Anti-semitism only refers to hatred of Jews

In his letter (Irish Examiner, June 2), Charles Hayes displays all the ignorance we have come to expect from people who, for reasons best known to themselves, have issues with Israel and/or Jews. 

I won’t point out all Mr Hayes’s inaccuracies, nor the lack of context for his allegations, but will draw attention to two:

contrary to what he claims, ‘anti-semitism’ does not include Palestinians or other Arab/Muslim peoples. The word was coined in 1881 by Wilhelm Marr, German nationalist, race-agitator and founder of the Antisemen-Liga (1879), to describe the hatred of Jews.

However, anti-Israel propagandists have attempted to hijack the word and ‘broaden’ its definition to devalue its true meaning.

And Mr Hayes’s definition of Zionism simply parrots that used by these self-same anti-Israel propagandists to justify rocket and terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians. Pope Francis, however, sees it differently.

In comments made to veteran Portuguese journalist, Henrique Cymerman, in May, he was quoted as saying that “anyone who does not recognise the Jewish people and the State of Israel, and their right to exist, is guilty of anti-semitism”.

Clive Hyman

Helen Court,

Hendon Lane

London N3 3SX