Farid Hourani's op-ed crosses the line from legitimate criticism of Israel to an offensive attack on Jews ("Suggestions on resolving daunting Middle East quagmire," August 10).

Hourani denigrates Jews by accusing them of using anti-Semitism in their efforts to support Israel. Certainly, Israel can be legitimately criticized - as can any country in the world. However, it is undeniable that some people with animosity towards Jews couch their anti-Semitism through excessive and disproportionate criticism of Israel. Indeed, Hourani's accusation of the "fanatic and militant tribal Jews" using anti-Semitism as a ploy to intimidate individuals or groups is reminiscent of age-old anti-Jewish conspiracy theories of alleged Jewish control over governments, the media, etc.

Furthermore, Hourani's attempt to dismiss the term anti-Semitism altogether on the basis of it being a so-called misnomer does not erase the phenomenon and its history. The use of "anti-Semitism" specifically to denote opposition and antagonism to Jews was coined by the anti-Jewish German journalist Wilhelm Marr in his 1879 work The Victory of Judaism over Germanism, a best-seller that helped push "the Jewish question" to the center of German politics. It has never been used to refer to anything other than the hatred of Jews.

Clearly, this op-ed is not merely offering a different viewpoint on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is surprising that the Pocono Record editorial board would give a voice to such a blatantly offensive column.