I wanted to set the record straight about something very important to me: Despite what many of my Jewish compatriots would have you believe, rational criticism of Israel’s policies and government is not a demonstration of, nor is it equivalent to antisemitism.

If that were true, than I, a Jewish person nonetheless, would be guilty of discriminating against my own people when, for example, condemning the expansion of settlements in the occupied territories—all the while having said nothing ill of Jews in any way during the process.

I suppose for some it’s impossible to believe that criticism of Israel could be seeded in genuine concern for the peace and security of the Middle East rather than irrational prejudice against a particular religious group.