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Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/07/anti-semitism-is-a-poison-to-democracy/
Antisemitism Is Not Solely a Jewish Concern
(Telegraph-UK) David Harris - At its core, antisemitism is an elaborate conspiracy theory. It attributes to Jews both malevolent intent and extraordinary power. Jews have been cast as the hidden force behind society's misfortunes. Jews are seen as everywhere, responsible for everything that goes wrong. This obsessive, all-enveloping worldview has long defied rational rebuttal. For several decades after the Holocaust, antisemitism receded. Jewish communities experienced unprecedented acceptance and integration. It appeared that liberal democracy had created an environment in which antisemitism could no longer flourish openly. But this proved premature. Antisemitism had not disappeared. It was hibernating. Hostility towards Israel and Zionism - the movement for Jewish self-determination - became, in certain circles, a socially acceptable means of expressing ideas that would once have been recognized as antisemitic. At the same time, social media enabled the widespread availability of Holocaust denial, distortion, and denigration, reaching millions without the filters to distinguish fact from fiction. The Hamas invasion of Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, marked a watershed moment. In a single day, over 1,200 Israelis were murdered and over 250 were taken hostage, including young children and elderly survivors of the Holocaust. Yet as Israelis mourned, demonstrations erupted in cities and on university campuses across the democratic world with protesters chanting slogans calling for Israel's destruction. Denying the very legitimacy of Israel's existence - or calling for its elimination - crosses a fundamental line. No other nation is subjected to daily demands that it justify its very existence. No other people are told that their right to collective self-determination is inherently illegitimate. What is required in response is outrage - not only from Jewish communities, but from political leaders across the spectrum, civil society, and the public at large. When Jews are attacked we will link arms and say, "not on our watch and not in our name." This should be followed by action, not merely symbolic gestures, to monitor and confront the sources. And there is a need for the courage to recognize that antisemitism is not solely a Jewish concern, but a much broader threat to democratic society. Antisemitism must be confronted clearly, consistently, and without illusion. The writer is executive vice chair of the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy.