There was a time, not so long ago, when there was wide consensus about what antisemitism is and why it should be combatted in all its forms.  Manifestations of Jew hatred and anti-Semitic rhetoric were relegated to the fringes of society in the decades following the defeat of the Nazi regime and the exposure of their atrocities in the Holocaust.  But as time progressed, classic anti-Semitism re-emerged from the shadows.  In addition, anti-Zionism — the rejection of self-determination for Jews in their ancestral homeland— continues to gain considerable ground, sparking debate about whether it is just another manifestation of anti-Semitism.

Anti-Zionists contend that anti-Zionism is a political position rooted in progressive values and principled advocacy for Palestinians whom they consider the rightful heirs to the Holy Land and that charges of anti-Semitism are just cynical smears meant to muzzle legitimate criticism of Israel. They claim that anti-Semitism is limited to the far-right, white supremacists and neo-Nazis.