Israel uses a very effective propaganda strategy to tar their opponents. Going back decades, anyone who criticizes Israel in support of the Palestinian people is routinely accused of antisemitism.
It works like this: A person expresses sympathy for people living in Gaza or the West Bank or perhaps recognizes the features of Israel’s apartheid state. In response, Israel’s supporters will say: “Well, you only feel that way because you’re an anti-Semite. You obviously hate Jewish people.”
If you happened to be a Jewish person who was criticizing Israel, they called you a “self-hating Jew.”
This has been a remarkably effective strategy to silence Israel’s critics - going way back.
Right up until now – when people are suddenly dismissing this false dichotomy. From one day to the next, it seems, this attack has lost its potency. As college protestors know, you don’t need to hate Jewish people to express sympathy or solidarity with suffering Palestinian people. Calling someone a racist because they have compassion for the victims of a genocide is silly. You do not have to be a racist to criticize Israel. Nor is criticizing Israel the exclusive purview of racists.
The psychology of this propaganda message is easy to understand.
Tarring critics as racist negates their message. It’s like killing the messenger. Calling the motivations of your critics into question makes it harder to take their criticism seriously.
This same strategy has long been part of the pro-capitalist playbook here in the United States.
The American propaganda message goes something like this: “If you criticize the working of the capitalist system or even mention the “C” word – communism – you obviously hate America.”
Supposedly only people who hate America criticize capitalism. It is this line of thinking that precedes the usual taunt: “If you hate America so much, why don’t you just move to Cuba or North Korea?”
Do you see how silly this is?
Do we pledge allegiance to economic systems? Is capitalism celebrated in the National Anthem or enshrined in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution? No.
It just so happens that I am an American who is critical of our political-economic system. I am also an American who loves my country – and the people who live here. I am a native son. I belong here. I want a better life for myself, my children, and my fellow Americans. I do not hate America.
Just like the charges of antisemitism leveled against supporters of Palestine – we should not be cowed by this false equivalency. A person is not an anti-Semite because they stand against genocide in Gaza.
Likewise, a person does not need to hate America to feel dissatisfaction with our current status quo. America prioritizes the needs of the rich over everyone else – but you certainly don’t need to accept that to be a patriot. You don’t need to hate America to want something better. It is absurd to suggest otherwise.
And just one extra note - I find it especially ironic that this is the moment when our Congress is attempting to pass the Antisemitism Awareness Act. This bipartisan bill accepts the very propaganda technique we just discussed at face value ... a view that essentially says criticizing Israel is antisemitism. This bill is nakedly designed to make colleges and universities take steps to suppress pro-Palestinian protests or face retribution. Don't ever say that protests don't work because right now our ruling class is running scared. Ultimately, our political leaders are more concerned with protecting another nation's ability to commit war crimes than honoring the free speech of citizens who call out those war crimes. When Israel says jump, our lawmakers always say, "As high as you want, boss." Take some time this summer and register to vote against Congress members who play lapdog to the Israel lobby.
LMTP
Well said.