Palestine

Truth is an absolute defense for libel accusations. So what about the comment was untrue? Or do you think including the phrase "blood libel" is sufficient to form a though-terminating cliche?

Anyway, looking at it from an anthropological perspective, many societies have regarded themselves as human while characterizing all outsiders as non-human. I wouldn't expect the ancient Jews to differ from anyone else in the region at the time when it comes to this.