ByCHRIS SMITH

The explosion of antisemitism in the United States and worldwide must be exposed and rigorously combated.

Two decades ago, the great Jewish human rights leader and former political prisoner in the Soviet Union Natan Sharansky testified at one of my congressional hearings on combating antisemitism and said, “There are two important components in this new phenomenon of antisemitism. One is using an anti-Israeli campaign for strengthening antisemitism and the other is classical antisemitism – the old, deep, primitive prejudices against Jews…”

Sharansky proposed a simple formula for exposing antisemitism masquerading as mere policy differences with the nation of Israel and called it the 3D test: demonization, double standard and delegitimization. All three manifestations of antisemitic hate are on full display today as violence against Jews erupts on America’s streets and throughout the world.

The unprovoked massive Hamas missile attack on Israeli civilians last month was an act of extremist terrorism and the loss of Israeli lives was only mitigated by the Iron Dome missile defense system and a justified counterattack by Israeli defense forces. Israel – like every other nation on earth – will never allow its people and cities to be destroyed by thousands of missiles without deploying whatever it takes to stop the violence.

Antisemitism in the United States – which had already been worsening according to the FBI (more than 60% of all anti-religious hate crimes in the US are directed against Jews) – is now exploding as never before.

People of conscience must stand in solidarity with our Jewish brothers and sisters against this rising tide of hate.

Our words and deeds must be clear and bold. We must absolutely reject antisemitism in all of its ugly forms.

A Republican from New Jersey, Congressman Chris Smith is the most senior member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and co-chair of the House Bipartisan Task Force on Combating Antisemitism.