Anti-Semitism has always evolved to form a new way to hate Jews. While at first, it was for their religion and their prosecution of Jesus, this was eventually considered not acceptable by society. The 20th century saw a new form of anti-Semitism evolve from the thoughts of Adolf Hitler, in which the Jews were seen as a disgrace to a pure Aryan bloodline, which led to one of the greatest atrocities in human history. Now society accepts that this thinking is irrational and disgusting. While there are few groups that still think these things and even fewer that deny the holocaust, there had been a new peace between Jews and the Western world. However, this peace is once again under attack as a new form of anti-Semitism is rising again now masking itself as anti-Zionism.
There is no other Jewish majority country in the world and only one place that Jews can defend themselves together after their history of genocides and diasporas. Yet as the Palestine-Israel conflict grows in controversy in the West, a new form of anti-Semitism is becoming mainstream in America. While many left-leaning people may not mean to be anti-Semitic, or unable to recognize if they are anti-Semitic, their actions and thoughts can still lead to a new hatred against Jews everywhere.
Anti-Zionists and those critical of Israel may have valid claims against some of the policies enforced by Israel. After all, no country is without its sins and Israel is no exception. However, this has increasingly become a guise for anti-Semitism when the people making these criticisms fail to acknowledge the violent situation the Israelis have been forced into or hold them to a standard no other nation on earth is held up to. With a new trend among the American Left to support Palestine and stand against Israel, some are falling into the anti-Zionism that they themselves are not aware of. By questioning the validity of Israel’s right to exist as a country after the Holocaust and Israel’s constant threat for survival from its neighbors, Americans are falling into the trap of anti-Semitism that has captured millions before. This also brings a new way for Holocaust deniers and truly anti-Semitic people to hide their actual ideas and intentions, and to claim that they are not anti-Semitic, only anti-Zionist.
Anti-Zionism stands against the state of Israel, but it can be just a disguise to hate Jews whether directly or indirectly. Americans should now consider whether their anti-Zionism or claims against Israel are meant to help the innocent people that have suffered from this conflict or is simply prejudice against, or serves against, Jews. America should take a step back to think of how its decisions and thoughts can influence Israel and the millions of Jews living here in America.