Sorry for the delayed reply.
Yes, there are a variety of antisemitic canards. Wiki is never an authoritative source but here's a list for anyone who is interested:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antisemitic_canard
I think that primarily education will help us avoid major bear traps, but you are correct about the blurred lines. There is a crucial distinction to be made between saying that Israelis control the US and UK media, and the Israeli lobby has a disproportionate influence in the UK and US. Both have been said in this thread. The first comes close to the charge made in
The Protocols of the Elders of Zion over a century ago. The second is a concern about how a country's foreign policy is being directed.
Now, the massive caveat here is that this is a discussion forum, and I don't expect us to be writing academic pieces with loads of references. But I think if we were to be discussing this in real life, or trying to give a speech or convince members of the public that the cause is just, context and precision are vital.
So, I think it is valid to respond to anyone who questions "why focus on Israel and not Yemen/Sudan/Myanmar/China", that these are major problems in the world, but that your focus and interest has been on ensuring justice for the Palestinians. Bringing this conflict to a close won't lead to peace on earth, but it will right a historical injustice, and also (hopefully) ensure a peaceful future. It is absolutely fine for someone to dedicate their efforts to one issue rather than others. It may also be that the Israeli/Palestinian conflict will be a lot easier to solve than China's abuse of the Uighurs, given that one country is a democracy and Europe and the US can exert more influence on Israel than we ever could do on China. The point is not that we need to tell people that this is the worst thing happening on earth (hyperbole is often resorted to), but that this is an important issue and one we can rectify.
In addition, coming back to the point about lobbying. Looking at the IHRA definition (never a favourite of many I know), it states that:
- Applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.
So, I would acknowledge that every country in the world engages in some form of PR or misinformation or spin. Russia and China have English language TV channels to help them spread disinformation. Israel is not alone in trying to influence world opinion. The objection is not that they are doing it (BBC Worldwide is part of the UK's soft power), but that they are trying to justify a half century of occupation and injustice.
This may very well be naive on my part, but I have found that if you place these claims in a proper historical and situational context, it certainly pre-empts any tu quoque (whataboutism) that can be charged at you, and it also clearly demonstrates a nuanced understanding of what is wrong and why it needs to be changed.
2cents has posted a few pages ago an excellent critique of David Hirsh showing how Hirsh's claims were inaccurate, acknowledging where he has made a good point and also providing some context for his conclusions. There are still some things I disagreed with in 2cents analysis, but it was much, much harder for me to dismiss them given what he had done.
Finally, the Nazis. Generally speaking I avoid all comparisons to the Nazis in all conversations on all topics. I just don't think it is very helpful. Where can a conversation go if you refer to Hitler? Leo Strauss called this the
reductio ad Hitlerum - it ends debate, but not in a constructive way.
Finally, even if someone doesn't find the comparison of a state set up to provide a refuge for Jews who survived the Holocaust to the very group which carried out the Holocaust distasteful or worse, there is also the pragmatic argument I could make to them.
Palestinian statehood requires international pressure and most importantly Israeli agreement. References to the Nazis and the Third Reich do nothing to build bridges and bring along the majority of Israelis who will be needed to ensure a peaceful settlement.
