“Anti-Zionist” vs “Anti-Semitic”…trying to understand the difference between the two as used online

Hey everyone - so I apologize in advance if this isn’t the most eloquently stated question…but I’m not always the best with words. I also don’t tend to post questions about politics all that often because I’m generally more content to lurk (and occasionally post - but honestly not all that often).

I’ll start out by saying I’m a center-left American Jew. I’m secular…so while I celebrate Jewish holidays (primarily Hanukkah because latkes are awesome) I’m more or less completely non-religious.

I’ve been on Reddit for quite a while - but it was mainly my way of coping with (what I considered to be) the disaster of Trump’s presidency.

However after Oct 7 a lot has changed in here (here being the more “left” spaces on Reddit).

I’m all aboard the “Netanyahu is a monster” train and (being Jewish) I have an interest in a far more moderate government in Israel.

I don’t conflate criticism of Israel with anti-semitism in any way, shape, or form. Lord knows that’s a very imperfect country (granted America isn’t exactly perfect either). But the criticism of Israel has changed.

More and more in left spaces I’m seeing “Zionists control the media. Zionists control the banks. Zionists control our country”…and on and on. You get what I’m saying.

It seems to me that “Zionist” has become a “catch-all” phrase for “Jews”. I’m constantly seeing the old anti-Semitic phrases used to criticize Jews but with the word “Zionist” being a more socially acceptable fill-in for that.

Anyone who supports Israel’s right to merely exist (not their current military operation but merely existing) is called a colonizer/genocide supporter. The phrase “Zionazi” seems to get thrown around a lot.

I would have also asked this on the leftist sub…but I’ll be honest I’m afraid of what the answers would be.

This sub is far more reasonable so I felt comfortable asking here.

So I’m curious as to your thoughts on this?

As for me - as a secular American who happens to be Jewish…makes me feel pretty damn nervous. My dad, who’s about as anti-gun as you can get, recently asked if I would be willing to teach him how to shoot a gun and maybe help him pick one for his home.

When Trump told the proud boys to “stand back and stand by” that really upset him. But even that wasn’t enough to make him want to buy a firearm. But what’s been coming out of the left (and he and my mom are pretty far to the left of me) has him scared enough that he’s now considering buying a gun.

I’ll be honest - my dad asking me that rips my heart out.