I lived in Israel and I can tell you there are a number of Jews living there who are anti-zionist. Very pure, hassidic sects are waiting for their messiah before the state of Israel is established to its original boundaries. This presents a real problem for any argument that tries to lump anti-jew with anti-zionism.

Brett, Cincinnati,

Ben, the distinction you make is not shared
by people like Nasrallah quoted in the article.
Your claim that "criticizing Israel does not equal
anti-semitism" is, at least to some extent, true.
It is hard, however, to find an alternative reason
that explains why Israel alone is condemned
for actions that evoke no reaction when performed
by others.

Alice Cripps, Worthing, UK

Well said sir!

I am not Jewish, a millenial Chrsitain or an anti-arab racist, just a 47 year old man of the left who has seen the rise of an increasing level of anti semitism in his lifetime.

It is becoming increasingly acceptabel to attack the Jewish people in a way that would be condemned if applied to any other ethnic group. The most frightening asp[ect of this is the factv that those giving voice to some of the most appallling racist rubbish genuinely see themselves as liberals standing up for the oppressed.

Andrew, Edinburgh, UK

We seem doomed to rehearse the same arguments every time these issues are raised. Criticism of Israel is not necessarily anti-Semitic. It is also not necessarily not anti-Semitic. There are many anti-Semites in the world, and it is entirely predictable that they in the world will adopt criticism - or, rather, demonization - of Israel as a primary means of articulating their prejudice.

Sometimes criticism of Israel is clearly not anti-Semitic, sometimes it is clearly anti-Semitic. What worries me, as it evidently worries Michael Gove, is that the grey area in between, in which non-anti-Semites are content to make common cause with anti-Semites, is growing steadily.

Alan, Cambridge,

When is it reasonable to believe what a politician says? MG's view (as a Member of Parliament and of the Shadow Cabinet) is that Hillary Clinton's self-glorifying misrepresentation of history is just "embellishing", "telling a fisherman's tale", "exaggerating a tad", "embroidery".

I'm prepared to give people a bit of latitude but the difference between "arriving under sniper fire and abandoning the welcoming ceremony" and the facts of a calm welcoming ceremony with children and flowers is, in my view, rather more than "a tad"; and this apart from the absurdity of believing that "I mis-spoke" was an acceptable excuse.

I would have hoped that someone who wants to be part the UK government would have demonstrated a little more respect for the truth. At least we can be glad that MG has been open about his views. We can now make a more informed judgement about what he says in public. ("No, of course I didn't mean all that, it was just a fisherman's tale. Honest guv.")

David, Dorking, UK

If every time I walked to the end of my street a group of black men beat me up would my displeasure, and indeed, possible resistance make me a member of the Klu Klux Klan? No, I don't think so. So why is it when the Palestinians defend themselves from the bullies of the IDF that all of a sudden they are neo nazis? If everyday you were denied your rights by a certain racial group, your thoughts would then not to be warm toward them. If young German fought a young Israeli in a boxing match, would the Israeli fans look at the German as just another opponent that they hope is defeated by their hero? I doubt it.
It must be remembered that Iran is hosting revisionist conferences to expose the hypocrisy of the West over the Danish cartoons quite rightly too. If some of the Holocaust jokes and cartoons had been printed in Europe a early morning visit by the Police would of surely awaited there artists. Michael Gove has earned his next free holiday to Israel but his theory is wrong.

Ian Mc Donald, Cambridge, Cambs

We will not be able to deal with this new growth in anti-Semitism until the Muslim community in this country stops being in denial about the prevalence of it in its community and takes steps to challenge it and explain why it is wrong. Rather we get churlish refusals to attend Holocaust memorial day, refusing to attend lessons where the Holocaust is discussed and the use of textbooks in Islamic schools which use vile anti-Semitic language. Of course, criticism of Israel should not be automatically equated with anti-Semitism but nor should we ignore the fact that the former is often used as a disguise for the latter. Perhaps those Muslim leaders who so often call for respect for their religion would like to tell us what they are doing to inculcate respect for the Jewish religion amongst their community.

Carroll, London,

The writer attempts to perpetuate the canard that all the Judaics are Semites when only some 10% are. On the other hand the Arabs are in the main Semites.

On this basis Britain has been anti-Semitic from the very beginning, and generally describes Judaic behaviour as Philistine.

Gamini

Gamini de Silva, Reading, UK

As a Jew, I find it slightly offensive that this article equates the Israeli government with the Jewish people. Criticizing Israel does not equal anti-semitism anymore than criticizing the Bush administration equals anti-Americanism.

Ben, North Little Rock, Arkansas

I believe a growing majority of Americans are awakening to the failed U.S. middle east policy. Ron Paul has pointed out many of the errors in the our foreign policy.

The problems of the middle east are ancient. It is up to the people of the middle east to determine their own fates. The US should butt out.

The irony of the Isareal-Palestinian conflict is that the palestinians that are being treated in many respects the same way European Jews were during WWII (i.e. forced forfeiture of land/property, relocation to ghettos, work restrictions, mass killings, police torture, etc.)

Maybe

John, springfield,

It is intellectually dishonest to say people who are opposed to Zionism are anti-Jew.

First, you have to define whether you're taking about people of Hebrew descent, or converts to the religion of Judaism.

Secondly, you need to distinguish between those Zionists who are Christian and those who are either Hebrew or practice Judaism.

This article raises more questions than it answers.

Drumz, San Francisco, United States

You're right, "Something is clearly awry in our culture." ..A lot of people are beginning to wake up to find that things are not as they seem.

Ted, Hartford, CT

You're writing an article about antisemitism when the U.S. is at war with Arabian countries and billions of our tax dollars are given to Israel annually?
Gain some wisdom Mr. Grove and I'd encourage you to read more Ron Paul. Visit www.jews4ronpaul.org.

daniel, Jacksonville, FL

The most important point you decided to ignore was that Ron Paul is for non-interventionism in the Middle East and around the world. He doesn't single out Israel at all. He would cut off aid to Israel and all the the Arab countries including the Palestinian territories. He just doesn't want us to intefere in other countries business. When we intefere, we cause more problems, than we solve. For example Iraq, is an excellent example. Anti-Semitism is collectivism. Ron Paul is opposed to all types of collectivism, which is seeing all people as part of a group, which enables turning one group against another. As a Jew, I would never support a racist or anti-Semite.

Andrew Panken, Pasadena, MD/USA

Just so you know, those Ron Paul newsletters you cite were not written by him, as is well known. The newsletter was run by volunteers at a time when he was back in practicing medicine. I would have expected you to point that out.

The Guardian article cited a statement RP made on the House floor against a resolution condemning rockets fired into Israel. He said he was appalled that rockets were fired at civilian areas in Israel but was also appalled when rockets were fired at civilian areas in Palestine, and when the US keeps making one sided denouncements we do not further the goals of peace. He also pointed out that the resolution was a vehicle to yet again upgrade rhetoric against Iran, which he finds troubling, and a precursor to invasion.

None of that makes him an anti-Semite.

Lynn, Los Angeles, USA