Do you know how to tell when legitimate criticism of Israel becomes anti semitic?

Question

Some criticism of Israel is so crude and vicious it is clear that it is merely anti-semitic hatred of the Jewish people and not legitimate criticism of the policies of Israel.

However anti-semitism has begun to permeate academia and some of the criticism is so cloaked in genteel academic language that it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish anti-semitic hatred of the Jewish people from legitimate criticism.

Alan Dershowitz, professor of law at Harvard University has listed a set of factors that I think is very useful to distinguish anti-semitic material from legitimate criticism of Israel.

I would like to know what you think of the factors listed by Alan Dershowitz.

The factors are listed on line in an article by Alan Dershowitz in The Huffington Post on July 1, 2005.

The title is "When Legitimate Criticism Crosses The Anti-Semitic Line."

Just Google Alan Dershowitz and anti semitism.

The list of factors is too long to list here.

To John M.

You make a false and defamatory stsatement about about Alan Dershowitz when you call him a radical Zionist.

What proof do you have that Alan Dershowitz is a radical zionist other than your irresponsible accusation.

If you are going to make false and defamatory accusations against someone you had better be able to provide proof of your statement.

The reason you did not provide proof of your statement is because there is none.

Alam Dershowitz is one of the most even handed academics who has addressed this issue.

You never botherered to read the factors that Alan Dershowitz cited did you?

Your false and defamatory statement is a good example of the problems with anti-semitic people.

You beleive that you can make a fase and defamtory statement with no support whatsoever and that is supposed to support your point.

Based on your statement, if I were to review the rest of your statements I would probably find extreme anti-semitism on your part.

To John M again:

I just made a quick check of just a few of your responses to questions.

You seem to believe that the "Zionists" as you call them are to blame for most of our problems.

That interestingly is one of the factors that Alan Dershowitz uses to identify anti-semitism.

Then I went to one of the sites that you link to.

One of the articles on that site blames "Zionists" for being behind the attack on September 11, 2001.

That is one of the other factors that Alan Dershowitz uses to identify anti-semitism.

You are one of the vicious, evil anti-semtic racists that Alan Dershowitz is talking about.

You made your response sound so nice, reasonable and tame, but when I cheked some of your other responses it appears to me that you are a vicious anti-semitic lunatic.

Your response has no weight other than to demonstrate the challenges that we have to deal with when we are faced with vicious anti-semitic people disguised as normal people.

(edit to tehabwa. I will do better than provide you with a link. I will retype the factors that Alan Dershowitz uses.

You are mistaken if you think that all criticism of Israel is legitimate and does not cross the line to become anti-semitism. There is much anti-semitism that is cloaked as criticism of Israel.

The factors that Alan Dershowitz lists provides an objective test to determine whether criticism of Jewish people and Israel is anti-semitic or not.

Following are the factors that Alan Dershowitz has identified that tend to indicate anti-semitism:

1. Employing stereotypes against Israel that have traditionally been directed against "the Jews." For example, portraying Israel as devouring the blood of children or characterizing Israeli leaders with long hook noses or rapacious looks.

2. Comparing Israel to the NAZIS or its leaders to Hitler, the German army, or the Gestapo.

3. Characterizing Israel as "the worst," when it is clear that this is not an accurate comparative statement.

4. Invoking anti-Jewish religious symbols or caricaturing Jewish religious symbols.

5. Singling out only Israel for policies that are widespread among other nations, or demanding that Jews be better or more moral than others because of their history as victims.

6. Discriminating against individuals only because they are Jewish Israelis, without regard to their individual views or actions.

7. Emphasizing and stereotyping certain characteristics among supporters of Israel that have traditionally been used in anti-semitic attacks, for example, "pushy American Jews, "Jews who control the media," and Jews "who control financial markets."

8. Blaming all Jews or "the Jews" for Israel's policies or imperfections.

9. Physically or verbally attacking Jewish institutions, such as synogogues or cemeteries, as a means of protesting against Israel.

10. Stereotyping all Jews as fitting into a particular political configuration such as "neo-conservatives", "Zionists or supporters of Sharon."

11. Accusing Jews and only Jews of having dual loyalty.

12. Blaming Israel for the problems of the world and exaggerating the influence of the Jewish state on world affairs.

13. Denying, minimizing or trivializing the Holocaust as part of a campaign against Israel.

14. Discriminating against only Israel in its qualification for certain positions or statuses, such as on the Security Council, the International Court of Justice, and the International Red Cross.

15. Blaming the Jews or Israel rather than the anti-semites, for anti-semitism or for increases in anti-Jewish attitudes.

16. Taking extreme pleasure from Israeli failures, imperfections or troubles.

17. Falsely claiming that all legitimate criticism of Israeli policies is immediately and widely condemned by Jewish leaders as anti-Semitic, despite the lack of any evidence to support the accusation.

18. Denying that even core anti-Semitism-racial stereotypes, NAZI comaprisons, desecration of synagogues, Holocaust denial-qualifies as anti-Semitic.

19. Seeking to deligitimate Israel precisely as it moves toward peace.

20. Circulating wild charges against Israel and Jews. such as that they were responsible for the September 11 attacks, the anthrax attacks, and the 2005 tsunami.

Above is the list of 20 factors that Alan Dershowitz has identified as tending to indicate anti-Semitism.

Below is the list of 10 factors that tend to indicate legitimate criticism of Israel.

1. The criticism is directed at specific policies of Israel, rather than at the very legitimacy of the state.

2, The degree and level of criticism vary with changes in Israel's policies.

3. The criticism is comparative and contextual.

4. The criticism is political, military, economic, and so forth, rather than ethnic or religious.

5.The criticism is similar to criticism being raised by mainstream Israeli dissidents.

6. The criticism is leveled by people who have a history of leveling comparable criticisms at other nations with comparable or worse records.

7. The criticism is designed to bring about positive changes in Israeli policies.

8. The criticism is part of a more general and comparative criticism of all other nations.

9. The criticism is based on objective facts rather than on name calling or polemics.

10. The critic subjects his favorite nation to comparable criticism for comparable faults.

Answer 1

Another test was done by Natan Sharansky.

Its called the "3D Test"

Demonization, Double standards, and De-legitimization.

Answer 2

both Zionism and anti-semitic racism both have a vested interest in equating Judaism with Zionism / there is strong symbiotic relationship between the two, just as there's a similar relationship between Militant Islamism and Zionism- Western Imperialism in the Middle East.
Mudding the waters is a favorite tactic by the Radical Zionists like Alan Dershowitz and the ADL.

A better question to ask is how concerned with justice and anti-racism are such groups? and then ask the same of their critics.

80% of the critics come out as the concerned ones- with
the Zionists usually playing the AS card to stifle just criticism.

Answer 3

The factor is, you don't have any clue approximately the matters you're criticizing Israel for. The so-referred to as Palestinians have not been repatriated considering the fact that they're getting used as pawns through the Muslim international. No different rationalization could provide an explanation for why not one of the different Arab states could permit them to assimilate into their nation, nor will the Palestinians permit them again into their territory. As for it is cost coverage, the nation is theirs, humans lived there for a long time, and immediately they have been compelled to go away with out repayment for his or her residence or land. It could be like if the whole burough of Long Island have been advised they'd per week to go away. Is there a blockade? Sort of. People can go away, however they need to come via checkpoints. If they did not blow humans up and release rockets on the Israelis, might be it could be distinct.

Answer 4

I bet it won't be long before all the Israel haters out there protest and complain that they aren't anti-semitic, and then post a bunch of bigotted lies about Israel. Usually, it is not hard to tell the difference.

Most people who posts deliberate misinformation about Israel are anti-semitic. I would dare them to asnwer this question. Why do you have a double standard when it comes to Israel?

Answer 5

I'm not going to waste my time digging up the article; if you wanted us to read it, why didn't you just give us the link?

I don't see the problem, here. Legitimate criticisms of Israel are legitimate criticisms of Israel. It has an appalling human rights record -- torture, targeting civilians, "collective punishment".

It's whether the criticisms are based on reality or delusion that determines whether they're legitimate or just anti-Semitism.

Why do I need an article to explain that?