I was wondering where the line is drawn between being a critic of isreal and being anti semetic?
The reason i ask is because i notice alot of people get labled as anti semites for being critical of ireals governments and the mistreatment they give there neigbors.
I personly do not like the way they have acted in the past and it always seems to be underplayed in the media, but im worried if i was ever to say this publicly people would think im anti semetic(witch i am most definitly not)
I have heard of cases in the past where people have been labled anti semites and recieved penaltys for this just for not liking the actions of some jewish orgonizations and the action or isreal.

any feed back would be greatly apreaciated

Mach1:

There are many people who mask hatred for Jews behind anti-Israel rhetoric.

Some say this is criticism over Israeli policies, but when you dig a little deeper they resent Jews generally and especially the idea of a Jewish state and/or Jews with power.

But there is nothing wrong with being critical of Israel's behavior, any more than any other nation and its policies.

There is a great deal of Jew hating and Jew baiting going on the US. Groups like the Aryan Nations and other neo Nazis, so-called "Christian Identity" groups, racist skinheads and the KKK etc. spout this kind of stuff constantly.

See [www.culteducation.com]

Likewise, anti-Semites often come up with various conspiracy theories linking Jews to almost anything negative and despise Jewish defense organization such as the Anti Defamation League or American Jewish Committee that expose this nonsense.

The founder of the JDL gave an interview in a Jewish magazine and said that much antisemitism comes about because the Jews are a small group who are very influential. I'm Jewish myself and the impact my people have had on the world is staggering. We sparked off a spiritual path that created 2 derivative world religions, namely Islam and Christianity and about 1/2 of the world's population is monotheist now as a result.
We're the ones who taught the world about the sanctity of life. Before the arabs became moslems for example, they were a series of loosely confederated tribes who were killing each other.
Whenever you look at even politics and other fields, many times when a new idea is needed someone who is Jewish writes a new book. Marxism, psychiatry etc.. The Jews as a group are innovators and influential.

I've had extensive problems dealing with anti-Semitism. I was in touch with the ADL over it. I even had problems at AT&T. The day I finished corporate training and came to the work site, 2 guys cornered me and one asked me, in a very antagonized tone of voice, "What is Chanukah? Is that like Kwanzaa?" Buy the way, I consider Kwanzaa to be a very well thought out African holiday. I felt nailed to the wall and I replied, "If the Jews hadn't won the battle of Chanuka, you wouldn't have Christmas either".
I had a supervisor at AT&T who insulted Jews on a repeated basis. "Jewish women are very expensive, you have to spend a lot of money on them", drivel like that." I had the supervisor written up over that.

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mach1
I was wondering where the line is drawn between being a critic of isreal and being anti semetic?

I think as long as people make it clear that they are criticizing "Israel" or "Israelis" or "the Israeli government" that's not in and of itself anti-semitic. But if they start criticizing "Jews" or "Jewish people", then that is anti-semitic.

Although it's been pointed out by others that the term "Semite" or "Semitic" can also apply to Arab people. So theoretically the terms "Semite" and "anti-semite" would apply to a much broader range of people.

There is nothing wrong with criticizing Jews or Israel.

It is anti-Jewish conspiracy theories and hate rants that are anti-Semitic.

I would think that critizing Israeli policies would be considered pro-jewish!

Isreal is a repeat offender of UN orders - repeatedly ignoring world opinion - worse infact than Saddam.

And I am Jewish by blood. I can't see how pro-isrealies can sleep at night.

Let's not get into politics.

This isn't a political site.

There really is no such thing as "Jewish blood."

Jews are many races and nationalities.

Jews practice Judaism, which is a religious faith.

Some people that don't practice Judaism, or if someone Jewish converts to another religion would correctly say that they have a Jewish family background. Not that they are Jewish.

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rrmoderator
There really is no such thing as "Jewish blood."

So what am I then? And what of my heritage?

I think a nazi may hold a different impression - certainly they did to my relatives in the 1940s.

I am not part isreali, as that did not exist when my relatives were being killed/forced out of germany.... check your logic.

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rrmoderator
Let's not get into politics.

So close this thread, as how can a discussion about a country NOT be political?