Blood Libel #12 | “Criticizing Israel gets labeled antisemitic to silence dissent.”
Anti-Zionist:
You can’t criticize Israel without being called antisemitic.
Pro-Zionist:
Criticism of Israel isn’t antisemitic. But tell me this:
When you single out only the world’s one Jewish state for condemnation, deny its right to exist, or hold it to double standards — why is that not antisemitic?
(Pause for them to try to justify.)
Pro-Zionist:
Here’s what the IHRA definition of antisemitism — adopted by dozens of democratic nations — says: “Criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country is not antisemitic. But denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination… is.”
No one is silencing criticism. Israelis debate their government constantly. But when “criticism” becomes demonization, delegitimization, and double standards — that’s not free speech. That’s modern antisemitism in disguise.
BEYOND THE TALKING POINTS
Media and Elite Failure to Make Moral Distinctions
Haviv Rettig Gur calls out elite media outlets like The New York Times for platforming anti-Israel figures without confronting their antisemitism.
Criticizing Israel is absolutely legitimate. If it weren’t, I’d be out of a job — most of what I do in Hebrew is criticize my own government. But hating Jews because of what Israel does? That’s total bigotry. And most people do know the difference.
He cites, for example, the glowing coverage of progressive influencers who express bigotry under the guise of activism:
Unfortunately, many in the media — especially the so-called “sensemaking elites” at places like The New York Times — struggle with that distinction. They promote profiles of anti-Israel voices like Hasan without ever mentioning their antisemitism. That’s not just irresponsible — it’s dangerous. The discourse around Israel and Jews right now is shallow, polarized, and deeply confused. And that confusion is making Jews less safe.
This reflects a broader problem in American discourse, where elite voices often fail to distinguish legitimate criticism of Israel from antisemitic incitement, leaving Jewish communities vulnerable and isolated.
Antisemitism as a Justification, Not a Reaction
Historian Ruth Wisse has long argued that antisemitism is not a reaction to Jewish behavior but a political strategy:
Antisemitism is the most durable ideology of blame. It allows those who fail to take responsibility for their own societies to project that failure onto the Jews.
— Ruth Wisse, “Jews and Power” (2007)
In this light, blaming Israel for antisemitism is not just false — it plays directly into the hands of those who use Jew-hatred to justify violence, repression, and radicalism.
Two Types of Critics — and One of Them Is Dangerous
Gur makes an important distinction between two groups that criticize Israel:
Group 1: Ideological antisemites. The first group absolutely doesn’t hate Israel for what it does, but for what it is. This includes groups influenced by Islamist ideology, like the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and regimes like Qatar. As Gur says so perfectly “They believe Israel reversed the natural dominance of Islam and that history must be corrected — by force. These are the same actors funding genocides in Yemen, Syria, and Sudan. They’re not concerned about the death toll in Gaza — they’re upset that the “wrong” people are winning.”
Group 2: Misled but decent people. The well-meaning people, often young, who genuinely believe they’re standing up for justice. They see images of dead civilians in Gaza, but they don’t understand the ideological manipulation behind it. They don’t recognize the deeply antisemitic foundations of many anti-Israel movements. That’s a different kind of danger. And it’s real.
Polls show many young Americans are turning against Israel in response to Gaza, but not necessarily turning against Jews. That’s important. However, there is a small but radicalizing minority — maybe 10% of the population — that is becoming explicitly antisemitic. On the right, you have people like Candace Owens spouting conspiracies about Jews and power. On the left, there are progressive influencers, like Hasan Piker, who express deeply antisemitic views. These people aren’t representative of American society — but they are loud, they are growing, and they increasingly promote or justify violence. When elderly Jews are burned in effigy at a protest for hostages in Colorado, these voices don’t condemn it — they justify it. They tell us we shouldn’t even notice. So yes, I see two trends: a broad group misled by images and headlines, and a more radical, dangerous group becoming openly antisemitic.
— Haviv Rettig Gur
This nuance is critical. Not everyone who criticizes Israel is an antisemite — but when criticism morphs into hatred of Jews, it crosses a line. And some media institutions blur that line.
Anti-Israel Claims in EPIC Debate with Mehdi Hasan
This is absolutely worth the time to listen.