Giles Fraser refers to Jews as a race and refers to Israel as a country predicated on race (In America and Israel, the outer fringe shifts ever inward, 18 August). Both claims are wrong. There are Argentinian Jews, Brazilian Jews, Ethiopian Jews, Indian Jews, Iraqi Jews, Irish Jews, Mexican Jews, Korean Jews, American Jews, British Jews, Turkish Jews, and Jews of myriad ethnicities, colours, nationalities and backgrounds from Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Similarly, there are Israelis of all these backgrounds and many others.
It is unfortunate that despite being aware of increasing anti-Jewish racism, Fraser has mischaracterised both Jews and Israelis in ways that essentialise them and potentially contribute to prejudice and discrimination.
Noam Schimmel
Visiting fellow, Kellogg College, Oxford
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