By Mira Sucharov
With antisemitism on the rise while Israeli-Palestinian relations remain at an historic low, one question that continues to dog public discourse is whether anti-Zionism is a form of antisemitism.
The stakes within the Jewish community have recently increased, with the issuing of a letter signed by more than 850 American rabbis and cantors opposing New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani due to his opposition to Zionism. The letter argues that anti-Zionism “encourage[s] and exacerbate[s] hostility toward Judaism and Jews.”
Why does the distinction matter?
If anti-Zionism is understood to be antisemitism, then those protesting or otherwise articulating deep opposition to the governing ideology of the state of Israel could find themselves on the receiving end of public opprobrium — harsh criticism and disgrace.
A global debate with deep roots
People in Canada and the United States have lost employment offers and jobs for seeming anti-Zionist.
This debate is not new, however. In 2022, Jonathan Greenblatt, head of the Anti-Defamation League, stated that “anti-Zionism is antisemitism” and that anti-Zionism is “an ideology rooted in rage.” A year later, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution stating that “anti-Zionism is antisemitism.”
In 2017, French President Emmanuel Macron called anti-Zionism a “reinvented form of antisemitism.” And perhaps most importantly, against this backdrop is the definition of antisemitism adopted by many countries, including the U.S. and Canada, which brings the two concepts very close together, if not outright equating them.
Specifically, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance defines antisemitism, among other things, as “denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination (e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavour).”
What data reveals about Zionism
But is anti-Zionism really antisemitism?
To determine whether anti-Zionism is antisemitic, we first need to think about how we define Zionism. As a Canadian Jewish political scientist, my own research has found that the term Zionism is understood in wildly different ways.
In 2022, I surveyed American Jews with a weighted sample to account for various demographics. I found that while 58 per cent identified as Zionist, 70 per cent identified as such when I defined Zionism as “a feeling of attachment to Israel.” When I defined Zionism as a “belief in a Jewish and democratic state,” the number rose slightly, to 72 per cent.
But a very different picture emerged when I presented a vastly alternate definition of Zionism. If Zionism, I offered, “means the belief in privileging Jewish rights over non-Jewish rights in Israel, are you a Zionist?” Here, respondents’ support for the kind of Zionism experienced by Palestinians plummeted: only 10 per cent of respondents said they were “definitely” (three per cent) or “probably” (seven per cent) Zionist, according to this definition, with a full 69 per cent saying they were “probably not” or “definitely not.”
A lifetime of analysis of Zionism, and adopting various labels at different phases of life for myself — I have at times identified as progressive Zionist, liberal Zionist, anti-Zionist, non-Zionist and none of the above — leads me to conclude that anti-Zionism and antisemitism should be considered distinct concepts.
Identity, nationalism and belonging
Those who see anti-Zionism as antisemitic deploy various arguments.
One is that self-determination is a right, and denying that right to Jews — and sometimes seemingly only to Jews — is discriminatory and prejudicial. But while everyone has the right to self-determination, no one has the right to determine themselves by denying the rights of others to do the same.
Another is that given that the majority of Jews by most accounts embrace some form of Zionism, denying a part of their identity is hateful. But unlike most other markers and symbols of ethnic or religious identity, Zionism has historically, and continues to, directly affect another ethnic group: namely, Palestinians.
Contrast this kind of identity with dietary laws, clothing restrictions, modes of prayer and one’s relationship to sacred texts: none of these aspects of identity necessarily affect another group. By contrast, the historical record of how Zionism has affected Palestinians is vast.
A third argument concerns antisemitism in general — that every other group gets to define the terminology around their own oppression, and therefore so should Jews. But again, when a state — which by definition interacts with others within and outside its borders — is brought into the equation, the debate about antisemitism ceases to be about only Jews.
At its core, Zionism is a political ideology. A cornerstone of liberal society is political debate, including subjecting ideologies to the stress test of critique. These ideologies include capitalism, socialism, social democracy, communism, ethno-nationalism, settler colonialism, theocracy, Islamism, Hindu nationalism and so on.
In the right of others to support, oppose, analyze or criticize it, Zionism is — or at least should be — be no different.
The personal and the political
I understand why many Jews feel that anti-Zionist actions or statements are hateful to their identity. Most Jews have grown up believing that to be Jewish is to feel a deep connection to the state of Israel.
I grew up singing Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem, every evening at Hebrew summer camp in Manitoba as we lowered the two flags hanging from the flagpole: one the flag of Canada, the other, of course, of Israel.
And in many synagogues across Canada, it is typical to hear the Prayer for Israel recited, and it is not uncommon for the Israeli flag to be displayed prominently. At one synagogue I attended last year for a family celebration, there were even depictions of Israel Defense Forces soldiers etched into the stained-glass windows above the sanctuary.
But to feel connected to Israel — the land, the people, the safe refuge it has served for Jews in crisis, especially but not only after the Holocaust — one doesn’t necessarily need to embrace its governing ideology.
One can seek to understand the harm Zionism has caused to Palestinians. One can try to consider alternative framings, ideologies or governing structures that would enable Israelis to thrive along with Palestinians.
As Zionist founder Theodor Herzl famously said, “If you will it, it is no dream.”
Mira Sucharov is Professor of Political Science at Carleton University in Ottawa.
JC says
The political left needs to stop calling it the Israeli apartheid because at this point Israelis and Palestinians are mostly brown people. The word apartheid sounds nicer to the political left and they make it seem that Israelis = White and Palestinians = a minority in their logic. That is not how it works you guys, but it is easy to phase it due to it feels great from the left-wing viewpoint.
Also regarding occupation of Palestine. Last time I check that Israel was able to take over the land with the Six Day War of 1967, which the left wing media always not saying this fact at all. However, the one part that the left-wing media is right are the Israeli settlers keep screwing things up at the West Bank. That part I agree with. However, the left-wing keep pushing their own agenda (as much as the right-wing push their Pro-Israeli bias agenda) where they leave out so many details that is of importance, like the Six Day War that I referenced, the Jews who were kicked out of Arab lands post 1948 where they were mostly stripped of their citizenship in most places (like the Iraqi Jews), the sins of the Arab League and the sins of Yasser Arafat (which I think who caused the most damage against the Palestinian cause and they are still feeling his negative actions even today after many decades), Egypt refused to take back Gaza after the Israel/Egypt peace treaty was signed, the Jordanian Kingdom gave up control of the West Bank in hopes the Palestinians can figure out their issues with Israeli(while in the process also take away Jordan citizenship from the folks in the West Bank), and so much more.
At least this article did brought up some fair points, including the author is not some random white progressive person who thinks they know more about the conflict than the people who live in the region. So sick of tired of white people who could also be LGBT who think they know more about the conflict over there than the people who have skin in the game.
R.S. says
I have run across a most endearing form of spiritual Zionism as advocated by Rabbi Elhanan Beck. Here’s one of his videos: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=rabbi+beck&view=detail&mid=BCF6F488915E77A21EC8BCF6F488915E77A21EC8&FORM=VIRE
Zion is not political; he is an orthodox rabbi who opposes Israel. I don’t hold much stake in any religion; but if I would choose one, his version makes much sense to me than most others.
JC says
Fun fact: Most Jews think the Neturei Karta movement are a bunch of hacks (which what Elhanan Beck is part of). Not all the Jews are the same, but the Neturei Karta movement are such a minority in the Jewish world that most of the time they are put on the ignore button.
R.S. says
Luckily, neither truth nor aesthetic appeal is judged by majority votes. I like the guy, nonetheless! The rest can shove it.
Pogo says
@Once upon a time
“Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.”
— John Milton, Areopagitica, 1644.
https://www.google.com/search?q=john+milton+quote+on+the+masthead+of+daytona+news-journal
More for all
https://www.google.com/search?q=john+milton
Now, move over, make room for vicious boot boys, mouth breathing hydrocephalic jugglers of spit and poop — along with friendly cheerleaders; but this:
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
@Follow the blood money
… period.
https://www.google.com/search?q=hamas+hezbollah+fatah+financing+news+sites
CC: File
… is not allowed?
Ray W. says
Hello Pogo.
Yesterday, during a U.S. House hearing on “Understanding Judea and Samaria”, Rep. Randy Fine said, in a Newsweek reporter’s words, that “Palestinians are Jordanians who ‘invented a new name to try to imply that a third state should be created,’ beyond Israel and Jordan.”
More specifically, Rep. Fine stated:
“In 1967 that war that started in 1948 continued and Israel won territory back from the Jordanians. … Now, in the United States, when we fought wars and we won territory, we generally keep it. And that’s typically the way the world works.
Rep. Fine went on to argue that Israel has not done this. He spoke about Israel trying to adopt a fiction in 2005, in Gaza, adding:
“And we saw how that worked out. … And so now we’re faced with ‘what do we do in Judea and Samaria. … When you are dealing with a group of people, who routinely call for the destruction of the state of Israel. … how do you make peace with that? … How do you make a long-term solution with that? Or is there another way that we have to go?”
After another speaker called for “a reformation of Islam which accepts Israel as a Jewish state, that no longer promotes violence and terrorism, which so many of the imams promote. …” Rep. Fine continued:
“I don’t know how you make peace with those who seek your destruction, you destroy them first.”
Rep. Fine then posted to X, under a caption, “Rep. Fine on How to Deal with Mainstream Muslims”:
“I don’t know how you make peace with those who seek your destruction, I think you destroy them first.”
Make of this what you will.
Pogo says
@Hello Ray
With respect, I note that this is a “conversation” involving: a well-trained, highly educated, with decades of experience, skilled advocate — artfully demonstrating rigorous formality, and guile. You present the worst face, words, and conduct of the worst person — and invite people to defend that. Well played, sir.
I call Yahya Al-Sinwar to the witness stand.
My apologies; he is still dead.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Yahya+Al-Sinwar
Ray W. says
Hello Pogo.
Concerning Rep. Fine’s claim that the Arab peoples of recent day Trans-Jordan adopted the name Palestinian in order to create a “third state” on top of the two states of Jordan and Israel, intrigued me, so I looked it up.
Apparently, the oldest use of the term Palestine occurred in 5th century BCE, when Herodotus in his Histories wrote of a geographic area known as “Palaistine.” Palaistine, Herodutus wrote, encompassed a region previously known as Philistia, home to a people who had lived in the Gazan area and further to the north on the coast of the Mediterranean from 12th century BCE to 7th century BCE.
Wouldn’t you know. Palestinians have been calling themselves Palestinians for thousands of years.
Make of this what you will.
R.S. says
I understand that the term /Philistin/ is the Arabic designation for the Palestinians even today. Or am I wrong, Mr. Editor?
Pierre Tristam says
The Arabic for Palestinian is indeed “falastini,” to be literal about it, الفلسطينيون, but it should not be confused with Philistines anymore than Phoenicians should be confused with today’s Lebanese, even though Greek Philistines, like Phoenicians, at one point in antiquity ruled the Levantine coast. If we are to get into the ultimately ridiculous and pointless mechanics of ethnicity, today’s Palestinians have more in common with Canaanites than philistines, and of course Jews and Arabs, both Semitic, have way more in common with each other than Palestinians with Philistines or Lebanese with Phoenicians. But ethnic ideology being as absurd as religion, here we are, cutting each other’s throats over two strands of DNA.
Pogo says
@Hello Ray
You’re welcome to argue with yourself about Randy Fine.
As far as I’m concerned, Fine is the Jewish equivalent of the Free American Legion.
https://www.google.com/search?q=the+Free+Arabian+Legion
My sole concern is the destruction of this country; and I will argue that Trump is our reality because, in large part, the Republican Party’s success in continuing minority rule in Florida, and the US, is entirely the result of fanatical splinters of the electorate voting for the bastards, or pissing away their vote on Jill Stein and her ilk, or other forms of picky eating and highbrow nonsense.
Trump’s body count, here, and around the world, increases with the passing of each second. That is a fact.
Pogo says
Correction of obvious typo
@Hello Ray
You’re welcome to argue with yourself about Randy Fine.
As far as I’m concerned, Fine is the Jewish equivalent of the Free Arabian Legion.
https://www.google.com/search?q=the+Free+Arabian+Legion
My sole concern is the destruction of this country; and I will argue that Trump is our reality because, in large part, the Republican Party’s success in continuing minority rule in Florida, and the US, is entirely the result of fanatical splinters of the electorate voting for the bastards, or pissing away their vote on Jill Stein and her ilk, or other forms of picky eating and highbrow nonsense.
Trump’s body count, here, and around the world, increases with the passing of each second. That is a fact.
Ray W. says
As always, Pogo, thank you.
Allyn Susan Feinsetin says
Judging the one majority Jewish nation on earth by different and more punishing standards than all other nations and demanding that they comply with impossible expectations that would lead to wholesale death and eventual destruction is Anti Semitic.
Kennan says
One more thing:
People like Jonathan Greenblatt try to conflate Zionism with Jewishness, because he realizes Zionism peddles in the notion that Jews are chosen and above all others. Exceptional. He and Israel know this notion is the shredded thread that holds American support. Barely. It is the notion that above all logic and humanity make the Genocide in Gaza possible and somehow palatable?
Thousands open thousands of “Not in my name” Jews find this abhorrent.
Thoughtful Jewish intellectuals like Norman Finklestein, Heretz writer Gideon Levit, reporter Glen Greenwald and many many others.
People started seeing the light and called out the WAR CRIMES of Israel. Of Zionists. Israel now tries disingenuously to move goal posts and make it illegal call them out for their crimes. If you do that you are an anti semite.