Antisemitism has exploded in frequency since Hamas’s savage October 7, 2023 invasion of Israel. Yet, it is often lately paired with Islamophobia, though the two differ dramatically in frequency and substance.

Antisemitism is a highly prevalent, historically well-documented and well-defined set of behaviors, while Islamophobia is a relatively new phenomenon, much less frequent and so weaponized that some consider the very concept a hoax.

Case in point: After more than 18 chaotic months of pro-Hamas protesters bullying and blocking Jewish students’ access to campus, Harvard University on April 29 finally issued a report on the school’s and radicals’ misdeeds, titled: “Presidential Task Force on Combating Antisemitism and Anti-Israel Bias.”

Bizarrely, that same day, Harvard released another report: “Presidential Task Force on Combating Anti-Muslim, Anti-Arab and Anti-Palestinian Bias.”

Why did we need two simultaneous reports on two unrelated problems with two dramatically different measures of magnitude, incidence and character?

Indeed, Muslim and Arab students at Harvard are not bullied, nor are they denied access, nor do their professors demean them for their ethnicity, nor are they victims of screaming invectives in mass protests against their homelands.

Moreover, while only a tiny few classes in Harvard’s curricula address Israel favorably, its catalog teems with pro-Palestinian, openly anti-Israel courses. Finally, ironically, a preponderance of campus activities attacking Harvard’s Jewish students’ rights are themselves led by Muslims and Arabs.

The same disproportionate attention to “Islamophobia” was paid by the Biden Administration back in April 2024, when it simultaneously formed the “National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism” and a sister task force to counter “Islamophobia and Anti-Arab Hate.”

Though certainly hatred of Jews and other religious or ethnic groups is deplorable, the actions of Harvard University and the Biden Administration seem to indicate that antisemitism and Islamophobia are problems of equal import and impact.

Yet in fact, antisemitic hate crimes make up a majority of all religious-based hate crimes nationally, and are nearly eight times more frequent than anti-Muslim hate crimes.

This disparity in frequency is also matched by profound differences in the characteristics of the two hatreds. First, antisemitism is recognized as a dangerous, irrational hatred of the Jewish people, whose values form the foundation of Western civilization.

By contrast, research shows that Muslim societies harbor some of the world’s most virulent anti-Jewish attitudes, as well as determination by radical Islamists to destroy the Jewish state.

Secondly, Islamophobia is a relatively new concept, which critics convincingly argue is generally not a hatred at all, but rather a term used by social, political and media elites to whitewash the avowed intentions of Islamists to wage jihad globally.

Hate incidents against Muslims are miniscule compared to antisemitic attacks. According to the FBI, antisemitic incidents made up 68% of religion-based hate crimes in 2023—numbering 1,832. Meanwhile anti-Muslim incidents accounted for just 9%—some 236. In other words, antisemitic crimes in the U.S. were eight times more frequent.

The trend is similar in other countries. For example, relative to population, anti-Jewish hate crime in the UK was twelve times higher than anti-Muslim hate crime, a rate of 121 per 10,000 of the Jewish population, compared to 10 per 10,000 of the Muslim population.

Progressives believe any mention of antisemitism must be counterposed to “Islamophobia.” For example, the National Lawyers’ Guild, a far-left, self-described alternative to the American Bar Association, responded to the mass shooting in 2018 at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue—the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history—by issuing a “Statement Against Antisemitism & Islamophobia” that condemned not only the massacre, but also the Israeli government and its “virulent Islamophobia”—basically condemning antisemitism while simultaneously committing it.

Likewise, many media can’t mention antisemitism without also invoking Islamophobia—though the two crimes are unrelated, and incidence of the latter is only a small fraction of the former. Examples include a Guardian headline reading, “Islamophobia and antisemitism on rise in U.S. amid Israel-Hamas war,” and a Reuters headline saying, “U.S. antisemitic Islamophobic incidents surge with war, advocates say.”

Reasons for antisemitism and Islamophobia are worlds apart. Yet, we see headlines like “Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are Equally Wrong,” in the Washington Post.

In fact, antisemitism is generally the hatred of a people, not a religion. Hence, Nazis didn’t equivocate—Jewish converts to Christianity were identified as Jews and ruthlessly persecuted. Likewise, non-religious Jewish university students are attacked for being “Zionists.” In contrast, no one considers Islam an ethnicity or speaks of “Muslim blood.”

While no doubt some cases of anti-Muslim hate are products of irrational bigotry, the term “Islamophobia” connotes a fear of the religion. Yet, Islam’s distractors generally don’t fear the religion or its peaceful adherents, but rather fear and criticize Islamist extremism, which evidence suggests is responsible for a large majority of terrorist attacks worldwide. A “bias” against a religion based on empirical behavior is no more ‘racist’ than a bias against communism or fascism.

Furthermore, it would seem the motive behind the false equivalence of antisemitism and Islamophobia is to dilute and minimize today’s rampant Jew-hatred. Thus, media can’t talk about massive antisemitism by itself—political correctness requires they counterpose it with an “equal” evil done to the enemies of Jews.

Research shows that antisemitism is most prevalent in Muslim societies. The Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Global 100 Index notes that the overwhelmingly Muslim Middle East and North Africa is the most antisemitic region on Earth. Together, the West Bank and Gaza Strip display the highest amount of antisemitism—with 97% incidence—while Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country in the world, is a close second.

Yet media and leftists are quick to pair talk of antisemitism with Islamophobia, and they rarely mention the antisemitism that infects Islam worldwide. Nor do they mention that Jews are almost never implicated in anti-Muslim or anti-Arab hate crimes.

Attempts to compare antisemitism and Islamophobia are a hoax. Antisemitism is a centuries-old racist hatred that ranks among the most frequent hate crimes worldwide. In contrast, “Islamophobia” is a new and relatively minor occurrence, and is frequently a label leveled to whitewash antisemitism, while deflecting criticism of Islam and Islamism.

Please make the point when speaking with family, friends, colleagues—or in letters to the editor—that criticizing empirical Islamist behaviors, goals and values is not racism. Defenders of Jews, Israel—and truth—have every right and reason to expose fake accusations of “Islamophobia.”

If you agree we need to spread this truth, please use your email browser to forward this Hotline issue to fellow lovers of Israel—and encourage them to join us by subscribing to the Hotline at no charge.

Best regards,
James Sinkinson, President
Facts and Logic About the Middle East (FLAME)

P.S.      I’m sure you’d agree: If your enemy says they want to kill you and take your land, you’d be smart to believe them. If you try to make peace, but they refuse all your offers and continue to make murderous threats, it’s time to eliminate this enemy. Israel has faced exactly this danger with the Palestinians—yet continued to hope for peace . . . until Hamas’s October 7 massacre and kidnappings. Finally, Israel and many lovers of Israel are facing reality. They’ve concluded their futile dreams of peace must end. They must finally defeat their Palestinian enemies—starting with Hamas and other jihadi terrorists. I hope you’ll agree that we supporters of the Israel-U.S. relationship need to speak out. FLAME’s new hasbarah—explanatory message—“End of the Palestinian Lie”—describes how Israel and the West have for 77 years bought the myth that the Palestinians want peace. It details the many offers of land for peace Israel, the U.N. and the U.S. have made to give Palestinians their own state—all refused. Finally, it explains why Israel must adopt a bold new strategy—disarming, disabling and defeating Hamas and all other terror groups that attack Israeli civilians. Please review this convincing, fact-based editorial, which FLAME intends to publish to millions—in leading social media, as well as in the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Tampa Bay Times, Denver Post and Los Angeles Times. This piece will also be sent to all members of Congress, the President and Vice President. If you agree that this kind of public relations effort on Israel’s behalf is critical, I urge you to support us with a donation.

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