Why is anti-semitism only considered hate against Jewish people?

Question

Semitic
-noun
1. a subfamily of Afroasiatic languages that includes Akkadian, Arabic, Aramaic, Ethiopic, Hebrew, and Phoenician.
-adjective
2. of or pertaining to the Semites or their languages, esp. of or pertaining to the Jews.
Source: www.dictionary.com

Notice that the first definition would include Palestineans, Iraqis, and North Africans along with Israelis. The second definition says the same thing, but places emphasis on "pertaining to the Jews".

The ADL (Anti-Defamation League) is about fighting anti-semitism.
"For 90 years, ADL has been combating anti-Semitism and bigotry of all kinds."
(History of ADL: http://www.adl.org/main_about_adl.asp)
However, it's main goal is "To stop the defamation of the Jewish people..."
It seems to me that since it's main purpose is to fight anti-semitism that it would also fight racism against all Semitic people, not just on the Jewish (Israeli/Hebrew).

Does this make sense to anyone else, or am I putting to much into this?

Note: That this is in no way speaking against the ADL or for anti-semitism. It is just questioning the boundries that seem to be placed in dealing with fighting anti-semitism.

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Answer 1

No, I don't think you are, I think we have treated Arabic cultures with a lot less respect than they deserve for many many years. Ignorance is part of it, the other is a willingness to believe only what we are told and never investigate.

Answer 2

Good question : the answer is "ignorance".
Historically speaking all tribes living in the current Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan areas were semitic tribes.
One reference stayed alive until today : Syria is called :"Biladou'L Cham", The country of "Cham" meaning in Aramaic : Semitic by reference to one of the three brothers "Sam, Cham, and Yaphet".
But old Europe, and in a way to simplify the concept to its population when the Jews were persecuted under Hitler, the reference to their race came as semitic, which is true. Jews are a semitic population in its origins as are the Palestinians, the Syrians, the Jordanians etc... But onto Hitler's list of annihilation, Jews came on top followed by other Arabs.
Ironically, Jews and Arabs who are of the same origin race, are still today, enemy brothers.

Answer 3

hmm interesting i tought that anti-semit is also a person who hates another that has different origins and culture and not only those listed above

Answer 4

You're putting to much into it...

As you found out, there are two distinct definitions and it is the second which is applied most commonly - in fact, almost exclusively.

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Answer 5

The jews have better publicity