To think that antisemitism now needs to be tackled in the strongest possible way?

I strongly disagree. Nobody whatsoever tried to pretend that the US invasion of Afghanistan after 9/11 was genocide.

You see, I think the fact that Israel can be considered part of the West, backed by other Western countries, and is a democracy, means that people hold its government to higher standards than they do other countries, which may be dictatorships. So they’re more shocked at what’s happening in Gaza, equally appalled at other events worldwide, but more shocked at Israel’s behaviour. Especially if they haven’t being paying attention politically.
Anti-semitism is (mostly) not the reason for the criticism. Any Western country’s behaviour would be viewed similarly.

Exactly.

This thread is about antisemitism. It is not possible to highlight the antisemitic double standard to which Israel is being held without comparing and contrasting it with other countries.

Pointing the finger at other countries when the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is brought up is an attempt to deflect criticism.

Posters on MN shouldn’t have to add a few lines on their opinions of atrocities in other countries when they post on threads about the situation in Israel and Gaza. And yet they are frequently called out for not doing so. It’s absolute whataboutery.

I couldn't agree more. Once you see the antisemitism in the double standard, you cannot unsee it.

The point I was making was that other countries do worse things than Israel does, and these things get ignored. If that happens in the public discourse (and it does, all the time), Israel is demonised.

Thanks to those who got that point.

I'd also add that the use of terms like 'genocide' and 'nazi' against Israel, Israelis and Jews is often quite deliberate. People are looking for raw nerves and wilfully poking them. Their criticism is purposefully adjusted, according to the ethnicity of those they are criticising, to maximise the insult and the pain.

If that was being done to another ethnic group, we'd quickly see that it was racist. But somehow, when Jews are in the frame, it's okay... <= THAT is antisemitism. And many people, often good-hearted and well-intentioned, follow along, without making those connections, and by doing so give power to antisemites.

I'm not even getting on to the people who believe everything Hamas says, but assume that the IDF does nothing but lie.

And me

It’s not even slightly whataboutwery. It’s a really clear summary of anti-semitism in the context of criticising Israel. They are very much held to different standards to the rest of the world

Me too.

So do I.

It doesn't at all sound like "whataboutery" if you read the line "Criticism of Israel is antisemitic when the country is held to a different standard to other countries" and then actually think about the rest of her points supporting that statement.

I agree with your post @EdithStourton

A lot of that sounds like whataboutery Edith, sorry.

I've only just found this thread, but this is absolutely untrue.

I'm not Jewish, I have criticised Netanyahu when talking to Jewish friends, and I have never been called antisemitic.

Criticism of Israel is antisemitic when the country is held to a different standard to other countries. When people criticise Israel and ignore events in China, Burma, Tibet, etc, or conveniently omit to mention that the Egypt government has refused to let the Gazan population flee the war zone into Egypt, they're feeding into the demonisation of the world's only Jewish state. That demonisation has consequences, including emboldening Islamists who now have a marvellous excuse for gunning down Jewish people wherever they can find them.

Jews really don’t count, do they. I wonder how many of the 20% regard themselves as anti-racist.

These will be the people who are quick to call racist any other time. There is a combination of those who don't appear but the same posters are seen on every single immigration thread, telling everyone else their concerns are racist and then the full goady trolls, who unbeknown to anyone other than the mods, are given free rein to post their antisemitism. The silence is deafening as to the former I referred to. Nay mind, the next baiting Muslim thread and they will all appear.

Oh she's the pits.

And the party she co-founded with Jez is an absolute joke.

I think all UK political parties are equally insipid on the subject tbh.

You're not wrong @LucyWestenra

That's sensible.

I've enjoyed seeing opinions from people able to debate politely (on the whole) on this thread.

Indeed we have 😡