WORLD LEADERS RECOGNIZE ANTI-ZIONISM IS ANTI-SEMITISM

President Obama
When asked to define when anti-Israel rhetoric and activity becomes anti-Semitism, Obama stated “…when voices around the world veer from criticism of a particular Israeli policy to an unjust denial of Israel’s right to exist,” that is anti-Semitism.

In previous interviews, Obama has acknowledged that anti-Zionism is distinct from sharp, public criticism of Israel and its policies and is anti-Semitism.

Pope Francis
“To attack Jews is anti-Semitism, but an outright attack on the State of Israel is also anti-Semitism.”

The Pope has also said that “anyone who does not recognize the Jewish people and the State of Israel — and their right to exist — is guilty of anti-Semitism.”

French Prime Minister Valls
After the massacre at a kosher supermarket in Paris, Valls stated, “It is legitimate to criticize the politics of Israel. This criticism exists in Israel itself. But this is not what we are talking about in France. This is radical criticism of the very existence of Israel, which is anti-Semitic. There is an incontestable link between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism. Behind anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism.”

Valls has also stated that “French authorities must change their attitude” towards BDS protests. He added, “It is perfectly obvious how we have shifted from criticism of Israel to anti-Zionism and from anti-Zionism to anti-Semitism.”

British Prime Minister Cameron
In April, Cameron stated, “What is frightening at the moment, because of the rise of Islamist extremism, is that you see a new threat—a new anti-Semitism—and not the traditional anti-Semitism. As well as the new threat of extremist Islamism, there has been an insidious, creeping attempt to delegitimize the state of Israel, which spills over often into anti-Semitism. We have to be very clear about the fact that there is a dangerous line that people keep crossing over. This is a state, a democracy that is recognized by the United Nations, and I don’t think we should be tolerant of this effort at delegitimization. The people who are trying to make the line fuzzy are the delegitimizers. And I have a very clear view, which is that if you disagree with the policies of Israel, fine, say so, but that is never a reason to take that out on Jewish communities. We have to be very clear about threats—this is a dangerous line that people keep crossing over, that says that anti-Zionism is a legitimate form of political discourse.”

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton recently condemned BDS campaigns and called them “forceful efforts to malign and undermine Israel and the Jewish people.”