Where does legitimate criticism of Israeli government policy end and anti-Semitism begin? There?s always been sharp disagreement in Israel over where to draw the line, but the debate assumed greater urgency in recent weeks. First, the Malaysian Prime Minister claimed Jews dominate the world, to the applause of Muslim heads of state. Next, a poll found 59 per cent of Europeans consider Israel a threat to peace, ahead of rogue nations such as North Korea. And last week, Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, in condemning Israeli actions in the West Bank and Gaza, called Israel ?the root of evil.?

Deadly bombing attacks on two synagogues in Turkey on Saturday, apparently by Islamic militants, deepened the sense here that Jews are increasingly at risk. Israeli officials and media reports linked those attacks to what they see as a tide of anti-Semitism, and the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister are flying to Europe this week to raise their concerns. The issue will top the agenda of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon?s meeting with his Italian counterpart. ?In some quarters in Europe, we are witnessing a vilifying wave of anti-Semitism, coupled with hatred and incitement against Israel,? said Sharon adviser Raanan Gissin. ?Because it is not politically correct to say you hate Jews, you say you hate Israel.?

But some critics of the hardline Sharon government, which has ordered tough measures against the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza during three years of fighting, say its representatives and supporters are trying to duck legitimate criticism of Israel by branding it as evidence of anti-Semitism.

?We are not the victims anymore. We are conducting a very oppressive policy in the territories, and the world doesn?t like it,? said Tom Segev, an Israeli author who has written extensively on the Holocaust. ?You have a new generation in Europe that is less afraid today to voice criticism of Israel.?

Opposition to the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip is widespread in Europe. Some analysts say Europeans are trying to atone for their own past oppression of colonized peoples. Nazi hunter Ephraim Zuroff said that as part of a pro-Palestinian bias, Europe has judged Israel by a higher standard than other countries, including Arab dictatorships.

?Part of this is a desire of Europeans to finally free themselves of the guilt of the Holocaust. That?s why they are making this comparison, of Israel as the new Nazis,? he said. A report by Tel Aviv University said the number of violent anti-Semitic incidents worldwide increased sharply from 228 in 2001 to 311 a year later ? of those a majority in Western Europe. While before the outbreak of Israeli-Palestinian fighting, most attacks were directed at synagogues, the last three years have seen a sharp increase of physical attacks on Jews, from 57 in 2001 to 112 in 2002.