LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Would you call me antisemitic?

Posted

To the editor:

(re: “ADL: Antisemitism reaches an overall high,” Feb. 2)

According to The Riverdale Press, I am an antisemite. 

So are a quarter of American Jews — a third of those younger than 40 — who called Israel an apartheid state, as measured in a poll a couple of years ago of American Jews. 

Given the recent Israeli government, that number most certainly will increase. By that logic, so are most countries of the world antisemitic, given the United Nation’s continuing condemnation of Israeli occupation of the West Bank.

At least that is what your headline that appeared on the front page of your Feb. 2 implies. By giving voice to only one side of an argument — being against Zionism is being against Jews — the author is complicit in such smear tactics. You quote the Anti-Defamation League, which describes “anti-Jewish conspiracy theory of belief and negative sentiment toward Israel” as though they were the same. 

The ADL used to defend human rights — as in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Now it defends Jewish supremacy. Shame on them. 

Criticism of Israel is equated with throwing Molotov cocktails at synagogues and denying the Holocaust — absurd.  By that measure, I am also anti-Chinese (regarding the Uyghurs), Islamophobic (regarding various countries’ oppression of minorities and dissent), and Anti-Buddhist (regarding Myanmar). 

And don’t get me started on Russia. Also anti-Martian — if they turn out to be bigots.

Claiming that all who criticize Israel and Zionism are antisemitic is ultimately self-defeating, making more actual antisemites. It is equivalent to some anti-racists going around calling all whites racist. It invites opposition.

We saw what happened to Hillary Clinton when she talked about white supporters of Trump as “deplorables.” If you attack me for hating you — which I didn’t — I may end up hating you because of your attack on me. 

I am also one of the “roughly 50 million Americans (who) felt uncomfortable being in the same room with a Zionist, a person who is loyal to the actions of the Israeli.” I am uncomfortable — although angry would be more accurate — with someone who finds some human beings as less human, treats them that way, and steals their land.   

You should be too.

Peter Wolf

Peter Wolf, antisemite, The Riverdale Press, Israel, ADL, Anti-Defamation League, Russia

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