Criticism of Israel Isn’t Anti-Semitism

Re “Europe’s Toothless Reply to Anti-Semitism,” Commentary, April 30: Daniel Jonah Goldhagen complains about a “disturbing rise of anti-Semitism in democratic Europe.” He goes on to say that “anti-Semitic expression -- often using code words, especially those that cloak it as harsh criticism of Israel -- dwarfs anything seen over the previous half a century.”

Equating harsh criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism is a long stretch. Perhaps if Israel became a genuine pluralistic democracy like the European nations that Goldhagen accuses of anti-Semitism, Israel and Jews who support Israel would not be so harshly criticized. Until people like Goldhagen advocate that Israel stop killing Palestinians, allow them to return to the homes Israel expropriated and give them full rights as citizens, it is difficult to take their complaints about bigotry and ethnic hatred as anything but hypocrisy.

Thomas Haskin

La Mesa