Our friend asked:

Does antisemitism also include the hatred of other semitic peoples and not just jews? Who is Semitic?

Rabbi Ari Shvat answered:

This is a question for English linguists or historians and not for rabbis, for there is no holiness nor inherent essence in a word outside of Hebrew. Accordingly and logically, this English word is generally used for Jew-hatred (which unfortunately is historically the most common, universal and extreme) so that’s usually the agreed usage. Ironically, the most common form of anti-Semitism today throughout the world, is when Islamic terrorists (who are theoretically Semites themselves) target to maim, hurt and preferably kill Jews, but theoretically the term can be used towards anyone from the descendants of Shem, the son of Noach, which includes the Arabs themselves [all humanity stems from the three sons of Noach who survived the Flood: Shem and the semitic nations including the Asia and the Far East (Gra, Nega’im 2), Cham and the African people (southern), and Yefet (Japheth)- the Europeans (northern)]. This ironically proves the illogical, evil and counter-productive hate which hopefully those Arabs will eventually understand and cease.

With Love of Israel,

Rabbi Ari Shvat