As theTimes article by British MP Denis MacShane demonstrates, acts of hatred against Jews are on the rise across Europe. He is right that all decent people should not only be worried, but should be taking action to stop this ugly trend. But he is wrong to compare the conditions of Jews in the 21st century to those in any previous moment in history. And his erroneous comparison may actually retard efforts to combat the very serious problem which he raises.

The real challenge is to distinguish between then and now so that we can appropriately smoke out those who are the problem and combat them effectively. That will require more discipline than either side seems willing to demonstrate.
Those most urgently and properly attuned to rising Jew-hatred in Europe must acknowledge that “then” is not now. The Jewish people today, possess greater freedom, power and security than at any time in our history. To forget or deny that fact denigrates the enormous success represented by the existence of the State of Israel and the conditions under which we live in most of the world. While it’s not always great, and America is genuinely better than any other country on this front, Europe today is a hell of lot safer for Jews than it was for Jews 50 or 150 years ago.
Failing to acknowledge our relative strength and power makes it all the easier for critics to brand us as insensitive and unwilling to play any role other than victim.

To the extent that they are correct, we diminish our own moral authority to call them out as victimizers and haters. And, like the Boy Who Cried Wolf, by calling all critics haters, we reduce an important category to an empty complaint. For example, as even Mr. MacShane points out, “Criticism of Israel is not anti-Semitic”.

But phrases like “kill the Jews”, “it was a good idea to use gas”, and “don’t buy from Jews”, certainly are. And no amount of anti-Israel sentiment, no matter how justified it may be in the minds of those who hold it, explains away language from Nazi Germany or medieval Europe. If it sounds like a Nazi or like a 14th century crusader, then it’s appropriate to be concerned. And anyone who isn’t, actually abets the problem. That combined with the fact that a huge percentage of the rising attacks on Jews in Europe are traceable to Islamist organizations is the real problem. And that’s what critics of Israel need to address.
While not all criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic, a great deal of anti-Semitism passes itself off as critique of Israel. And for anyone, Jewish or not, in Europe or anywhere else in the world, not to fight that trend is a terrible mistake. Not for the sake of Jews, but for the sake of humanity. This is not a Jewish thing, it’s a human thing. When racial and ethnic hatred can take cover behind political critique, no people is safe.
Now is the time to act, but we need to act in light of the real strengths and weaknesses found on both sides of this debate. When we do so, new alliances will be created which address all forms of racial and ethnic hatred against all people, and rob the haters of the political cover they seek to hide the true nature of their hatred.