After World War II, anti-Semitism became more or less unfashionable in European and American society. The Holocaust had garnered a good deal of sympathy (or at least lip service) for Europe's remaining Jews, and nobody wanted to be branded a Nazi or a Nazi sympathizer. With the advent of the Civil Rights era in America, racism in general fell out of style. This does not imply that racism or anti-Semitism ceased to exist - but in most circles it was seen as the social equivalent of breaking wind at the dinner table.

This did not go unnoticed by Zionist organizations. Identifying your enemies as "racists" and "Jew haters" was a good way to marginalize them… and so, groups like the ADL were quick to tar Israel's critics with the "anti-Semitism" brush. This does not suggest some shadowy "Jewish conspiracy:" many other minority political groups have attributed racist motivations to their critics. It is a simple example of good marketing and effective lobbying. Advocacy groups are there to promote their cause, not to ensure a level playing field.

And, to be fair, there were many racists who tried to use "anti-Zionism" as a shield. The term "anti-Semitism" began its life as a weasel word. "Jew hater" implied ignorant bigotry; "anti-Semites" originally presented themselves as cultured defenders of European civilization against "alien" influences. In a similar vein, many "anti-Zionists" presented themselves as supporters of beleaguered Palestinians - and mocked the "Zionist lobby" or "Zionist Occupying Government" with many of the same images and insults favored by their less civilized Jew-hating brothers. This has been particularly true in the Arab world, where stories about Passover Matzohs made with Moslem blood appear alongside pro-Palestinian editorials.

As a result of this, few American critics questioned the fundamental principle of Zionism - the idea of the Jewish state. In a textbook case of politics making strange bedfellows, the Zionists and racists together co-opted the term "anti-Zionism" … and managed to marginalize all debate on the issue of Jewish statehood and what that entails.

Alas, times change, and so do powerful images. The World War II generation had images of Auschwitz; the post-war generation was more likely to identify with the Freedom Marchers and with South Africa's apartheid policies. And, much as pro-Israel forces had used the "anti-Semitism" label to their benefit, so did anti-Israel forces use "racism" to theirs. The Israelis had compared their detractors to "Nazis" and accused them of perpetrating "blood libels." Now those who opposed Israel referred to "Palestinian apartheid" and, in 1975, were able to push through a UN resolution equating Zionism with racism. Today, America remains Israel's staunchest ally in the UN - and frequently its only ally. Throughout most of the world Israel's detractors have been more successful than its supporters.

By and large Americans remain supportive of Israel… but that support has been eroding in recent years. September 11 may have led to greater U.S. involvement in the Middle East, but it also, paradoxically, led to greater sympathy in many quarters for the Palestinian cause. America's college campuses have been home to a degree of knee-jerk anti-American sentiment since at least the 1960s. American support for Israel is seen as evidence that Israel is part of the Evil American Empire. Campus radicals are more likely to buy the "Zionism = Racism" argument than the "anti-Zionism = anti-Semitism" claim … and today's left-wing college activists may be determining U.S. policy in the Middle East fifteen years from now.

Is anti-Zionism anti-Semitism? Much of what passes for anti-Zionism unquestionably has a strong anti-Semitic component. On the other hand, it is certainly possible to criticize Israeli policy in the West Bank, or to express disapproval of Israel's treatment of its Arab citizens (20% of the population and rising at last count), without sinking into Jew-bashing. And while Abba Eban and B'nai Brith might disagree, it is even possible to question the need for a "Jewish state" without being an anti-Semite: there are several political groups within Israel, including Peace Now, who envision Israel not as a Jewish State but as a multicultural society.

Is Zionism racism? There have certainly been racist attacks by people who identified as Zionists … and there is little question that Israel's Arab citizens enjoy less opportunity and support than Israeli Jews. On the other hand, there are many countries which grant citizenship based on ethnic identity. An ethnic German can claim citizenship in Germany, while a third-generation Turk born and raised in Berlin of might well be considered a Turkish citizen by the German government… and many of the people who criticize Zionism also support a "free Tibet" ruled by ethnic Tibetans, not Chinese.