Today, I watched an excellent and balanced discussion on CNN, hosted by one of its most prominent anchors, Christiane Amanpour, with Queen Rania of Jordan. Queen Rania focused on the double standards, highlighting that when Hamas kills civilians, including children, they are labeled a terrorist organization. But when Israel does the same, many people see it as self-defense. Queen Rania emphasized condemning the targeting of civilians on both sides.
Surprisingly, on Fox News, one of the channel’s most famous anchors accused Queen Rania of being anti-Semitic, which is a ready-made accusation often used to stifle criticism. This, in my opinion, is a dangerous form of “intellectual terrorism.” One of its recent victims was the UN Secretary-General, who appealed to Israel to allow aid into Gaza and was subsequently asked to resign, with Israel refusing to grant him a visa.
So, what is antisemitism, and where did the term come from?
In the holy books, Shem, one of Noah’s sons, is considered the ancestor of both Jews and Arabs. Semitic languages are those spoken in the Middle East, including Arabic and Hebrew. Both Arabs and Jews are Semitic peoples. Arabs have refrained from using the term “antisemitism” to avoid being labeled as such, while Jewish communities have been skillful in using propaganda.
I watched a speech by the Palestinian delegate to the UN Security Council, which deeply moved me as an Arab. However, I did not react the same way as an American. The Israeli Foreign Minister began his speech with a large board featuring photos of children abducted by Hamas, repeatedly mentioning their names and ages. He also had relatives of victims from the October 7 attacks sitting behind him, a move that surprised me. I wondered how he managed to get these relatives into the Security Council chamber.
The use of the term “antisemitism” started in 1879 when the German researcher Wilhelm Marr used it to describe hostility towards Jews in Europe during the Middle Ages and the 19th century. At that time, there was no animosity towards Arabs in Europe, even though they are Semitic people. The animosity was limited to Jews, as many Christians in Europe held them responsible for the crucifixion of Christ.
I have no issue describing Hamas as antisemitic, but at the same time, I must also describe Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right government as anti-Semites for the atrocities they commit against Palestinians in Gaza and their encouragement of settlement on Palestinian lands in the West Bank.
The truth is that Israel and many Jews worldwide exploit the Holocaust (which I consider the worst humanitarian crime in history) while using the term “antisemitism” to suppress anyone who speaks the truth for the benefit of Palestine and the suffering of Palestinians.
The expression “hostility towards Semitism” should not intimidate us Arabs because we are Semitic. However, at the same time, we must strive to be objective. If any Arab or Muslim commits a deliberate crime against civilians anywhere in the world, we must strongly condemn them and distance ourselves from such actions, openly and covertly. This is to avoid being accused of a double standard, as intentionally targeting civilians is a war crime that must be prosecuted regardless of the perpetrator’s nationality, religion, or ethnicity.