When an op-ed in an newspaper starts off with "No one dares to criticize the Zionist entity, or talk about its crimes, for fear of being accused of anti-Semitism," you know that you are entering an alternate universe.
Welcome to Al-Arab Online, a British pan-Arab newspaper.
The op-ed, written by Shaheen Zakaria, goes on to describe exactly what kinds of anti-Zionism is being silenced.
His first example? Roger Garaudy, the famous French anti-Zionist - and Holocaust denier.
His next example is Paul Findley, who parlayed his anti-Israel positions into bestselling books and a hero's status among Muslims.
Another example of someone he feels has been muzzled is Holger Apfel, who said in German parliament last week "Stop cooperation with the… Jewish scoundrels, don’t give in to the thriving Holocaust industry." He was suspended until the end of the year for these "anti-Zionist" remarks.
Ironically, Zakaria is claiming that Jews claim antisemitism for speech that is merely anti-Zionist, but two of his three examples are unquestioned antisemites that he considers merely "anti-Zionist."
Which means that to some in the Arab world, Holocaust denial and Jew-hatred is simply a manifestation of legitimate Israel bashing.
In the end, he does more to prove that Arabs are anti-semitic than he intended!
