One of the myths about contemporary anti-Semitism is that there is a clear line dividing it from obsessive hatred of Israel; another is that it is not uncommon for today’s anti-Semites to support the Jewish state. But C.R. Rublin’s systematic study of anti-Israel Facebook groups shows a very different picture. Examining groups with such names as “Boycott Israel,” “BDS First,” and “Stand with Palestine”—with memberships ranging from 2,000 to 60,000—over the past three years, Rublin finds regular and frequent contributors who are self-identified neo-Nazis or white supremacists posting the most blatant and obscene anti-Semitic material:

The anti-Jewish incitement in these posts includes support for Nazi ideology, expressions of racial hatred, demonization of Jews (and specifically American Jews), conspiracy theories regarding Jewish plans to take control of the world and destroy Western moral values, and calls to action against Jews. . . . It is noteworthy that these posters are also generally against vaccinations, believe in various other conspiracy theories—primarily concerning 9/11 and “chemtrails”—and also deny the Holocaust. . . . [These] members of BDS and pro-Palestinian groups frequently demonize Jews, drawing on historical Christian anti-Semitic myths, Nazi-era propaganda, and more. . . .

On February 12, 2019, Rob Canery, [for instance], commented on a post in the “Boycott Israel . . . Support BDS” with regard to President Trump’s criticism of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar for her remarks about AIPAC: “He bows to the hebes!” In a comment on another post on the same topic, he wrote of Trump: “Joo puppet!” In the same group, he commented on a February 4, 2019 post about the Israel’s prime minister’s spouse Sara Netanyahu: “Inferior, ugly race!” . . .

Many neo-Nazi and white-supremacist members of BDS and pro-Palestinian groups express sympathy for and affinity with Nazi Germany and Hitler. . . . They see the plight of the Palestinians at the hands of Israelis as similar to the plight of the Germans at the hands of the Jews prior to World War II. The Jews, they claim, instigated World War II and the Germans fought a defensive war against the Jews, while the Palestinians are defending themselves against Israel. [Moreover], Holocaust denial is an accepted truth among virtually all members of these groups; they frequently use the term “Holohoax.” . . .

It is common for users in pro-Palestinian groups to compare Israel and Zionist behavior with the Nazi regime and Holocaust; many times neo-Nazi and white-supremacist members offended by this comparison will come to the defense of the Nazi regime. Several of these group members claim German ancestry, and their personal pages reference this heritage and feature photos of visits to Germany. . . .

Notably, administrators of these Facebook groups have not banned the users.

On Tuesday, a Hizballah drone attack injured three people in northern Israel. The next day, another attack, targeting an IDF base, injured eighteen people, six of them seriously, in Arab al-Amshe, also in the north. This second attack involved the simultaneous use of drones carrying explosives and guided antitank missiles. In both cases, the defensive systems that performed so successfully last weekend failed to stop the drones and missiles. Ron Ben-Yishai has a straightforward explanation as to why: the Lebanon-backed terrorist group is getting better at evading Israel defenses. He explains the three basis systems used to pilot these unmanned aircraft, and their practical effects:

These systems allow drones to act similarly to fighter jets, using “dead zones”—areas not visible to radar or other optical detection—to approach targets. They fly low initially, then ascend just before crashing and detonating on the target. The terrain of southern Lebanon is particularly conducive to such attacks.

But this requires skills that the terror group has honed over months of fighting against Israel. The latest attacks involved a large drone capable of carrying over 50 kg (110 lbs.) of explosives. The terrorists have likely analyzed Israel’s alert and interception systems, recognizing that shooting down their drones requires early detection to allow sufficient time for launching interceptors.

The IDF tries to detect any incoming drones on its radar, as it had done prior to the war. Despite Hizballah’s learning curve, the IDF’s technological edge offers an advantage. However, the military must recognize that any measure it takes is quickly observed and analyzed, and even the most effective defenses can be incomplete. The terrain near the Lebanon-Israel border continues to pose a challenge, necessitating technological solutions and significant financial investment.