I do not believe that all opposition to the policies of the Sate of Israel is inherently Anti-Semitic, as is too often claimed by many in the Jewish community. But continuing attacks on synagogues around the world, most recently in Venezuela, make that claim increasingly difficult to maintain.
With the guard held at gunpoint and Torah scrolls thrown to the floor, the terrorists sprayed “death to the Jews” on the synagogue’s walls. Yes, I said terrorists. This was an attack on a small minority community, calling for the death of its members. If that is not meant to instill terror, I don’t know what is. And it was abetted by the country’s President, Hugo Chavez.

Of course, he made the obligatory statement deploring the attack after it occurred. But did his government respond in any concrete way to the vulnerability of its Jewish citizens? No. Did Mr. Chavez’ comments address implications of his continually linking Venezuelan Jews to the war in Gaza, which he declared “genocidal”? Again, the answer is, no. His actions speak far louder than his tepid words of remorse.
Now is the moment for anyone who claims that their difficulties are with Israel and its policies, not with the Jewish people, to speak out and do so loudly. Now is the time to talk back to Hugo Chavez, Mahmoud Amadenijad, and those like them, who freely mix their opposition to Israel with hatred of Jews. And now is the time to stand with the Jews of the world, even if you disagree with Israel.
If you don’t, don’t be surprised when the claim that all anti-Israel sentiment is simply Jew hatred by another name. I don’t believe that is the case, at least not always. But failure to act now makes that harder to believe. Failure to act now ultimately stifles the ability to offer moral critique of a country without basing that critique on ethnic hatred of Jews. If that is its basis, why should anyone listen?
Critics of Israel, for your own sakes if not for the sake of innocent Jews around the world, now is the time to stand up. Will you?