Antisemitism as a cover for genocide

The accusation of antisemitism is spreading widely and escalating as the fascist government in Israel intensifies its crimes against the Palestinian people, prompting criticism even from its closest friends. Netanyahu accused Israel’s traditional allies —France, the UK, and Canada — of encouraging antisemitism simply because they announced their rejection of what is happening in the Gaza Strip, called for an end to the war, and stressed the need for a two-state solution for the two nations.

These countries, who are friends of Israel, find themselves morally embarrassed by popular activity in their countries, as their people express their outrage and demonstrate against the war crimes being publicly committed by the fascist regime in Israel.

The French Foreign Ministry accused Netanyahu of slander after he issued statements against France, Israel’s loyal ally and friend since its founding.

The term “antisemitism” was first coined in 1879 by a German journalist named Wilhelm Marr. Antisemitism in Europe was defined as discrimination against Jews on various levels, based on their religion and ethnic origin.

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Antisemitism included the promotion of propaganda against Jews, portraying them as the source of evil, verbal violence or attacks on Jewish places of worship, and verbal or physical assaults on Jews because they are Jewish.

Accusations of antisemitism have become common and are used as a tool by the fascist regime ruling Israel to criminalise, suppress, and intimidate any voice that criticises or attacks the occupation’s actions and practices, whether in its genocidal war or by describing the regime as an apartheid regime. Accusations of anti-Semitism have even been directed at Jews, and even Zionists and leaders in the occupation army, who dared to raise their voices and stand against the killing of innocent civilians, especially children, and against the policy of starvation, which are clearly war crimes. All those who commit these crimes or are associated with them must be prosecuted. 

The definition of antisemitism brings to mind the systematic attacks on mosques, and often churches, and physical assaults on Arab bus drivers and vacationers in public places.

It also brings to mind the demolition of more than 1,000 mosques in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the current war, under the pretext of fighters being in the mosques, as well as the burning and desecration of mosques in the West Bank, playing recordings containing insults and obscene language against residents on the mosque loudspeakers, or playing songs in Hebrew on the  mosque loudspeakers in the West Bank after they are occupied and desecrated.

The difference between antisemitism and criticism of or attacking Israeli policies is clear. However, the leaders of the Zionist movement, including the fascists among them, who call for and commit genocide against the Palestinian people, including their children and descendants, equate criticism of Israel and its politicians with hostility toward Judaism and Jews.

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The notion of the Palestinian people’s right to establish their independent state, in accordance with international law, has become antisemitic, and its goal—according to their claims—is the annihilation of Jews and the State of Israel.

Israeli leaders associate Jews around the world with their policies, even though there are Jews who refuse to define themselves as Zionists, do not consider the State of Israel and its policies as representing them. These non-Zionist Jews differentiate between being Jewish and being a Zionist, and even between being a moderate Zionist willing to compromise between Palestinians and Israelis, and being a fascist calling for the annihilation of Palestinians.

The Haredim do not recognise the current State of Israel because it was created by a political movement, Zionism. The Israeli state that the Haredim await is the one that God will establish, not the army or political movements.

Zionism is a fluid political movement that includes extremists and fascists, moderates, and the so-called left-wing Zionists. There are also non-Jewish Zionists, the number of whom in the US is larger than the total Jewish population worldwide.  An example of this is former US President Joe Biden, who declared his Zionist identity affirming, “You don’t have to be Jewish to be a Zionist.” This means that Zionism is an idea and ideology that does not belong exclusively to Jews. You may find Arabs and Palestinians who are Zionists, harbouring hostility toward the Palestinians and who wholeheartedly embrace Zionist thought.

A recently published poll showed that 82 per cent of Israelis support the expulsion and forced displacement of Palestinians from their homeland. This is considered the highest level of cruelty. This ideology surpasses antisemitism in its filth and immorality.

To prevent Zionism from monopolising Semitism, we must highlight the fact that the largest Semitic population are the Arabs, including the Palestinians. The most widely spoken Semitic language is Arabic. In addition to the Arabs, there are other Semitic people in the present era, including the Jews, Syriacs, Arameans, Chaldeans, and Assyrians. In ancient times, there were the Canaanites, including the Phoenicians, Nabataeans, Sabaeans, Himyarites, and Minaeans.

The more the crimes committed by Israeli fascism become rampant, the louder they cry “antisemitism”. The fascists want genocide and displacement, with international and Arab silence and cover, and without any opposition, not even from Israel’s friends among the Europeans, Americans, Arabs, and others.

Translated from  Arab48, 25 May 2025

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