Palestinianism is Antisemitism

It is a painful truth but one we must confront with moral clarity. The Palestinian national identity, in its most dominant form, has not contributed meaningfully to human advancement in science, culture, or philosophy. Its most notable export has been ideological violence. From pioneering airplane hijackings in the 1970s to orchestrating waves of suicide bombings in the 1990s, Palestinian movements have left a legacy centered more on destruction than creation. Most enduring of all is a relentless hatred of Jews.

When I see Greta Thunberg sitting on yet another symbolic flotilla for Gaza, I find myself asking what Palestinianism has truly contributed to global discourse. The answer is as chilling as it is clear. It has become a platform through which antisemitism is not only justified but made fashionable again.

In the absence of a rich cultural tradition or a coherent vision for the future, the Palestinian identity has fixated on opposition to the Jewish state. This opposition has become useful to many in the West who still struggle with the legacy of the Holocaust and the success of the Jewish people. Palestinianism allows these individuals and movements to express old prejudices in new language. Through it, they find a form of spiritual absolution. The act of opposing Israel becomes an act of moral self-cleansing.

Framed in the rhetoric of postcolonial theory, radical leftist ideology, and identity politics, the Palestinian cause appears to be a noble struggle for justice. But in practice it functions as a modern vessel for an ancient hatred. It provides a path for European and American intellectuals to reengage in conspiratorial thinking about Jewish power and Jewish influence. This is not about Palestinian rights. It is about the rebranding of antisemitism.

We saw this clearly in the transformation of the British Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn. There, leftist idealism blended seamlessly with Islamist dogma and old Catholic antisemitism into a new ideological structure. We see the same pattern among far right voices in the United States and far left movements in Europe. Both are convinced that the Palestinian struggle is merely a front for a deeper conflict with global Jewish influence.

Even Greta Thunberg, in one of her early public stances on Palestine, posed with a stuffed octopus. That was not a coincidence. The octopus is a well known antisemitic image that has appeared in propaganda for over a century.

Despite all of this, Israel often responds to these provocations with ironic detachment or soft-spoken diplomacy. There is a tendency to treat these flotillas and symbolic protests with humor or indifference. But there is nothing humorous here. These are not misguided peace missions. They are carefully curated political rituals that reinforce antisemitic ideas under the guise of human rights.

The failure of Israel to respond decisively, both militarily and diplomatically, is deeply troubling. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in particular has shown little ability to understand or counter the ideological war being waged against the Jewish people. By avoiding confrontation and moral clarity, Israel has inadvertently helped legitimize the resurgence of antisemitism worldwide.

We must face this moment with honesty. The silence and softness of the Jewish state in the face of ideological aggression is helping to make Jews the most hated people on Earth once again. The Palestinian cause, as it is now expressed and weaponized, is not a humanitarian project. It is a global campaign against Jewish existence. We ignore that at our peril.