Modern Accusations Against Israel: Echoes of Medieval Anti-Semitic Libels
In recent months, the war between Israel and Hamas has triggered a wave of accusations against the Jewish state. Genocide, famine, child killings, colonization, apartheid… These claims, widely spread by NGOs, media outlets, and pro-Palestinian activists, follow a centuries-old pattern. In reality, many of these allegations are near replicas of medieval anti-Semitic tropes, now projected onto a modern nation.
In recent months, the war between Israel and Hamas has triggered a wave of accusations against the Jewish state. Genocide, famine, child killings, colonization, apartheid… These claims, widely spread by NGOs, media outlets, and pro-Palestinian activists, follow a centuries-old pattern. In reality, many of these allegations are near replicas of medieval anti-Semitic tropes, now projected onto a modern nation.
The "Child Killer" Myth: From Ritual Murder to Human Shields
One of the most frequent accusations against Israel is that it deliberately kills Palestinian children. After every bombing in Gaza, tragic images of dead or wounded children are circulated as supposed proof of intentional brutality.
But this narrative mirrors a persistent anti-Semitic myth dating back to the 12th century: the ritual murder libel. In 1144, in Norwich, England, Jews were accused of crucifying a Christian child, William of Norwich, in a ritual act. This falsehood spread throughout Europe. In Damascus in 1840, seven prominent Jews were tortured and executed after a Capuchin friar disappeared—allegedly killed for his blood.
Today, facts are clear: Hamas, an Islamist terrorist group, systematically uses civilians—especially children—as human shields. Its military infrastructure is embedded in schools, hospitals, and residential buildings, precisely to provoke civilian casualties and manipulate global opinion. Meanwhile, the Israeli army employs unprecedented methods to warn civilians before attacks: leaflets, phone calls, “roof knocking” strikes. Yet these efforts are overshadowed by an age-old narrative: the “Jewish child killer,” now revived through manipulated images and viral social media posts.
One of the most frequent accusations against Israel is that it deliberately kills Palestinian children. After every bombing in Gaza, tragic images of dead or wounded children are circulated as supposed proof of intentional brutality.
But this narrative mirrors a persistent anti-Semitic myth dating back to the 12th century: the ritual murder libel. In 1144, in Norwich, England, Jews were accused of crucifying a Christian child, William of Norwich, in a ritual act. This falsehood spread throughout Europe. In Damascus in 1840, seven prominent Jews were tortured and executed after a Capuchin friar disappeared—allegedly killed for his blood.
Today, facts are clear: Hamas, an Islamist terrorist group, systematically uses civilians—especially children—as human shields. Its military infrastructure is embedded in schools, hospitals, and residential buildings, precisely to provoke civilian casualties and manipulate global opinion. Meanwhile, the Israeli army employs unprecedented methods to warn civilians before attacks: leaflets, phone calls, “roof knocking” strikes. Yet these efforts are overshadowed by an age-old narrative: the “Jewish child killer,” now revived through manipulated images and viral social media posts.
“Israel Starves Palestinians”: A Modern Take on the “Well Poisoning” Accusation
Another widespread claim is that Israel is intentionally starving Gaza’s population. This accusation completely disregards the fact that hundreds of humanitarian aid trucks cross into Gaza daily—despite risks that Hamas will seize the supplies. The Israeli army has repeatedly opened humanitarian corridors for food, fuel, and medical aid.
But again, the image persists: Jews causing famine. This is a direct echo of another medieval libel. During the Black Death in the 14th century, Jews were accused of poisoning wells to kill Christians. Thousands of Jews were burned alive or drowned across Europe. The myth of the "Jew as poisoner" resurfaces today not with water, but through claims of orchestrated starvation.
Yet according to the United Nations itself, Gaza’s population has grown by 2.1% during the war, from 2.2 to 2.25 million people over 18 months. No genocide in history has ever resulted in population growth. These figures decisively contradict the narrative of deliberate famine, which appears more as a propaganda tactic than grounded analysis.
Another widespread claim is that Israel is intentionally starving Gaza’s population. This accusation completely disregards the fact that hundreds of humanitarian aid trucks cross into Gaza daily—despite risks that Hamas will seize the supplies. The Israeli army has repeatedly opened humanitarian corridors for food, fuel, and medical aid.
But again, the image persists: Jews causing famine. This is a direct echo of another medieval libel. During the Black Death in the 14th century, Jews were accused of poisoning wells to kill Christians. Thousands of Jews were burned alive or drowned across Europe. The myth of the "Jew as poisoner" resurfaces today not with water, but through claims of orchestrated starvation.
Yet according to the United Nations itself, Gaza’s population has grown by 2.1% during the war, from 2.2 to 2.25 million people over 18 months. No genocide in history has ever resulted in population growth. These figures decisively contradict the narrative of deliberate famine, which appears more as a propaganda tactic than grounded analysis.
Genocide, Apartheid, Colonialism: Modern Labels for Ancient Hatred
Israel is also falsely accused of committing genocide—an extremely serious charge with no factual basis. It is labeled an apartheid state, despite the fact that Arab citizens of Israel have full civil rights, serve in the Knesset, on the Supreme Court, and in public institutions.
The accusation of “colonialism” is even more absurd: Jews are indigenous to the land of Israel, direct descendants of the ancient Hebrews. They lived there millennia before the Arab-Muslim conquests of the 7th century. Israel is the only modern nation that returned to its ancestral land after 2,000 years of exile. Calling that a "colonial project" is akin to accusing a people of colonizing its own homeland.
These terms—genocide, apartheid, colonialism—are not neutral critiques. They serve one rhetorical function: to delegitimize Israel’s very existence. This mirrors the role of historical anti-Semitism: portraying Jews as outsiders, malevolent and illegitimate, in order to justify persecution or expulsion.
Israel is also falsely accused of committing genocide—an extremely serious charge with no factual basis. It is labeled an apartheid state, despite the fact that Arab citizens of Israel have full civil rights, serve in the Knesset, on the Supreme Court, and in public institutions.
The accusation of “colonialism” is even more absurd: Jews are indigenous to the land of Israel, direct descendants of the ancient Hebrews. They lived there millennia before the Arab-Muslim conquests of the 7th century. Israel is the only modern nation that returned to its ancestral land after 2,000 years of exile. Calling that a "colonial project" is akin to accusing a people of colonizing its own homeland.
These terms—genocide, apartheid, colonialism—are not neutral critiques. They serve one rhetorical function: to delegitimize Israel’s very existence. This mirrors the role of historical anti-Semitism: portraying Jews as outsiders, malevolent and illegitimate, in order to justify persecution or expulsion.
Anti-Zionism: The Contemporary Mask of Anti-Semitism
While legitimate criticism of Israeli policy is acceptable, today’s anti-Zionism has become a coded form of anti-Semitism. When Israel is held to impossible moral standards, demonized uniquely among nations, and denied its right to exist, ancient anti-Jewish hatred is simply being dressed in new clothes.
Since 1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran has openly declared its intent to wipe Israel off the map. Hamas, in its founding charter, calls for the extermination of Jews. In response, Israel is not only entitled—but obligated—to defend itself. This right is enshrined in the UN Charter. Yet every act of Israeli self-defense is immediately labeled “aggression,” because in the anti-Semitic imagination—old or new—the Jew has no right to defend himself.
While legitimate criticism of Israeli policy is acceptable, today’s anti-Zionism has become a coded form of anti-Semitism. When Israel is held to impossible moral standards, demonized uniquely among nations, and denied its right to exist, ancient anti-Jewish hatred is simply being dressed in new clothes.
Since 1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran has openly declared its intent to wipe Israel off the map. Hamas, in its founding charter, calls for the extermination of Jews. In response, Israel is not only entitled—but obligated—to defend itself. This right is enshrined in the UN Charter. Yet every act of Israeli self-defense is immediately labeled “aggression,” because in the anti-Semitic imagination—old or new—the Jew has no right to defend himself.
The accusations leveled at Israel today are not new. They are recycled versions of ancient anti-Semitic myths, amplified by modern media and digital platforms. The image of the Jew as a child-murderer, poisoner, colonizer, or puppet master now reappears in the form of the Jewish state. But behind these emotional narratives lies a reality: a nation defending itself, in a volatile region, against enemies committed to its annihilation. Recognizing this truth requires not just courage—but memory.
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