EDITORIAL: In many Western countries, it has become commonplace for politicians, media outlets, or various interest groups to frame any criticism of the Israeli government’s policies as anti-Semitic. This trend was highlighted recently in a public exchange between Athens Mayor Haris Doukas and Israeli Ambassador to Greece Naom Katz.
In comments published last Sunday, Katz complained that Israeli tourists in Athens felt “uncomfortable” due to the mayor’s failure to act against “organised minorities” putting up anti-Semitic graffiti.
Doukas swiftly responded on X, stating, “We have proven our strong opposition to violence and racism, and we do not take lessons in democracy from those who kill civilians.” Frustrated by the narrative equating criticism of Israel with hatred of Jews, he added, “it is revolting that the ambassador concentrates on graffiti (that is clearly wiped off) while an unprecedented genocide is taking place in Gaza.”
Doukas’ remarks shed light on a broader frustration with efforts to divert attention away from Israel’s actions in Gaza. Since Israel launched its offensive on October 7, 2023, over 60,800 people, many of them children, have been killed, and at least 149,880 others wounded.
The death toll continues to rise daily as Gaza faces forced starvation and widespread destruction. Despite this, many Western governments continue to label any criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza — including its ethnic cleansing of the enclave and the violence in the occupied West Bank — as anti-Semitic. This labelling serves to shut down meaningful discussion about the ongoing crisis.
The tactic manifests in various ways, from the discrediting of activists and human rights organisations that speak out against Israel’s military actions, to laws passed in countries like the US and the UK that equate any denunciation of Israel with anti-Semitism.
Such attempts to blur the lines between legitimate political critique and anti-Semitism risk trivializing genuine instances of hatred and bigotry against Jewish people. While it is crucial to combat all forms of racism and hate speech, it is equally important to distinguish between legitimate criticism of a government and expressions of bigotry.
The exchange between Mayor Doukas and Ambassador Katz also highlights a growing divide within Western nations. More and more citizens are increasingly unwilling to offer blind support for Israel, particularly in light of the ongoing campaign in Gaza to annihilate Palestinians for the furtherance of expansionist ambitions of a “Greater Israel.” By challenging the ambassador’s focus on graffiti and calling out Israel’s actions in Gaza as “an unprecedented genocide”, Doukas has aligned himself with a broader movement that refuses to let the defence against anti-Semitism obscure genuine human rights concerns.
His remarks underscore an important point: while combating anti-Semitism needs to be confronted, it should not come at the expense of the right to criticise Israel.
People should be free to voice concerns about Israeli policies without fear of being labelled as Jew-haters. Free expression is a cornerstone of democratic society, and it must remain a protected space for serious, open discussions, especially when it concerns the lives of Palestinians who are fighting for their right to live in their ancestral lands, free from occupation and violence by a colonial settler state.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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