By Stephen R. Shalom

Anti-Semitism is a vile ideology with a long, ugly history. But there’s also a history of using the charge of anti-Semitism as a way to deflect criticism from Israel. In a recent interview with The Star-Ledger, Rep. Josh Gottheimer explained why he thinks comments by Rep. Ilhan Omar are anti-Semitic. Gottheimer’s logic and evidence, however, are unpersuasive.

According to Gottheimer, one example of Omar's anti-Semitism was her 2012 tweet, during a brutal Israeli attack on Gaza, that Israel had "hypnotized" the world not to see its evil ways. But criticizing the propaganda efforts of any state, including Israel, is not anti-Semitic. When her allies pointed out that the trope of Jewish manipulation has been a common feature of anti-Semitic discourse, Omar apologized for any unintended offense. Her comment arguably understates the degree to which Washington's support of Israel is due not to deception, but to Israel's role in furthering U.S. imperial interests in the Middle East. But this imprecision doesn't make Omar’s comment anti-Semitic.

Gottheimer also condemned as anti-Semitic Omar’s tweet that Israel’s support in the U.S. Congress was “all about the Benjamins.” But Omar never mentioned Jews. She referred to AIPAC, the leading organization of the Israel Lobby, universally acknowledged as one of the country’s most powerful pressure groups. The pro-Israel Lobby is not synonymous with “the Jews.” Christian evangelists are today a major component of the Israel lobby and the lobby has the allegiance of a diminishing number of Jews. For example, while the lobby (and Gottheimer) strongly favored Trump’s moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, a majority of American Jews opposed it.

Now, of course, it would be wrong to conclude that Israel lobby campaign contributions led Gottheimer and others to hold the pro-Israel views they do. But that’s not the only way that money influences politics. Politicians who sincerely hold views favorable to those with money tend to get more of it than those with contrary views, and that allows them to win elections, leading to disproportionate representation for those whose positions align with powerful lobbies. Thus, even though a majority of Democrats support economic sanctions or even stronger measures against Israel if it continues building illegal settlements in the Palestinian occupied territories, most elected Democratic Party officials are opposed.

When asked why it was O.K. for Omar to criticize the NRA, but not AIPAC, Gottheimer objected to the comparison, which was intended, he said, to drag down AIPAC in the eyes of Democrats. “Would she say that about a group that advocates for other issues, like children with orphan diseases?” Really? AIPAC, with its unrelenting defense of the Israeli government’s often outrageous behavior, is like advocates for sick children? Have advocates for sick children been condemned by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch for committing war crimes?

Gottheimer is right that the charge of dual loyalty has been a frequent anti-Semitic trope. But those who care about social justice object to “my country, right or wrong” whether the country is the United States or Israel. When Israel, with U.S. weapons, follows a policy of “live fire at unarmed protesters who pose no danger to anyone” (quoting the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem), social justice demands that both the U.S. and Israel be condemned, not supported as Gottheimer did in a bill he co-sponsored.

Gottheimer says that boycotts are fine, but the “BDS Movement” is inherently anti-Semitic because it rejects Israel’s right to exist. But on the website of the BDS movement one finds nothing to support his claim. The movement takes no position on one-state versus two states, and even a one-state with binational structures is entirely compatible with national self-determination.

It is true that many BDS supporters are opposed to a Jewish state, but this no more suggests anti-Semitism than opposition to making the United States a "Christian" nation shows anti-Christian sentiments.

In any event, Gottheimer's claim that he supports the right to boycott is belied by the fact that he has co-sponsored bills that penalize those who in any way boycott Israel, whether connected to the "BDS movement" or not.

So by all means let us firmly condemn anti-Semitism, but let us not confuse it with criticism of Israel.

Stephen R. Shalom teaches political science at William Paterson University and is a member of Jewish Voice for Peace of Northern NJ. The views expressed are his own.

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