To the editor:

In her misguided commentary ("Anti-Zionists Thrive in Israel, Why Not in the U.S.?"), Lisa Goldman confuses legitimate criticism with defamation and demonization and confuses non-Zionism with anti-Zionism.

When it comes to anti-Zionism, it's possible to be an anti-Zionist without being anti-Semitic if one opposes all nationalisms. However, that's extremely rare. It's almost impossible to find someone opposing the national liberation movement of the Jewish people who doesn't support other national movements, such as that of the Palestinian Arabs. Singling out the Jewish people as singularly unworthy of sovereignty is anti-Semitic and almost all anti-Zionists fall into that category.

Hence, theoretically there is a distinction between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism, but in practical terms it doesn't make much difference.

Sincerely,

Alan Stein