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UC Distinguishes Anti-Smitism From Anti-Zionism

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Splitting Hairs Over Campus Anti-Semitism and Anti-Zionism; Advocate For Tolerance Says UC Gets It Right

Anti-Semitism is bad and won’t be tolerated, and anti-Zionism that goes too far is essentially the same as anti-Semitism and that too won’t be tolerated, according to a new statement released by the University of California. Pro-tolerance advocate and Community Advocates President David Lehrer says the university system got it right.

“It criticizes a subset of anti-Zionism which is anti-semitic … You can be hostile to Israel – not everybody has to be a Zionist – and not be anti-Semitic. But there’s a point at which your hostility is such that it falls into the category of anti-Semitism, which is what the statement said. I think they wisely amended their original version, which kind of broadly painted anti-Zionism as being co-equal with anti-Semitism. Well, really, there’s a subset of anti-Zionism which is anti-Semitism. (The statement) is nuanced, it’s smart it’s not over-broad and I think they did a good job.”

Lehrer says it can be difficult at times to determine if a remark or action is anti-Semitic or just an expression of deep frustration with Israel’s policies concerning the Palestinians.

“It’s context bound and incident bound. You can’t have an absolute rule.”

But he said there are times when anti-Zionism is pretty obviously anti-Semitic.

“It’s just like Justice Potter (Stewart) on the Supreme Court when he said he couldn’t say exactly what obscenity is, ‘but I know it when I see it.’ ”

For more information about Community Advocates: Community Advocates, Inc.

Lehrer was a guest on 790 KABC’s McIntyre in the Morning Show with Doug McIntyre and Terrie Rae Elmer.