Dina Porat: When Does Anti-Zionism Become Antisemitism?

Dina Porat, professor of Jewish History at Tel Aviv University and chief historian of Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Memorial Center, gives a timely lecture addressing the urgent question of the roots and history of the term “anti-Zionism” and its relationship to antisemitism.

A distinction is drawn between objections to Zionism within the framework of the Jewish people and the use and abuse of the term as a political tool in the public international arena, which may be expressed with antisemitic motifs and images. The following topics and questions, among others, will be covered:

• The untold role of the Soviet Union in disseminating anti-Zionism, and the impact of its efforts
• Anti-Zionism before and after the Six Days War
• The Durban 2001 conference as a turning point: associating Jews with Israelis and antisemitism with anti-Zionism
• The aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel and the resurgence of world antisemitism
• When and how does legitimate criticism of Israel’s government and policies cross the line to anti-Zionism?
• Discussions, protests and demonstrations on college campuses and elsewhere
• What is known about the funding of antisemitic and anti-Zionist activities