Is criticizing Israel the same as hating Jews (antisemitism)?
Today’s October 7th.
Exactly 3 years ago, Israel was brutally attacked by an armed political movement called Hamas (an acronym, translated to English as the ‘Islamic Resistance Movement’). Israel brutally retaliated.
Just last month an American musician Macklemore made headlines by publicly supporting the Palestine people. (He wasn’t supporting the group Hamas, but the Palestine people. To some, that distinction is everything. To others, there is no distinction.) Concert venues refused to host Macklemore at upcoming concerts, making their own public statements against antisemitism. (They weren’t necessarily defending the government of Israel, but the Jewish people. To some, that distinction is everything. To others, there is no distinction.)
So, it begs the question of all of us who care:
Is criticizing Israel is the same as hating Jews?
For critical context, we have to go back in history - way back - to the story of God and humankind. But don’t stop reading! Perhaps you’ve heard the story before, or perhaps you don’t care because you don’t believe in God.
Regardless, I think you’ll find it fascinating, and it directly impacts how we view Israel today.
So here’s just a handful of paragraphs to cover the entire First Testament of holy ancient text (Bible), in my own words, from my own understanding.
Thousands of years ago, God chose Hebrews to be God’s people, to display to the world the intended partnership between God and humankind.
(What’s the difference between Hebrews, ‘Israel’, and Jews? Eventually, all Hebrews would be called ‘Israel’, even though they separated into two nations around 930 BC: a northern kingdom of 10 tribes called Israel, and a southern kingdom of 2 tribes called Judah. The term ‘Jews’ originates from the southern kingdom name Judah).
After God saved the Hebrews from their oppressor (Egypt), God offered them a sacred agreement (covenant). The agreement had conditions, as did all sacred agreements in that era (suzerian-vassal treaties). God would prosper or punish them (blessings and curses) based on their faithfulness or disregard. (Later, Jesus would summarize the key tenants of the agreement this way: love God and love people.)
Soon after the people accepted God’s sacred agreement, they broke it. In two ways. They worshipped other gods and they exploited the vulnerable (foreigners, widows, and orphans).
The oppressed had become the oppressor.
So God rebuked Israel through unrelenting warnings (through prophets). Israel expected God’s blessing but didn’t want to follow God’s way.
To be clear, God didn’t need to warn them. But God loved them, and so God rebuked them.
God was patient, but not passive.
So finally, after hundreds and hundreds of years of warnings, God fulfilled the sacred agreement by withdrawing God’s protection - first for the northern kingdom of Israel (conquered by Assyria around 722 BC), then for the southern kingdom of Judah (conquered by Babylon in 586 BC).
Despite the devastation, God, with relentless love, promised Israel’s eventual restoration in their homeland and promised a Messiah (Christ) who would restore God’s kingdom.
Around 515 BC, the Jewish diaspora were allowed back to Jerusalem (also called Zion - originally a specific fortified hill in Jerusalem named around 1000 BC).
Fast forward to around 4 BC, God took on human flesh (Jesus) to demonstrate for humankind what living in divine trust and human flourishing was always supposed to look like. The awaited Messiah. But a lot of Jews were confused about Jesus; about his humble beginnings, his lack of political power, his ragtag group of students (disciples), and his teachings of scripture. He didn’t look like a powerful Messiah coming to defeat Roman occupation and restore Israel to its glory.
And so the Jewish political/social leaders at the time, wanting to protect their status/power from Jesus’ radical teachings, convinced their Roman rulers to murder Jesus. (Spoiler alert: he didn’t stay dead). Sadly for the Jewish political/social leaders, Jesus’ impact continued. God’s people took on a new shape and identity. Now it wasn’t just Jews who claimed trusting belief, but non-Jews (Gentiles) were welcomed into the family of God as well. It was God’s hope and plan all along.
At least that’s how Christians see it. People of Jewish faith believe Jesus was only a prophet, not the promised Messiah. To some, the distinction is everything.
So, when would Israel be restored like God promised? And who did it include (Jews and believing Gentiles?)
And why on earth does this matter for all of us?
Today, some people (Zionists) believe that God’s ancient promises guarantee the homeland (current day Israel and Palestine) to the modern government of Israel. Others believe God’s promise was to the ancient Jewish people- not to the modern government of Israel (they could speculate that Jesus fulfilled the promised of a restored kingdom a long time ago, albeit it wasn’t quite the political and social restoration people imagined). Ancient Jewish people vs modern government of Israel. To some, the distinction is everything.
Making the discussion more complex and significant is the reality of horrific persecution Jews have faced for thousands of years.
TL/DR…
God loved Israel by rebuking them when they strayed from their agreement to love God and love others. After Israel did not heed God’s relentless warnings, they were conquered by their enemies. Israel’s kingdoms were destroyed. But God promised to restore Israel so they could flourish forever in their homeland.
How we understand this ancient story, how we think of Israel, and how we think of Jewish people, directly impacts how we read the news today.
Although I have an opinion based on my interpretation of scripture about God’s promises, I think asking questions is more important than swaying opinions.
I’m so curious what you think… if you care to share respectfully!*
Here we go…
Do we believe the modern government of Israel has a divine-given claim to the land?
Do we believe that because of their history of being horrifically oppressed, the modern government of Israel is incapable of becoming the oppressor themselves?
When Israel was recently attacked, morally are they granted limitless defense? If not, when would their retaliation cross over into excessive vengeance (answering evil with evil)?
Are we critical of Israel because of a disdain for Jewish people, or because of a contempt for people believing in a God that made promises?
Should Israel be exempt from criticism and scrutiny?
Are we quick to hate each other more than we’re quick to hate evil (regardless of which side commits it)?
Should we cancel people of status (ie Macklemore) when they advocate for people they believe are being harmed? Or do we restrict advocacy to only certain spaces (‘Do it in private, not at a concert.’) or to certain opinions ('if we agree with their stance, we’ll passionate defend their freedom of speech’)?
Is criticizing Israel the same as hating Jews?
* Believe it or not, YELLING YOUR OPINIONS IN ABSOLUTES WITH AGGRESSIVE LANGUAGE (ie '“never, always, everyone, nobody, of course…, you’re stupid if you think…”) makes people listen to you less. Go figure. If you want to be brave and ‘speak the truth even if no one wants to hear it’, go for it. Build a soap box and be a jerk. But if you want to influence people with your thoughts, to help them understand your truth, how you choose to share goes a long way!