The Essence of Antisemitism
The world’s response post-Oct. 7 illuminated the true nature of Jew-hatred
By William Choslovsky at JNS
It was laid bare to me as the supposed intellectuals and “experts” who explained that Israel must abide by the “laws of war” which it does, while simultaneously stating that the murder, rape, torture and kidnapping of civilians were somehow legitimate forms of “resistance".
It was laid bare to me by false reports of “war crimes” by Israel, without mention that Hamas has been committing actual war crimes since 2005 by indiscriminately launching thousands of rockets at Israeli civilians.
It was laid bare to me by esteemed universities, like my alma mater, Harvard University, that hold lectures on “microaggressions” but then allow protesters to chant “Kill the Jews” at campus rallies.
It was laid bare to me as people chant “From the river to the sea” yet they can’t name the river or the sea, and couldn’t pass a basic history test about what they are protesting.
It was laid bare to me by Western media trying to show “balance” and “both sides” of the story, as if terrorism and the response to terrorism are equivalent.
It was laid bare to me as people demanded the creation of a Palestinian state, which would be the 58th Muslim-majority country, to replace the only Jewish country in the world—Israel, whose “Zionist empire” is the whopping size of New Jersey.
It was laid bare to me after Jewish women were gang-raped and publicly defiled by terrorists on Oct. 7, yet international women’s groups failed to say a word about it.
It was laid bare to me as the far right and far left finally found common ground on something: The killing of innocent Jews.
It was laid bare to me as the presidents of Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania testified before Congress that “It depends on the context” when asked if calling for the genocide of Jews is bullying or harassment.
It was laid bare to me as self-proclaimed “social-justice warriors” and supposedly smart people, like college students, professors and some members of Congress, marched for the terrorist team.
It was laid bare to me as the kidnapped victims’ posters were torn down, as if recognizing their humanity was a sin.
It was laid bare to me as people equated terrorism with a response to terrorism.
It was laid bare to me not by Hamas but by much of the world’s response, or lack of response, to Hamas and its actions. Frankly, Hamas is easier to eradicate than antisemitism.
Long before there was a State of Israel, Jew-hatred thrived. And long after Hamas is gone, antisemitism will still be here.
The issue isn’t where Jews live, but that Jews have the audacity to live.