US UN Ambassador says key to combating antisemitism is not blaming Jews for Israel

At a conference on antisemitism held at the UN on September 7, 2016, US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power argued that antisemitism can be countered by noting that Jews are not "responsible" for Israel. The conference was co-sponsored by Israel, the US, the EU, and Canada, and was not sponsored by the UN itself. In the words of Ambassador Power:

"Now, we must be careful not to label or conflate legitimate criticism of Israel as antisemitic, as such unfounded accusations may chill speech, unfairly marginalize those with distinct points of view, and, paradoxically, distract from the much needed efforts to combat such hatred. At the same time, governments and civil society groups – including those that may be critical of Israel's policies – have a responsibility to swiftly and unequivocally condemn instances in which such criticism crosses over into attacks on the Jewish people, or if it tries to hold all Jews responsible for the policies of the State of Israel."