Perhaps the most contested form of contemporary antisemitism is in relation to Israel and Zionism. Zionism was a political movement formalised in the nineteenth century, based on the belief that the Jewish people should have the collective right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland.

For most Jews, Israel is an important part of how they understand and express their Jewish identity. Identifying as a Zionist says nothing of an individual’s political outlook, whether they support the Israeli government, its policies or its actions, or about their views on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The ‘Zionism’ depicted and denounced by anti-Zionism, by contrast, is a totalitarian ideology equivalent to racism, Nazism, colonialism, or apartheid. This framework, rooted in post-war Soviet antisemitism, presents Israel as a uniquely illegitimate, racist, colonizing entity whose existence is portrayed as morally and fundamentally problematic. Criticism of Israel is not in and of itself antisemitic. Nor can all anti-Israel activity be defined as antisemitic.

Like any other state, Israel should be subject to scrutiny and criticism in relation to international law and will at times face criticism that is inaccurate or unfair. However, what is antisemitic is the idea that there is something uniquely illegitimate and immoral about Israel’s existence. Contemporary antisemitism also often occurs in the context of or alongside extreme feelings of Israel and Palestine, and hostility toward Israel is often expressed through or motivated by anti-Jewish rhetoric, stereotypes and conspiracy theories. (1)

The Community Security Trust (CST) has recorded an increase in antisemitic incidents in the UK each time there is an escalation in tensions or war in the Middle East. Since the Hamas terror attacks of 7 October 2023, this form of antisemitism is also the one most likely to lead to Jews being shunned, boycotted, attacked and even murdered. (2)

The resources in this section examine where and when anti-Zionism overlaps with antisemitism, how these dynamics operate in different contexts, and how to distinguish legitimate criticism of Israel from antisemitism.

1. Community Security Trust (CST) (2025) Antisemitic Incidents Report January–June 2025. London: Community Security Trust. Available here (Accessed: 4 February 2026)
2. Rich, D. (2023 [2019]) Everyday hate: how antisemitism is built into our world. London: Biteback Publishing.