{"id":15734,"date":"2025-08-25T00:06:24","date_gmt":"2025-08-24T14:06:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rationalemagazine.com\/?p=15734"},"modified":"2025-08-25T00:13:35","modified_gmt":"2025-08-24T14:13:35","slug":"criticising-israel-is-not-antisemitic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rationalemagazine.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/25\/criticising-israel-is-not-antisemitic\/","title":{"rendered":"Criticising Israel is not \u2018antisemitic\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mp_wrapper\">\n  <div class=\"mepr-unauthorized-excerpt\">\n    <p>Editor\u2019s note: If you would like to submit a letter for possible publication, please email it to editor@rationalist.com.au. See our\u00a0Publishing Guidelines.\nDear Editor,\nIt seems to me that those who are targeting Australian members of the Jewish community are confusing religion with military power.\nThere is no excuse for antisemitism, which is abhorrent. However, criticising the excessive force being used by the Israeli Defence Force is a different matter altogether.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nThe world community should be able to criticise and condemn the excessive force being used by the IDF without being accused of antisemitism. We are criticising army tactics, not the Jewish faith.\nBy the same token, we can also criticise the leaders of Hamas by cowardly hiding amongst innocent Palestinians and putting their people at great risk. There is fault on both sides \u2013 as there usually is in war.\nGeoffrey Williams\n&nbsp;\nDear Editor,\nIsn't it about time that we all can recognise the difference between being anti any religion and acknowledging criticism about a group that commits murder?\n\u2018Antisemitism\u2019 has taken this approach to huge levels. We are all being silenced.\nMary Collins\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Why do MPs insist on archaic ritual?\nDear Editor,\nIt's just ridiculous that the majority \u2013 and growing number \u2013 of Australians are not religious and\/or not of the Christian faith and yet members of parliament still insist on this archaic ritual (\u2018RSA calls on new Labor MPs and senators to support change on parliamentary ...<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"mepr-unauthorized-message\">\n    <hr style=\"width: 100%;max-width: 1000px !important;height: 5px;border-width: 0;color: red;background-color: red\" \/>\n<div style=\"text-align: center\">\n<h3><em>You're part way through this article. Want to keep reading?<\/em><\/h3>\n<h4><em>Only members of the Rationalist Society of Australia can read our Premium articles.\u00a0<\/em><\/h4>\n<h3 style=\"height: 20px\"><span style=\"color: #c83200\"><em><a style=\"color: #c83200\" href=\"https:\/\/rationalist.com.au\/membership\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Become a member today.<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n<h4><em>Already a member? 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