A War of Words

A War of Words
An Ancient Hatred, A New Campaign Against Israel

Until people recognize that the worldwide resurgence of antisemitism is not simply a collection of isolated incidents, but part of a well-funded, organized campaign to delegitimize and destroy the Jewish state of Israel, they will fail to grasp the magnitude of the threat confronting the Jewish people.

Radical Islamists, Marxists, and Groypers despise Judaism and Israel for different ideological reasons. Yet their shared antipathy has forged an alliance of convenience. Their broader agendas may differ, but they converge on a common objective: undermining the Jewish state and the values it represents.

Having failed to defeat Israel militarily, its enemies have increasingly shifted the battlefield. The war is no longer confined to military engagements. Israel’s foes are waging a war in the court of public opinion, international institutions, academia, and the media. The objective is to isolate Israel, turn it into a pariah, and erode international support for its very existence—even as the consequences of the conflict fall disproportionately on the populations whose leaders wage war against it.

Their weapons are blood libels, fabricated allegations, and the relentless repetition of familiar accusations: baby killers, genocidal, apartheid. We have heard these charges before. They are not new; they are recycled versions and reincarnations of the historical demonization Jews have endured for centuries. Their purpose is not simply to criticize Israeli policy, but to strip the Jewish state of its legitimacy and deny the Jewish people their right to national self-determination.

The Jewish people, comprising barely 0.2 percent of the world’s population, face an extraordinary disadvantage in this battle of numbers and narratives. A far larger chorus of critics, many of whom know little about Jewish history or the existential threats confronting Israel, drown out our voices.

And because opposing Zionism and Israel has become fashionable in certain political and academic circles, politicians increasingly find it more expedient to accommodate the mob than confront it. Some remain silent; others join the chorus of condemnation or support policies and legislation that undermine Israel’s security and interests. Too often, political expediency takes precedence over principle.

We have been here repeatedly throughout our 3,500-year history. We are the Chosen People—not because we enjoy some divine privilege or exemption from the world’s troubles, but because history has repeatedly shown that we have become the world’s chosen scapegoat for the failures, frustrations, and prejudices of others.

There is an uncomfortable irony in this enduring hostility. Despite our minuscule numbers and centuries of persecution, Jews have contributed disproportionately to civilization, science, medicine, education, and the advancement of human knowledge. Rather than acknowledge these achievements, too many resent them.

In some respects, Jewish achievement has worked against us. Despite centuries of deprivation, discrimination, and efforts to diminish our standing in society, we have repeatedly succeeded where others, under comparable or even less adverse circumstances, have failed. Rather than inspire emulation, our accomplishments have too often fueled resentment. That, perhaps, is the principal ingredient in the recipe of antisemitism: resentment where there should be admiration.

We have survived the bondage of Egypt, centuries of discrimination and second-class status under successive foreign rulers, the ovens of Nazi Germany, the violence and restrictions of the British Mandate, and the barbarism of Hamas’s October 7 massacre. We have endured expulsions, persecution, pogroms, and repeated attempts to erase our identity and extinguish our national existence. The recurring objective has been nothing less than our destruction.

Yet here we stand. Still Jewish. Still Zionist. Still a people. Still proud. Still determined to defend our heritage, our faith, and our homeland.

And by the grace of God, we will continue to stand.