When Does Anti-Israelism

turn into Anti-Semitism?

Prof. William A. Jacobson
Presented at U. Chicago Law
School
March 28, 2016

Why are we talking about

this?

UC Regents Working Group on

Principles Against Intolerance
During the 2014-15 academic year,
the Regents received
correspondenceand public comment
from a variety of sources expressing
concern that there hasbeen an
increase in incidents reflecting antiSemitism on UC campuses

UC Regents Working Group on

Principles Against Intolerance
Thesereported incidents included
vandalism targeting property associated
with Jewishpeople or Judaism; challenges to
the candidacies of Jewish students seeking
toassume representative positions within
student government; political,
intellectualand social dialogue that is antiSemitic; and social exclusion and
stereotyping

UC Regents Working Group on

Principles Against Intolerance
Fundamentally, commenters noted that
historic manifestations of antiSemitismhave changed and that
expressions of anti-Semitism are more
coded and difficultto identify. In particular,
opposition to Zionism often is expressed in
ways thatare not simply statements of
disagreement over politics and policy, but
alsoassertions of prejudice and intolerance
toward Jewish people and culture.

UC Regents Working Group on

Principles Against Intolerance
Anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism and other forms
of discrimination have noplace at the
University of California.
Approved as:
Anti-Semitism, anti-Semitic forms of antiZionism and other forms of discrimination
have noplace at the University of California.

The Sharansky 3-D Test

Demonization
Double Standards
Delegitimization

U.S. State Department

"Anti-Semitism is a certain perception
of Jews, which may be expressed as
hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and
physical manifestations of antiSemitism are directed toward Jewish or
non-Jewish individuals and/or their
property, toward Jewish community
institutions and religious facilities."
--Working Definition ofAnti-Semitism
by the European Monitoring Center on

U.S. State Department

Contemporary Examples of Anti-Semitism
Calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or
harming of Jews (often in the name of a radical
ideology or an extremist view of religion).
Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing,
or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or
the power of Jews as a collectiveespecially but
not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish
conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media,
economy, government or other societal
institutions.

U.S. State Department

Contemporary Examples of Anti-Semitism
(cont)
Accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for
real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single
Jewish person or group, the state of Israel, or even
for acts committed by non-Jews.
Accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state,
of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust.
Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to
Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide,
than to the interest of their own nations.

U.S. State Department

What is Anti-Semitism Relative to
Israel?
EXAMPLES of the ways in which antiSemitism manifests itself with regard
to the state of Israel, taking into
account the overall context could
include:

U.S. State Department

DEMONIZE ISRAEL:
Using the symbols and images
associated with classic anti-Semitism
to characterize Israel or Israelis
Drawing comparisons of
contemporary Israeli policy to that of
the Nazis
Blaming Israel for all inter-religious or
political tensions

U.S. State Department

DOUBLE STANDARD FOR ISRAEL:
Applying double standards by
requiring of it a behavior not
expected or demanded of any other
democratic nation
Multilateral organizations focusing on
Israel only for peace or human rights
investigations

U.S. State Department

DELEGITIMIZE ISRAEL:
Denying the Jewish people their right
to self-determination, and denying
Israel the right to exist

U.S. State Department

However, criticism of Israel similar to
that leveled against any other country
cannot be regarded as anti-Semitic.

Questions? Comments?