It is entirely legitimate to engage in constructive discussions and critiques of Israeli government policies, its handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or other domestic and international matters. The key is to maintain a focus on specific policies and actions, avoid stereotypes or prejudice, and promote a balanced and informed dialogue that seeks to contribute to a more peaceful and just resolution in the region.
An important issue is the distinction between this legitimate criticism and critique, and commentary that assumes an antisemitic character. Unfortunately, the article written by Ebrahim Harvey, “The endless war: Why peace between Israel and Hamas remains elusive”, crosses this threshold.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism is a widely accepted and comprehensive framework that outlines various manifestations of anti-Jewish hatred. One of its goals is to distinguish legitimate criticism from discourse that employs antisemitic tropes or demonises, discriminates negatively against and delegitimises the state of Israel.
Included, in Mr Harvey’s original article published on News24 is the statement (that has subsequently been removed) that the reason for the formation of the State of Israel was “that Jewish Capital was a powerful force in all those countries, especially in Britain and the US. They had huge financial influence and power over those governments”.
The trope which alleges that Jewish leaders manipulate world events is extracted from the notorious antisemitic hoax “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” that has been circulating for over a century. It is a fabricated conspiracy that has been used to fuel antisemitic hatred. It is widely discredited and rejected by governments, scholars, and responsible media organizations worldwide. Unfortunately, the Protocols continues to influence anti-Semitic narratives and conspiracy theories and is taught in Palestinian schools.
Included in Mr Harvey’s diatribe is his explicit belief that the formation of the state of Israel was illegal, unlawful and illegitimate. Israel’s formation in 1947 was legal, lawful and legitimate and today has diplomatic relations with over 160 countries including Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Bahrain.