Robinson: Sorting anti-Zionism from antisemitism

First, a few definitions. Antisemitism is discrimination against or hatred of Jewish people just for being Jewish. It’s been called the oldest hatred. Antisemitism led to genocide during the Holocaust, an event that remains deeply traumatic 80 years later.

Zionism is a political movement, formally launched in the 1890s, to create a Jewish homeland in the Holy Land. This movement succeeded with the founding of the modern state of Israel in 1948.

At that time — when the horrors of the Holocaust were top-of-mind — one of the strongest arguments in favor of Israel was that Jews needed a homeland for safety and self-determination.

Anti-Zionists (some Jews prefer non-Zionists) offer several critiques of Israel as a Jewish state.

The occupation. The first and primary critique focuses on the occupation of Palestinian lands by Israelis and the oppression of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, who have limited freedom and autonomy. Anti-Zionists see Israelis as colonizers. Zionists disagree, viewing the state of Israel as a return to the ancestral lands of the Jews.

Which lands are we talking about? Some anti-Zionists focus on the boundaries created in 1948 with the founding of Israel. Palestinians call this moment the nakba, or catastrophe. Others emphasize Israeli control (occupation) over territories captured in the 1967 war. Many Israeli Jews, especially the religious nationalist settlers, view these territories as legitimately part of Israel. Anti-Zionists do not.

Another layer of complexity: Many pro-Israel diaspora Jews want these Jewish settlements curtailed and that land incorporated into a future Palestinian state.

The risks of religious nationalism. The second critique emphasizes the value of separating church from state. Official national religions lead inevitably to discrimination of religious minorities, fundamentalism, and religious nationalism. We experienced this during the Inquisition; we see it today in Iran, Saudi Arabia, India and other countries.

With the rise of the ultra-religious, ultra-nationalist right wing, which currently leads the government, this is also happening in Israel, where 21% of the citizens are Arab Muslims, Christians, and other religions. Israel is an ever-more religiously intolerant country, even for less-observant Jewish citizens.

The safe haven isn’t safe. This is critique number three. As noted above, Israel was designed to be a safe place for the Jewish community. Nonetheless, many Israeli Jews have bunkers or “safe rooms” in their homes where their children sleep at night. They experience rocket attacks and, in past years, suicide bombings. They are required to serve in the military, putting themselves and their children in harm’s way.

In the diaspora, none of this is true. As American Jews, we face real antisemitic threats — readers will remember the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre — but these threats rarely rise to the level of violence experienced by Israeli Jews. It’s worth noting that, a few generations after the Holocaust, roughly 25,000 Israelis live in Germany. They cite a variety of reasons, but one reason is that they feel safer there.

To be clear, some anti-Zionists are also antisemites who wish harm on Jews just because we are Jews. This is a fact.

On the other hand, there are many “pro-semitic” Jewish people who embrace their identity as Jews yet are non-Zionists. Indeed, they may oppose Israeli policies because of their Jewish beliefs, such as welcoming the stranger and respecting all human life.

In this moment of passionate debate, it’s important to acknowledge the complexity of the situation while honoring the humanity of everyone involved. Let’s not automatically label all critics of Israel as antisemites. Let us also address the persistent and increasing threat of antisemitism.

Andy Robinson serves on the board of Beth Jacob Synagogue in Montpelier. This piece represents his personal perspective. It does not represent the view of the board or the congregation, whose members hold a very diverse mix of opinions on this complex topic.