From a reader:

There is another problem with the old, “Antisemitism is caused by Israeli policy line,” and a liberal of all people should see it with stark raving clarity.
Here is the problem (I’m sure you know exactly what it is and I’m just being redundant here):
IT IS MORALLY WRONG TO BLAME AN ENTIRE GROUP PEOPLE FOR THE (ALLEGED) MISDEEDS OF A SUBSET OF THAT GROUP.
Isn’t this, or should it not be, rather painfully obvious to anyone pretending to be a liberal?
If Arabs (or Muslims) were slaughtered by people who are upset with the actions of some Arabs (or Muslims), or with the policies of some – or all – Arab governments, would Cole be so quick to blame “Arab/Islamic policy?”
And what ever happened to trying to understand the historic context that is (supposedly) enormously important in shaping policies that some people find objectionable? Are Jews (Sorry, I mean, Zionists) living in some sort of historical context free zone?