Section 02
Recognize Antisemitism
Antisemitism adapts. The tropes used to target Jews in the Middle Ages have been repackaged for the modern campus. Learn to spot them in their contemporary forms.
Interactive
Explore the Tropes
Blood Libel
HighClassic Tropes"Israel deliberately targets children" — attributing malicious intent to Jews/Israel as a group
"Israel deliberately targets children" — attributing malicious intent to Jews/Israel as a group
Name it directly: "This is the blood libel — an 800-year-old antisemitic trope accusing Jews of harming children."
Originated in 1144 Norwich, England. The false claim that Jews murdered Christian children for rituals.
Dual Loyalty
HighClassic Tropes"American Jews really serve Israel" — questioning whether Jews can be loyal citizens
"American Jews really serve Israel" — questioning whether Jews can be loyal citizens
Ask: "Do you question the loyalty of Irish-Americans or Chinese-Americans? Why only Jews?"
Used to justify exclusion of Jews from public life in Europe. Revived in modern anti-Zionist discourse.
Puppet Master / Control
HighClassic Tropes"The Israel lobby controls Congress" — Jews pulling strings behind the scenes
"The Israel lobby controls Congress" — Jews pulling strings behind the scenes
Compare: "Every country has lobbying groups. AIPAC is no different from the Saudi or Turkish lobbies."
From the Protocols of the Elders of Zion (1903), a fabricated text claiming a Jewish conspiracy for world domination.
Holocaust Inversion
HighModern Mutations"Israel is the new Nazi Germany" — weaponizing the genocide of Jews against Jewish self-determination
"Israel is the new Nazi Germany" — weaponizing the genocide of Jews against Jewish self-determination
Clarify: "The Holocaust was the systematic murder of 6 million. Comparing it to Israeli policy trivializes genocide."
Gained traction after the 2001 Durban conference. Now a standard campus talking point.
False Genocide Claims
HighModern Mutations"Israel is committing genocide in Gaza" — using the legal term without meeting its legal definition
"Israel is committing genocide in Gaza" — using the legal term without meeting its legal definition
Cite the law: "Genocide requires intent to destroy a group. The Palestinian population has grown 5x since 1948."
The term has a specific legal meaning under the 1948 Genocide Convention. Misuse dilutes its power.
Settler-Colonial Narrative
MediumModern Mutations"Israel is a settler-colonial state" — erasing 3,000 years of Jewish connection to the land
"Israel is a settler-colonial state" — erasing 3,000 years of Jewish connection to the land
Reframe: "Jews are indigenous to the land. Colonialism requires a mother country — what is Israel's?"
Ignores archaeological evidence of continuous Jewish presence. Applies a framework designed for European empires.
"From the River to the Sea"
HighCoded LanguageA chant calling for the elimination of Israel between the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea
A chant calling for the elimination of Israel between the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea
Ask directly: "What happens to the 7 million Jews living between the river and the sea in your vision?"
Popularized by the PLO in the 1960s. The original Arabic explicitly calls for Palestine to be " Arab from the river to the sea."
"I'm Not Antisemitic, Just Anti-Zionist"
MediumCoded LanguageDenying Jewish self-determination while claiming to only oppose a political ideology
Denying Jewish self-determination while claiming to only oppose a political ideology
Test the logic: "Zionism is Jewish self-determination. If you support it for every other people, denying it only to Jews is discriminatory."
Anti-Zionism became the "respectable" face of antisemitism after 1967. The Soviet Union promoted this framing.
"Go Back to Europe"
HighCampus-SpecificTelling Israeli or Jewish students they don't belong in the Middle East
Telling Israeli or Jewish students they don't belong in the Middle East
Educate: "Over 50% of Israeli Jews are from Middle Eastern families expelled from Arab countries."
Ignores that 850,000 Jews were expelled from Arab countries after 1948. Most Israeli Jews are not European.
Zionist Litmus Test
MediumCampus-Specific"You can't be in this club if you support Israel" — ideological purity tests for Jewish students
"You can't be in this club if you support Israel" — ideological purity tests for Jewish students
Name the discrimination: "Would you ban a Chinese student from your club for their government's policies?"
A post-October 7 phenomenon. Progressive spaces now routinely require Jews to denounce Israel to participate.
Apartheid Comparison
MediumModern Mutations"Israel is an apartheid state" — comparing the only democracy in the Middle East to racial segregation
"Israel is an apartheid state" — comparing the only democracy in the Middle East to racial segregation
Counter with facts: "Arab citizens of Israel vote, serve in parliament, on the Supreme Court, and as generals."
South African apartheid denied all political rights to Black citizens. Israeli Arabs have full citizenship rights.
"Globalize the Intifada"
HighCoded LanguageCalling for worldwide violence against Jewish and Israeli targets
Calling for worldwide violence against Jewish and Israeli targets
Clarify: "The intifadas killed thousands of civilians through suicide bombings. You're calling for terrorism."
The Second Intifada (2000-2005) killed over 1,000 Israelis through suicide bombings and shootings.
The Key Takeaway
Recognition is not censorship
73% of Jewish students say they have witnessed or experienced antisemitism on their campus since October 2023. Recognizing it is the first act of resistance.
Hillel International & Anti-Defamation League, Campus Climate Survey, 2023–2024. hillel.org.