Reasonable Judaism

 IHRA, Israel Criticism & Antisemitism

This post is for those who wish to understand why criticism of Israel is not antisemitism, but delegitimization of Israel as a concept is.  Sadly, the extremist who are pro-Israel and Anti-Israel have dominated the furor over the need to have a legal definition of Antisemitism.  This is a quick summary of the issues, and why the IHRA definition of antisemitism really does matter.

Five reasons why some definition of Antisemitism is necessary:

1. Antisemitism is the basis of legal crimes of bias and hate.  Therefore it requires at the very least a working definition for local, state and national entities to refer to when assessing the motivations of bias crimes.
2. Antisemitism is a moral failing, deeply ingrained in many cultures, which requires a clear definition for those who are willing to undergo self-reflection of such matters in their own hearts and minds.
3. Antisemitism has motivated real crimes of humanity, up to and including the attempted genocide of the Jewish People, which remains a goal for extremists today.  Identifying it all along the spectrum  is a necessary part of educating the current and future generations.
4. Antisemitism is a hatred of both the Jewish Religion and the Jewish People, denying both any legitimate right to existence or validity.  This is not how other biases work, and requires explanation.
5. Free speech includes freedom of hate speech.  Yet hate speech must be defined and understood.

Why "Israel" must be accounted for in the definition, as in the IHRA definition:

1. Zionism is the religious and national aspiration of the Jewish People to live in their ancestral homeland.  Zionism - the hope for return and divine redemption - is a core component of the Jewish religion ever since the destruction of the Temple of Solomon in 586 BCE.  Denying the legitimate religious nature of this aspiration pits people who are anti-Israel in direct conflict with an essential component of the Jewish Religion.  The point of contact requires definition and clarity.
2. Many equate The State of Israel with the "Jewish State."  As such, many conflate and confuse the words "Israelis" and "Jews" especially when embroiled in amplified arguments and actions.  Attacking "Jews" when one means "Israelis" is a religious hate crime.  Attacking "Israelis" when one means "Jews" is also a religious hate crime.  The large number of such incidents cry out for consensus on this topic, which can only be achieved by a common definition.

Why "Criticism of Israel" must be explicitly permitted by any legitimate definition of Antisemitism.

1. Sadly, there are many who claim that any criticism of Israel is Antisemitism.  This is absolutely false, and tremendously unhelpful.  A definition that includes Israel can help to clarify that.
2. All opponents of the IHRA definition of Antisemitism have claimed that it curtails free speech.  This is also false.  Defining something to be racist, misogynistic, homophobic, islamophobic or antisemitic does NOT curtail someone's legitimate free speech use of those terms.  
3. Opponents of Israel are not all antisemitic, but many of them are.  No one likes to be called a bigot, so the opponents of the IHRA want to stop the definition as a whole.  This is unacceptable, because the Antisemitic content within the sprectrum of AntiIsrael voices are protected when there is no definition to call them out.  A clear definition will help everyone to see who is engaged in legitimate criticism of Israel, and who is engaged in Antisemitism.
4. "Criticism of Israel" is a constant political voice both inside and outside of the State of Israel.  That is what a democracy does. All supporters of Israel welcome all political discourse, and are also prepared to debate contrary points of view.  The IHRA definition explicitly makes this point clear.  The opponents of this definition are simply lying or deliberately obtuse to this fact.

So when do Antisemitism and AntiIsrael speech become the same thing?

First lets look at an example.  If one were to deny the Roman Catholic Church the legitimate aspiration to have Vatican City as a nation state for Catholics, one would be exhibiting anti-Catholic hate and bias.  If one were to violently act on that by attacking the Vatican City, killing its inhabitants and claiming that Italy is being freed as a result, one would be exhibiting anti-Catholic bias.  If one were to spray paint anti-Vatican slogans on Churches, Statues or private homes and businesses in America, that would also be exhibiting anti-Catholic bias.  You get the point.

Since Zionism is an essential component of the Jewish religion, Anti-Zionism is both a political point of view and a denigration of a Jewish religious teaching.  Anti-Zionism, the delegitimization of the very belief in a Jewish homeland is a form of AntiSemitism.  

In Summary

Denying the legitimacy of the Jewish aspiration for nationhood in Israel is a clear form of Antisemitism.  Denying the form of government which that takes is NOT Antisemitism.  Criticizing the policies and actions of the State of Israel is NOT ordinarily Antisemitism, unless it is wrapped up in the general denial of the very concept of Israel as a homeland for the Jewish people.  That would deny an essential teaching of the Jewish Religion, and the legitimacy of the Jewish People to live as a people, and would be clear Antisemitism to any objective observer.

A Personal Statement.

I am personally and politically horrified by the current Government Coalition's extreme methods in prosecuting the war in Gaza.  Hamas, Hezbollah, and their sponsors and supporters are Antisemitic terrorists, murderers and evil.  A war to kill them is just, but this war has not always been just.  And at this point, I have been calling for its end for many months (June 2025).  I am also horrified by the current Israeli governments domestic agenda, its anti-Palestinean Peace Process agenda, its continued settlement and annexation agenda, its anti-Jewish Pluralism agenda and more.  See?  My criticism of the policies of the actions of the State of Israel is deep and ongoing.  Yet I am a zionism, a liberal who believes in democracy, and a supporter of a two state solution with a State of Palestine living in peace with a State of Israel.