Antisemitism is an irrational hatred of the Jewish people, for any number of reasons. It is a historic hatred, going back millennia and is often correctly, referred to as a conspiracy theory, in that the beliefs that underlie it have no basis in reality. Antisemitism is a form of racism, and an Antisemite holds hostile, prejudicial, or hateful positions regarding the Jewish people. This hatred has manifested differently throughout history, adapting to new social and political contexts while maintaining its core animosity toward Jews, most recently by disguising itself as political criticism rather than ethnic prejudice.
Anti-Zionism: Zionism is the belief that Jews should be able to exercise self-determination in their historic homeland. If someone is anti-Zionist, it means that they do not believe in the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish State in the Middle East. If one believes that Israel is the only state in the world that cannot exist with a particular identity, religious or otherwise, then anti-Zionism equals antisemitism, since it is a standard being maintained only against the Jewish state, and none other. This selective denial of self-determination is particularly telling when compared to the widespread acceptance of over 70 nation-states that explicitly define themselves through ethnic, religious, or cultural identities, including 22 Arab states and 56 Muslim-majority countries.
Of course, this does not mean that Israel is above criticism. Criticism of Israel is not in and of itself antisemitic. Israel’s policies and practices can be criticized, as can any other state. However, it crosses the line when it delegitimizes or denies the Jewish people’s right to self-determination; demonizes Jews, portraying them as evil or blowing Israel’s actions out of proportion or holds Israel to a double standard. Further, when someone proudly self-identifies as “anti-Israel,” this is often a signal that they are exchanging one prejudice for another, rather similar one. The IHRA working definition of antisemitism, now adopted by 42 countries and numerous institutions worldwide, specifically identifies “denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination” as an example of antisemitism, providing a useful framework for distinguishing legitimate criticism from prejudice.
There are diverse views among Zionists about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and about how to promote peace or support for a two-state solution, but, the vast majority of Jews around the world feel a connection or kinship with Israel, whatever their position on specific Israeli government policies, and believe in Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state. Further, one can promote Palestinian rights and nationhood without denying that same right to Israel. According to a 2024 global survey, approximately 90% of Jews worldwide identify as Zionists in the basic sense of supporting Israel’s right to exist, while simultaneously holding diverse views on specific policies. When anti-Zionism targets this fundamental connection, it effectively alienates and excludes the vast majority of Jews from political spaces and movements.
Consciously or not, among today’s anti-Zionist leaders, and those who engage in harsh delegitimization of Israel, are individuals who often try to disguise irrational antipathy toward Jews and use age-old anti-Jewish rhetoric in their charges against Zionism and Israel, for example invoking dual loyalty, conspiracies of Jewish / Zionist power over a country’s policy and using classical antisemitic imagery to characterize Israelis, among others. This pattern became particularly evident following October 7, 2023, when antisemitic incidents worldwide increased by over 300%, frequently cloaked in anti-Zionist rhetoric. Research by multiple monitoring organizations documented how traditional antisemitic tropes (blood libels, global conspiracy theories, and dehumanizing imagery) were regularly embedded within ostensibly political anti-Zionist discourse.
Sources
[1] International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, “Working Definition of Antisemitism,” 2024.
[2] World Jewish Congress, “Global Jewish Identity Survey,” 2024.
[3] Anti-Defamation League, “Antisemitism Surge Report,” 2024.
[4] Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy, “Antisemitic Tropes in Anti-Zionist Discourse,” 2024.