This thoughtful and rather comprehensive book got me to come up with my own definition of anti-Semitism:

Anti-Semitism is participation in a gratuitous war against the Jews.

I know that most folks may disagree with this definition. But I feel it removes some of the mysteriousness from this phenomenon, reducing it to a special case of war in general, an easier topic for many of us to relate to than, say, "hatred." I would call the mass murderers of Jews in World War Two "anti-Semites" whether they hated Jews or not. My definition also makes it easier to characterize acts (including slander) as anti-Semitic when they clearly contribute to such a war against the Jews (even if the perpetrators deny any intent to oppose all Jews). It means that wars against Israel's existence or against the existence of Judaism are anti-Semitic. It means that the wholehearted and gratuitous support that Mahatma Gandhi gave to the enemies of the Jews in the 1930s was anti-Semitic. And it means that mere constructive criticism of Jews, Jewish behavior, Judaism, Israel, the Hebrew language, or Zionist behavior is not anti-Semitic. There is surely a line between constructive criticism and acts of war.

My inclusion of the word "gratuitous" avoids issues of whether justified wars (or wars of self-defense) against the Jews are necessarily anti-Semitic. They aren't. A gratuitous war is by definition not truly one of self-defense. And the morality of such a war is (again by definition) very dubious at best.

The wars against the Jews for the past one (or two) thousand years appear to have been almost entirely gratuitous, so we need to ask ourselves about the persistence of such counterproductive fights. Now, what does Walter Laqueur tell us about this phenomenon?

Laqueur is one of "the last surviving members of a generation that lived through" European anti-Semitism "in its most extreme form." That is why, having lost his parents and family in this period, it is no surprise that he does not treat anti-Semitism as a laughing matter (as opposed to Canadian professor Michael Neumann, who Laqueur says has argued that where anti-Semitism exists, "it ought to be treated as a huge joke" or Mikis Theodorakis, who has said both that there really isn't any anti-Semitism and that the Jews are "the root of all evil"). Again, not surprisingly, Laqueur is "unlikely to overreact, crying `wolf' at the appearance of every mouse or mosquito."

There is plenty of good material in this book. We see how in the 1930s, Jews were told to move to Jerusalem; now they are told to move out of Jerusalem. We see so-called liberals saying that Jews would be tolerated only if they ceased to be Jews (notice that by my definition, that is pure anti-Semitism).

We learn about the remarkably vicious anti-Semitism of Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Augustine, and Martin Luther. Of the three, Augustine was the most moderate, but not by much, as Laqueur does mention that even Augustine explicitly wished that all the Jews be put to death by the sword. We see all sorts of preposterous conspiracy theories, such as an alliance of the Jews and Freemasons. We see anti-Semites declare that Jesus Christ could not have been Jewish (as a Pagan, I've also seen anti-Semites refuse to have anything to do with Christianity because Jesus was Jewish). We also learn about blood libels, the "Protocols," and the misuse of the Talmud to slander Judaism.

We learn a number of aspects in which the treatment of Jews during World War Two was qualitatively different (and worse) than even the simultaneous treatment of Gypsies, homosexuals, Slavs, Jehovah's Witnesses, or Communists.

We then get to anti-Semitism on the Left. That includes Holocaust denial (an automatic idea, given that if anti-Semitism can lead naturally to such consequences, most folks would not want to be part of an anti-Semitic movement). And we see some Arab Muslims argue simultaneously both that the Holocaust never took place and that it was justified. We see claims that the Jews are obviously trying to take over the world, even though if they are, it is strange that they are starting with a small region (the Levant) which has no natural resources (and which they could simply buy with no trouble were they permitted to bid for it at an open auction).

We see those on the so-called extreme left claim that all nations have a right to a state except for the Jews. To Laqueur's credit, he admits that it may be unreasonable to call such people (especially if they are pro-terrorist) members of the "left." I certainly think of such attitudes as a defining aspect of the anti-Semitic right wing. And that is all the more true for those who are against rights for women or homosexuals. As Laqueur says, this "New Left" closely resembles a medieval church.

Laqueur tells us about theories that Jewish "self-hatred" is an unusual and significant phenomenon. Laqueur doesn't buy it, and I agree with Laqueur here. He also strongly implies that if there were fifty million more Jews in Israel (with Israel correspondingly larger), the attacks on Israel would greatly diminish. That sounds quite plausible. On the other hand, he indicates that even though there is plenty of anti-Semitism in the absence of Jews (he cites Pakistan as one example), anti-Semitism would greatly diminish if there were no Jews. That may seem obvious, but my feeling is that since the attacks on Jews are gratuitous in the first place, the war would simply continue unabated against other victims.

As Laqueur relates, Sheik Qaradhawi says "that `there is no dialogue between us and the Jews except for the sword and rifle.'" I think that makes it clear that the failure here is on the part of the anti-Semites, and that whatever happens to the Jews, the anti-Semites will lose.

I disagree with much of Laqueur's politics, but I highly recommend this book.

"Walter Laqueur provides us with powerful new insights into an age-old problem. Distinguished scholarship and an authoritative moral voice are the hallmarks of this important book. Anyone wanting to understand the history and persistence of anti-Jewish hatred should read it." -- Abraham H. Foxman, National Director, Anti-Defamation League and author of Never Again?: The Threat of the New Anti-Semitism

"Once more, Walter Laqueur has brought his formidable learning, incisive style, and sheer brilliance in writing concise and yet gripping history to a subject matter of extraordinary complexity. The result is vintage Laqueur and an extremely valuable contribution to the subject of the history of antisemitism." -- Michael Stanislawski, Nathan J. Miller Professor of Jewish History, Columbia University

"Walter Laqueur has written a thoughtful book about a difficult subject, bringing history and his own keen analytical skill together in a new way. Engagingly written, it offers both an overview of the past and an analysis of the 'new antisemitism.' He treats antisemitism sympathetically, even as he largely avoids the apologetics that characterize so much writing on the subject." -- Mark R. Cohen, author of Under Crescent and Cross: The Jews in the Middle Ages

"A remarkable and eminently readable review of antisemitism throughout history from the persecution of the early Israelites in Egypt to the recent attacks on Jewish targets in twenty-first century Europe. Laqueur describes with skill and precision antisemitism's context in every era--be it economic, religious, social, or political." -- Rabbi Andrew Baker, Director of International Jewish Affairs, The American Jewish Committee

"A brilliant, lucid and compelling survey of a social, psychological, cultural, political and intellectual malady that has preoccupied and distorted European and Arab societies, Christian and Muslim civilizations, and both the political right and the political left. In this short volume, Laqueur provides an elegant, fast-paced and immensely readable account of a complex, confounding and still-mutating condition that continues to afflict our world. This book is a vital contribution to our understanding of an important and disturbing dimension of our past--and, as Laqueur so incisively shows, of our present and our future. There is no other book like it." -- Walter Reich, Yitzhak Rabin Memorial Professor of International Affairs, George Washington University