The new anti-Semitism

There is no doubt that Orange Chairman and CEO St phane Richard's meant every word in the statements he made last week in Cairo regarding Orange's intentions to withdraw from Israel in the future.

His following statements, à la "I love you, Israel," were forced on him due to the angry backlash received at Orange's offices.

Those furious responses forced Richard to frenetically shift back and forth from the Israeli embassy in Paris and the media and provide conciliatory explanations that he did not mean what he said and was misunderstood, but mainly that Orange plans to continue its business ties in Israel (if that is indeed what he means). So, what is next-

The natural and justified inclination is to tell Richard that his apology is not convincing and that he should try harder, but it would be best to just tell him, in a cool and collected manner and with aloof politeness: "Thank you, we'll talk to you soon," because the fight has moved from a matter of principle to a fight about image.

Orange's quick contrition would have all the other big companies interpret it as a great achievement for Israel as well as a warning to those considering devious actions against the Jewish state. However, the more Israel continues to harp on that crisis, the more its achievement -- successful by all accounts -- would seem dull and difficult to exercise.

This episode does not in the slightest remove the need to struggle against anti-Semites who wish to impose on Israel financial "strangulation" -- a term used by former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in reference to the OPEC oil embargo.

Anti-Israeli actions, such as issuing a U.N. report that would compare Israel to the most horrific terror organizations when it comes to violating children's rights, were meant to do exactly that, and it is profoundly malicious.

This is the face of the new anti-Semitism and it is impossible to obscure. They seek to tighten the financial noose around Israel's neck and the Jewish people -- not only Israel -- must respond forcefully.

In an interview with Jewish-American billionaires Sheldon Adelson and Haim Saban, the latter of whom had been a direct victim of Orange's stunt, Channel 2 presenter Dana Weiss was wondering whether this was not anti-Semitism, but simply disapproval of the Israeli government's policy.

Adelson and Saban, split on almost every subject from Israel to the U.S., joined hands and rebuffed any such claim. The boycott is not the result of settlement denunciation, but a refusal to accept the Jewish state's right to exist, they said.

This has nothing to do with the argument of whether the Israeli government is doing enough to preserve the country's international position. No, it does not and may lose the support of millions as a result. On that, the world can disagree with the Israeli government in any arena, but the issue of delegitimization of Israel, which aims to wipe it from the face of the earth, is off limits.

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