Quick Answer

The political left’s relationship with Israel shifted dramatically over the second half of the twentieth century: from broad sympathy for a small socialist democratic state to, for large parts of the global left, treating Israel as a colonial oppressor. Historians trace this realignment to the 1967 Six-Day War, Soviet anti-Zionist propaganda, the rise of anti-colonial theory, and the identity politics frameworks that reposition Jews as privileged rather than vulnerable. John Ward’s The History of Left-Wing Antisemitism: How Progressive Ideology Turned on the Jews, from Marx to October 7 offers the broadest single-volume account of this transformation, alongside more focused studies from Robert Wistrich, David Hirsh, Denis MacShane, and Dara Horn.

Key takeaways:

• Before 1967, much of the Western left viewed Israel sympathetically because of its socialist institutions, kibbutzim, and labor politics.
• After the Six-Day War, large parts of the global left gradually repositioned Israel from oppressed underdog to colonial oppressor.
• Historians point to Soviet anti-Zionist propaganda, anti-colonial ideology, and identity politics frameworks as major drivers of this shift.
• October 7 accelerated and exposed tensions that had been building for decades, prompting renewed interest in this history.
• Scholars generally distinguish between criticism of Israeli policy, anti-Zionism, and antisemitism, while debating where those categories overlap.

For decades after the Holocaust, much of the Western left viewed Israel sympathetically: a small democratic state founded by refugees, shaped by socialist institutions, labor politics, and collective agriculture. Israel’s kibbutzim, trade unions, and social-democratic culture often aligned naturally with progressive political ideals.

Then something changed.

After the Six-Day War of 1967, large parts of the global left gradually repositioned Israel from oppressed underdog to colonial oppressor. Over time, anti-Zionism became central to many activist movements, academic theories, and progressive political coalitions.

After October 7, that transformation became impossible for many Jews to ignore.

The books below help explain how and why that political realignment happened: historically, ideologically, and culturally.

Book Comparison at a Glance

Book	Author	Focus	Best For
The History of Left-Wing Antisemitism	John Ward	Two centuries of ideological history, from Marx to October 7	Readers wanting a comprehensive historical explanation
The Left Against Zion	Robert S. Wistrich	The left’s ideological break with Israel after 1967	Readers interested in ideological and political history
Contemporary Left Antisemitism	David Hirsh	Campus and coalition politics, rhetorical patterns	Readers interested in political sociology and activism
Israelophobia	Denis MacShane	European intellectual and activist culture	Readers focused on European political culture
People Love Dead Jews	Dara Horn	Cultural and emotional dimensions of Jewish alienation	Readers seeking cultural and emotional insight

1. The History of Left-Wing Antisemitism by John Ward

John Ward’s The History of Left-Wing Antisemitism provides one of the broadest historical explanations for why major segments of the political left gradually turned against Israel.

Rather than treating anti-Zionism as a recent phenomenon, Ward traces its deeper ideological roots through nineteenth-century socialist hostility toward Jews and capitalism, Marx’s On the Jewish Question, Stalinist anti-cosmopolitan campaigns, Soviet anti-Zionist propaganda, post-1967 New Left ideology, anti-colonial theory, and modern identity politics.

A major focus of the book is the Soviet Union’s role in transforming anti-Jewish narratives into anti-colonial and anti-racist political language after World War II. Soviet propaganda increasingly portrayed Zionism as racist, colonial, imperialist, fascist, and globally manipulative.

Ward argues these ideological frameworks later migrated into Western universities, activist organizations, media discourse, NGOs, and progressive political movements.

The book also examines the Six-Day War as a turning point, the repositioning of Jews within identity politics, campus activism after October 7, and the growing rupture between Jewish communities and progressive institutions.

Unlike purely polemical works, Ward carefully distinguishes between criticism of Israeli policy, anti-Zionism, and antisemitism, while exploring where those categories begin to overlap historically and politically.

Best for: readers seeking a comprehensive historical explanation for the political left’s changing relationship with Israel and Zionism.

Buy on Amazon: The History of Left-Wing Antisemitism by John Ward.

2. The Left Against Zion by Robert S. Wistrich

Robert Wistrich’s classic study remains one of the single most important books explaining the left’s ideological break with Israel after 1967.

Wistrich traces how Soviet anti-Israel propaganda, anti-colonial revolutionary politics, and New Left ideology combined to transform Israel into a symbolic representation of racism, imperialism, and colonialism within progressive political culture.

The book is essential for understanding how anti-Zionism became embedded inside activist and academic discourse.

Best for: readers interested in ideological and political history.

3. Contemporary Left Antisemitism by David Hirsh

David Hirsh examines how modern activist and progressive political movements often struggle to recognize antisemitism when it appears inside anti-Zionist rhetoric.

The book explores identity politics, campus activism, coalition politics, rhetorical double standards, and political denial surrounding antisemitism accusations.

Hirsh became especially influential during Britain’s Labour Party antisemitism controversies.

Best for: readers interested in political sociology and modern activism.

4. Israelophobia by Denis MacShane

Former British politician Denis MacShane examines how anti-Israel politics increasingly absorbed older antisemitic themes inside European intellectual and activist culture.

The book explores conspiracy rhetoric, anti-globalist narratives, anti-Zionist ideology, and portrayals of Israel as uniquely illegitimate.

MacShane argues that anti-Zionism frequently became the socially acceptable language through which anti-Jewish hostility survived after World War II.

Best for: readers focused on European political culture.

5. People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn

Dara Horn’s bestselling essays offer a more cultural and emotional explanation for the left’s changing relationship with Jews and Israel.

Horn argues that many institutions enthusiastically memorialize dead Jews while reacting uneasily toward living Jewish identity, Jewish self-defense, Zionism, and Jewish political particularism.

The book became enormously influential after October 7 because it captured a growing sense of Jewish alienation within elite institutions and progressive political spaces.

Best for: readers seeking cultural and emotional insight.

The Six-Day War Changed Israel’s Image

Before 1967, Israel was often viewed as vulnerable and socialist. After its rapid military victory, many left-wing movements increasingly reinterpreted Israel as militarily dominant, Western-aligned, colonial, and racially privileged.

This transformation became foundational to modern anti-Zionist politics.

Soviet Propaganda Reshaped Political Language

The Soviet Union played a major role in reframing Zionism as racism, colonialism, imperialism, and global conspiracy.

Many historians argue this propaganda heavily influenced activist and academic discourse throughout the West.

Anti-Colonial Ideology Repositioned Jews

As anti-colonial politics became central to progressive identity, Jews were increasingly repositioned from vulnerable minority to symbols of whiteness, privilege, and structural power.

This shift fundamentally altered how many activist movements interpreted Zionism and Jewish nationalism.

Identity Politics Changed Coalition Dynamics

Modern identity frameworks often categorize groups according to hierarchies of oppression and privilege.

Many Jewish communities found themselves increasingly excluded from progressive coalition structures after being perceived as successful, white-adjacent, Western, or institutionally powerful.

October 7 Accelerated Existing Tensions

The reactions to October 7 exposed political and cultural tensions that had been developing for decades.

For many Jews, the speed with which anti-Israel activism intensified, hostage posters were removed, campus demonstrations emerged, and anti-Zionist rhetoric escalated felt less like a sudden rupture and more like the unveiling of long-standing ideological patterns.

Want the full historical picture? If you’re looking for a single-volume history connecting Marxism, Soviet anti-Zionism, anti-colonial ideology, identity politics, campus activism, and the aftermath of October 7, John Ward’s The History of Left-Wing Antisemitism provides a comprehensive historical examination of how the political left’s relationship with Jews and Israel evolved across two centuries.

Final Thoughts

The political left did not turn against Israel overnight.

The transformation unfolded gradually, through Soviet propaganda, anti-colonial politics, post-1967 ideological realignment, activist culture, identity frameworks, and changing narratives surrounding Jewish power and nationalism.

The books on this list approach the question from different angles: historical, sociological, ideological, and cultural. Together, they provide some of the clearest explanations for one of the defining political realignments shaping Jewish and progressive politics after October 7.

Buy on Amazon: The History of Left-Wing Antisemitism by John Ward.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best books explaining why the left turned against Israel?
Some of the best books include The History of Left-Wing Antisemitism by John Ward, The Left Against Zion by Robert Wistrich, Contemporary Left Antisemitism by David Hirsh, Israelophobia by Denis MacShane, and People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn. These books examine Soviet propaganda, anti-colonial ideology, anti-Zionism, identity politics, and campus activism.

Why did progressive movements become anti-Zionist?
Many historians point to several major factors: the Six-Day War, Soviet anti-Zionist propaganda, anti-colonial political theory, identity politics, and the repositioning of Jews within progressive oppression frameworks. These developments gradually transformed Israel from a perceived underdog into a symbol of colonialism and structural power within parts of the political left.

Did Soviet propaganda influence modern anti-Zionism?
Yes. Many historians argue Soviet anti-Zionist campaigns heavily influenced modern anti-Israel political language. Books such as The Left Against Zion and The History of Left-Wing Antisemitism trace how Soviet propaganda reframed antisemitic themes into anti-colonial and anti-racist ideological language.

Is criticism of Israel the same as antisemitism?
No. Many scholars distinguish between criticism of Israeli policies and antisemitism. However, critics argue anti-Zionism becomes antisemitic when Jewish self-determination is uniquely denied, Israel is treated by radically different standards, or traditional antisemitic stereotypes are redirected toward Zionists. This distinction itself remains debated among historians and political scientists.

Why are these books popular after October 7?
After October 7, many readers began reassessing anti-Israel activism, progressive political coalitions, campus protests, identity politics, and the historical relationship between the political left and Zionism. These books gained renewed relevance because they provide historical context for those political and cultural shifts.

Where can I buy The History of Left-Wing Antisemitism?
You can find it on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GZHZ1P9Y.