What Is Antisemitism and How It Shifts

Antisemitism is the world's oldest conspiracy theory. Throughout history, antisemitism has risen in times of political instability, scapegoating Jews. It is known as a "shape shifter," taking a different form in different times:

• Medieval anti-Judaism — focused on Jews as a religious group
• Racialized hate — focused on Jews as a race
• Antizionism/anti-Israel hate — focused on Jews and their national identity and power as a national group with a homeland in Israel

The latter form of antisemitism has become prevalent today, with scholars debating whether it is truly a new form of antisemitism or simply a variant that has continuously morphed and reappeared in changing manifestations.

Stereotypes and misrepresentations of Jewish people have ancient origins, even as antisemitism manifests differently according to the dominant ideology of the times and the specific fears of the general population that turn against Jews. Historically, hate and violence have turned against Jews during times of social instability and unrest, from blaming Jews for the death of Jesus, to blaming them for the Black Death, to expelling them during the Spanish Inquisition for apostasy, to the collapse of the German economy and the rise of Nazism following World War I, leading to the Holocaust in which 6 million Jews were exterminated.

Contemporary antisemitism on the Right continues to focus on Jews as a race, while contemporary antisemitism on the Left focuses more on Jews as a national identity, including their connection to the State of Israel as a national Jewish homeland.

Regardless of categorizing antisemitism as "Right" or "Left" in contemporary America, there are common tropes or memes that repeatedly reappear against Jews in "othering" and dehumanizing Jewish people, their religion and their nationality (including ties to Israel). And conspiracy theories themselves are enabled by antisemitic tropes. For example, conspiracy theories like QAnon employ their own versions of tropes that are similar to the centuries-old blood libels and claims about international Jewish cabals.

Common Antisemitic Tropes

Ways of Identifying Antisemitism

The "Horseshoe" of Antisemitism

Deborah Lipstadt, the US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism and Professor of History at Emory University, has called antisemitism a "horseshoe". What she has identified is that the left and right hold opposing views on good and evil, but these views converge when it comes to antisemitism. For example:

• Right-wing antisemitism demonizes Jews as Communists and non-white
• Left-wing antisemitism demonizes Jews as white Capitalists

Lipstadt and many other experts note that where antisemitism is strong, it is a sign that democracy is in trouble.

The 3-D Framework

Natan Sharansky, the human rights advocate who was a leading Soviet dissident and later became a member of the Israeli Knesset (Israel's Parliament), has coined the 3-D's as a way to identify the line between legitimate criticism of Israel and antisemitism:

• Double standards
• Delegitimization
• Demonization

We believe the three D's are a useful tool for identifying antisemitism more generally.

Double Standards Against Israel

The double standards applied to Israel are glaring. While the majority of countries of the world, including the former Soviet Union, supported the creation of the State of Israel, the United Nations has turned decidedly against Israel for decades in the years since its birth, with the Soviet Union turning against Israel soon after its founding.

Despite its tiny size and small population relative to the majority of countries in the world, Israel has been uniquely demonized by the United Nations. It has been the subject of 141 resolutions condemning it, which is double the number of such resolutions against all the other countries of the world combined. By contrast, the totalitarian dictatorship of North Korea has been subject to 21 condemnatory resolutions.

For an interesting perspective on how the grossly disproportionate condemnation of Israel negatively affects human rights advocates in countries like Yemen who try to get the world's attention, see: Yemeni Activist Questions UN on Arab Violence

While it is not antisemitic to criticize the actions of the Israeli government, it is antisemitic to demonize Israel alone for failing to adhere to ideals that no other country in the world is expected to meet or has met.

Antizionism and Antisemitism

Resolutions that demean deeply held Jewish commitments and beliefs, including equating Zionism with racism, serve to demonize many Jews who proudly fight for civil rights and equality and identify as Zionists. This antisemitic hate was on display at the Durban, South Africa Conference of the United Nations in 2001, where a resolution equating Zionism with racism shocked the Jewish community with the virulence of antisemitic hate and propaganda targeting Israel.

For a fuller history of left-wing antisemitism, including antizionism, see: Norwood, S. - Antisemitism on the Left (INSS)