What happens, as you said so eloquently, is that when one criticizes a sovereign, secular state such as Israel which has a state religion, poorly educated people confuse the criticism of the state with criticizing the religion.

(Doesn't matter how much school one has had, when the distinction with a nation and a religion cannot be made, education has failed.)

One of the regulars on this board is adamant about that - criticizing Israeli foreign policy is anti-Semiticism!! Period!! Sad.

Israel plays that card well. And often. And uses it to censor the news coverage available to the American public. That is the difference between the US and Europe. Both areas have similar people, similar values, the same basic sense of decency.

It's just that in the US the news coverage is biased. Don't get the entire picture, and haven't for over 50 years.

Arf