There Are No Lines: Antisemitism and Criticism of Israel and Zionism are Two Different Things

For many Jews on the left, particularly the moderate or liberal left, there is a preoccupation — some might even say an obsession — with finding the so-called “line” between anti-Zionism and antisemitism, between legitimate, even if harsh, criticism of Israel and an attack on the Jewish people as a whole.

Given Jewish history and the rise in antisemitism during and since the Trump years, one can understand the vigilance. Several antisemitic incidents during Israel’s latest criminal onslaught on the Gaza Strip cast a spotlight on the question again.

Yet the question itself is contentious at best. Anti-Zionism, criticism of Israel, and even harsh condemnation of the state, including bombastic, inaccurate, or exaggerated statements are all part of political debate. Attacking Zionism, no matter how harshly, is no different, in and of itself, than attacking any other ideology. This holds even more true for nationalist ideologies, which are generally exclusively self-interested, and often tied to political claims that others might bitterly oppose, despite the claimants’ historical grievances.

The 3D test

It should not need to be stated — but, sadly, it does — that Israel may be the only self-proclaimed Jewish state…