Weaponising anti-Semitism: MEMO in Conversation with Rachel Shabi

 Accusations of anti-Semitism have shaped the way governments and institutions respond to Israel’s actions over the past 15 months, but this not only limits open discussion, but also hurts the Jewish community, the journalist and author says.

In this episode of MEMO in Conversation, Rachel Shabi joins us to discuss her latest book 'Off-White: The Truth About Antisemitism' . Shabi, a British journalist and commentator, examines how anti-Semitism has been politically weaponised, often used to silence criticism of Israel and suppress Palestinian advocacy. She explains why discussions about anti-Semitism have become so divisive, making it harder to confront real threats against Jews while allowing bad-faith actors to manipulate the issue.

With the war in Gaza ongoing, Shabi reflects on how accusations of anti-Semitism have shaped the way governments and institutions respond to Israel’s actions. She also draws on her own experience as an Iraqi Jew, discussing the erasure of Arab Jewish identity and how Zionism placed Jewish identity within a Western framework, often sidelining Jews from the Middle East and North Africa.
The conversation also explores how Jewish communities in Europe and North America were “absorbed into whiteness” after the Holocaust, affecting both Jewish identity and the way anti-Semitism is understood today. Shabi explains why the fight against anti-Semitism is now more closely linked to right-wing politics, while progressive movements, traditionally the vanguard in the fight against racism, face accusations of anti-Semitism. She also critiques the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism and the “new anti-Semitism” narrative, questioning how these frameworks limit open discussion, particularly on Israel-Palestine.

Finally, we discuss the contradictory relationship between the far-right and Zionism, where nationalist movements that have long promoted anti-Semitic ideas now claim to be pro-Israel. Shabi looks at how the idea of a Judeo-Christian civilisation is used to include Jews in Western identity while excluding Muslims and other minorities. .

Shabi is also the author of 'Not the Enemy – Israel’s Jews from Arab Lands' and writes for the Guardian newspaper.