At the root of the word antisemitism is the word “Semite,” and the Semites were the descendants of Shem, one of Noah’s three sons. Genesis 6:10 tells us, “And Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” The Semites were the ancestors of both the Jews and the Arabs. If someone is of Semitic descent, it means that they have either Jewish or Arab lineage. It is worth to note that when the word is used as the compound word, “antisemitic,” it never includes the Arabs but just the Jews.
The definition that I have arrived at, after more than two decades in that field, is as follows:” Antisemitism is the irrational and demonic hatred of Israel and the Jewish people, characterized by thoughts, words, and/or deeds against them.” It was satisfactory to me for quite a long time until a few years ago, when I decided to add two words that have become critical to that definition: irrational and demonic.
In all the volumes I own on that topic (more than 400), I have found almost no scholar or theologian mentioning a spiritual component to antisemitism. I have learned much over the years about the history, geography, sociology, and morphing of the oldest hatred, but I extremely rarely see the spiritual aspect of it all being addressed. Yet, we have to recognize that antisemitism is very irrational, and that is because it is from Satan himself.
Antisemitism is now crossing all borders. I believe that not only does antisemitism affect the Jewish people globally, but it is also becoming a threat to the friends and supporters of the Jewish people and of Israel.
It used to be that antisemitism affected Jewish people in Israel and abroad. In fact, prior to 1948, it only affected Jewish people in the Diaspora, but soon after the creation of the modern state of Israel, the actions of Israel became, by proxy, the actions of all Jews across the globe. Today, no Jew is exempt from the danger of global antisemitism, even though they might be removed from whatever Israel is accused of.
But it goes much deeper than a global hunt on the Jews. If you support Jewish people or display any visible sign of support for Israel, such as signs, flags, or written statements, you now become a target. In the eyes of the antisemites, you have chosen sides, and since you support the “oppressor,” you have become a guilty co-perpetrator of crimes against humanity, oppression, apartheid, occupation, and genocide.
Incidentally, these accusations are the very actions of the enemies of Israel, and yet, Israel is being blamed for it all. How irrational and demonic is that? Jewish historian Bat Ye’Or writes: “Defamatory terms such as ‘settlers’, ‘occupiers’, ‘Nazis’ and ‘occupied Palestinian territories’ project a demonic character onto Israelis that evokes the anti-Jewish verbal violence of the Nazis.” We truly are in a repeat of the 1930s and 40s.
It is anti Christian as well. It is anti anything that represents good.
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