Anti-Zionism is unrelated to Anti-Semitism

Quoted in part from a press release 6 Jan 2005:

“In a letter to UN High Commission for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, Dr. Shimon Samuels expressed grave concern that the November 2004 Expert’s Seminar on Defamation of Religions and the Global Struggle Against Discrimination, Antisemitism, Christianophobia and Islamophobia in Barcelona “degenerated” [his word] into a defense of anti-Zionism as a legitimate movement unrelated to anti-Semitism.”

Dr. Samuels further suggested that the Rapporteur on Racism, Mr. Doudou Diène, should “include ‘anti-Zionism’ among the forms of racism listed in his report.”

True Torah Jews could find no official UN reports, press releases or news on this Seminar or its conclusions, but if the Expert’s Seminar did in fact acknowledge that anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism are unrelated, this would be an exciting landmark event and we applaud their findings which echo the statements of United States Secretary of State Colin Powell, who has recognized publicly that “anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism”.

Anti-Zionism, which is opposition to the Zionist state, is totally unrelated to anti-Semitism, which is opposition to the Jewish people or ‘anti-Judaism’. One may be opposed to the Zionist state yet be in full support of Judaism and the Jewish people.

True Torah Jews do not agree with Dr. Samuels suggestion that “anti-Zionism should be considered a form of racism” to be addressed by the UN Commission on Human Rights any more than opposition to the Democratic party or the Republican party should be considered a form of “racism” requiring the Commission’s attention. Because Zionism is a political position, not a religious belief, it therefore follows that anti-Zionism is simply an opposing political position.

Worldwide Torah-true Jewry is encouraged by this apparent step by the UN Commission toward disassociating “Anti-Zionism” from “Anti-Semitism” and fully supports this distinction between the two.

Traditional Jews, which have suffered from the erroneous association of Zionism with Judaism over the years, welcome an official distinction between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism.