BOOKS — “Words in Conflict,” an online book brings clarity after October 7

Parole in conflitto (Words in Conflict), a compendium created by the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, is now available online. Its goal is “to denounce the linguistic distortions that have emerged in public conversations after October 7, 2023, and to clarify the meaning of terms of absolute relevance, the abuse of which is part of antisemitic hatred.” The publication addresses terms such as “Zionism,” “pogrom,” “genocide,” “crimes of war,” and “crimes against humanity,” explaining how these words are often exploited against Israel. It retraces and summarizes Israel’s history and peace plans with some Arab countries and Palestinians. Claudia Tedeschi, Massimo Lomonaco, Davide Jona Falco, Claudio Vercelli, Lucilla Efrati, and Raffaele Genah are the authors. “We did not choose an analytical or exhaustive approach because we would have needed to update encyclopedic entries,” writes UCEI president Noemi Di Segni in the introduction. Instead, the goal was “to offer or restore the immediate and clear meaning of concepts that, in the authors’ opinion, should be understood, shared, and ready to help those who, despite the noise of propaganda, still try to communicate correctly, taking a step towards truth.”