions are legitimate targets for praise or criticism, as are the actions of any nation-state.

Being Jewish on the other hand, is--depending on your particular interpretation--either a religion or a culture or both.

How is criticism of a nation-state construed as criticism of the culture/religion? I don't get it.

If someone criticizes the actions of the United States, does that automatically constitute criticism of me as an Irish-American or a Methodist, for example?

Elganned 8 Feb 11
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11 comments

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3

I'm not specifically Anti-Israel... I am,however, anti-oppression... I am critical of Israel for the same reasons I'm critical of Northern Ireland.

Oppression is inhumane no matter who carries it out.

2

This question has gotten me in trouble because too many don't understand the difference between Anti-Semite and Anti-Zionist. I also looked up the difference between Liberal and Progressive and one is that the progressives aren't afraid of calling out groups for their bad behavior (because they themselves will be branded) and Liberals are afraid because of the possible negative connotations. In other words, to me, Liberals are chicken.

2

It’s a knee jerk response just as saying that you’re against HRC immediately makes you a sexist.

Israel through Netanyahu has decided that they should consume all of the Palestinian territory as well as southern Lebanon and Syria.

I’ve been saying for the longest time now that they and Saudi Arabia have been working towards eliminating all of the Shiite leaders within the region.

And ironically while watching a documentary on the Mossad one of their former directors confirmed it.
If not checked they will enslave as much of the Middle East through economic theft and religious oppression via sharia and Wahhabism.

So if anyone throws that anti-Semitic BS just ask them to explain why is Israel perpetuating a systematic genocide of the Palestinians.
Just saying that of all the people in the world that should rebuke that kind of behavior it should be them.

Citations? Sounds like mostly BS to me.

@jerry99 Citations appears to be something that I never said so you can take that B.S. and give it to someone else. ??????

4

Israel and Bibi deserve all the criticism anyone throws at them. It does not make one anti-Semite to point out the hypocrisy of Bibi!!!!!

7

Good question. I heard a new Dem Muslim rep be accused of anti-Semitism. She is a Semite. She is anti-Zionist as I, a cultural Jew am. I am vs the current actions of Israel because they are anti-humane. I run the Jewish Culture Group. Some of us are anti-Zionist. The two should not be confused.

Oooh ya beat me to it. There’s a difference between being Zionist and just being a member of the congregation so to speak.

2

It is perfectly legitimate to criticize a nation state and it is a common tactic to accuse a critic of Israel of being anti-semitic. On the other hand there are also a lot of anti-semites that can't bare that "the jews" get to have a state on their own and see it for the cause to all the evil in the world. I think it's hard not to get lumped in with the racists scum. On a private level I don't think it is such a big issue but for a politician it can mean that you loose a lot of donors. Not everybody will research if you really were an anti-semite and will just belief an accusation (another argument to get big money out of government).

Dietl Level 7 Feb 11, 2019
3

Apparently the same way you can't criticize any action Israel takes without being against its entire existence... at least according to the country's most vociferous defenders.

It's the same syndrome that leads to "America- Love It or Leave It" bumper stickers. Those with a mature understanding realize that it's quite possible to support a nation and at the same time, criticize the actions that nation takes. We who love America (and Israel) want the nation to not only do well, but to do good.

4

Same way as being pro people economic and personal rights makes you a flaming socialist communist. All of which, we know, is bollocks and a confusion of language perpetrated in order to push other people's agenda.

Why you commie pinko. 😉

4

Good point. The definition of antisemitism appears to have changed over the years and now includes criticism of the state of Israel. Of course Trump has made things even worse by moving the US embassy to Jerusalem

3

I have been asking that question for decades!

1

I think the age of the country (nationalism?) has a lot to do with it. Wasn't Israel founded in 1945 or so? I found the same sense of religion/culture/nation as all merged into one while in Saudi Arabia. So, by attacking one part, it's perceived as attacking, or for that matter, supporting the merged entity. My opinion...

@MissKathleen
I was thinking it took place right after WWII. But I was guessing.

@MissKathleen
May 14th, 1948.

@MissKathleen
Israel has been at war almost constantly.

War of Independence (1947-1949)
The Sinai Campaign (1956)
The Six-Day War (June 1967)
The War of Attrition (1968-70)
The Yom Kippur War (October 1973)
The Lebanon War (1982)
The Gulf War (1991)
The Second Lebanon War (2006)

This is not to mention the basically continuous low-level terrorist attacks on military and, more often, civilian targets both inside Israel proper and in the territories, as well as against Jews abroad.

While I condemn Israeli methods of suppressing Palestinian civilians and annexing more and more territory, and argue that this is a primary cause in keeping their anger stoked and the conflict ongoing, it's hard not to have some sympathy with the siege mentality of people who never know when the next suicide bomb might go off.

And it's not really the politics that's the problem. It's religion that poisons the whole region. Israel's hardliners insist that "God" deeded them the whole of historic Israel, and they have a duty to annex the entire map. Palestinians and other Muslims insist that they have the most recent revelation, and Allah commands them to convert the infidel dogs, or at least to rule over them. Forget about religion and the whole mess is susceptible to a political settlement. We can have a two-state solution tomorrow.

@MissKathleen As if we need more.

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