The Hysteria and Hypocrisy of Hardline Israel Supporters

 

By David Starr

 

It is true that anti-Semitism is an increasing threat, but the hatred mainly comes from Nazis and fascists, not pro-Palestinian supporters.

 

Hardline Israel supporters, however, have been stereotyping and demonizing those who support the Palestinians, especially since the October 06, 2023 Hamas attack in Israel.

 

The Anti-Defamation league (ADL) came out with a report that had a tone in the content which made it sound like the pro-Palestinian protesters were the aggressors. The encampments set up by the protesters at various colleges and universities had tensions brought “to a boiling point as protesters ramp up their activity to push universities to divest from Israel.” 

 

The report accuses “several protesters” of expressing “explicit support for Hamas terrorism and urged Hamas to commit further violence against Israel.” Additionally, some “protesters have directly confronted Jewish students on or near campus.” And “[m]any protesters have called ‘Zionists’ to be excluded from campus activities.”

 

The ADL report singled out several groups responsible for the “hostility” against Jewish students and Israel itself. The Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) was called an “umbrella organization” with chapters that set up the encampments. The report quoted the SJP in putting “out a call to action on April 20, 2024, urging college students, staff and faculty to ‘join the Popular University’ set up by the SJP to ‘take back our institutions,’ adding ‘we will seize our universities and force the administration to divest.’” 

 

The SJP, along with other groups like “American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) Dissenters, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), Palestine Action, Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), Party for Socialism and liberation (PSL) Samidoun, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) and others,” were called “anti-Zionist” and “anti-Israel” groups, the report giving the impression that these groups were out to get Jewish students.

 

The ADL report is really appealing to hysteria because there may have been isolated incidents of hostility like a protester yelling “We are Hamas” as well as a protester holding up a sign that read, “Al-Qassam’s next targets” with an arrow pointing to a small group of counter-protesters. 

 

But these incidents have not characterized the overall objectives of the protesters. Most were peaceful while expressing outrage at Israel’s attempted genocide in Gaza, something the ADL did not admit in its report. Further, there’s a chance that there are infiltrators within the protest movement who are trying to discredit the protesters. 

 

The ADL report hyped up the actions of the protesters, claiming that “the encampments only serve to marginalize Jewish students as they already face a disturbing level of antisemitism on many of the impacted campuses.” The ADL has exaggerated the “threat” against Jewish students, playing the anti-Semite card when there is even the slightest criticism of Israel and Zionists. 

 

A major indication that the protesters and encampments are not a threat is the number of Jews joining the protests against Israel’s aggression and the ultranationalism of the Zionist movement. There have been Jews leading the protests, one group being Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP). So, when it comes to anti-Semitism, the ADL is pushing hysteria, distorting what exposure Jews have had to it in relation to the protesters. They should be more worried about Nazis and fascists.

 

Kyle Kulinski, host of Secular Talk, aired two segments of Israel Supporters. One showed a segment of the Piers Morgan Show, with Kulinski’s wife, Krystal Ball, as one of the guests. Another guest was a former Israeli soldier who proceeded to get hysterical when Ball accused Israel of genocide. The other segmentwas about how the corporate/capitalist media brands the pro-Palestinian protesters as anti-Semitic. Kulinski went ballistic watching the opinions of those in the media using this epithet.

 

Meanwhile, actor-comedian Jon Lovitz made his opinion known, being an Israel supporter. As reported in The Hill, Lovitz suggested that actors may be “afraid” to speak out in support of Israel. Lovitz was on Fox“news,” being interviewed by Jesse Watters. Lovitz, who is against the protests, said, “People say, ‘Why are you speaking up? Why aren’t other people in Hollywood who are way bigger names not saying anything?’ But I feel like it’s so bad, like how can you not say something? Like you have to.” As with other Israel supporters, Lovitz seems to ignore the destruction Israel has unleashed on Gaza. 

 

Lovitz also said that the protesters are preventing their classmates from entering school: “You’re blaming your 18-year-old classmates from the US for the actions of the government of Israel? What the hell are you being taught? Think logically and quit being sheep & being used by your professors.” What Lovitz doesn’t realize is that it’s logical for the protesters to speak out given Israel’s obvious actions; rather than bury their heads in the sand.

 

A great deal of hypocrisy has been evident among Israel supporters. The most obvious being the portrayal of Israel as the victim while it commits mass murder against Palestinians. As Israel supporters, and Israeli government officials, would have it, Hamas has committed unspeakable atrocities against Israeli civilians. Hamas did kill 1,200 Israelis, although 55% of them were military personnel. That leaves a small number of civilians killed when compared to over 40,000 Palestinians killed, most overwhelmingly civilians. 

 

While hardline Israel supporters accused Hamas of committing the atrocities listed above (which have been debunked), the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have been consistent in committing their own atrocities. The IOF has been trigger-happy, killing any Palestinian, whether man, woman or child.

 

Further, there are over 8,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, most held without being charged. This is compared to the number of hostages Hamas has, which number about 240. The Israeli government has been adamant about continuing the assaults until the hostages are freed, meanwhile, ignoring their own Palestinian hostages, many who are political prisoners.

 

Israeli officials have, in particular, shown utter hypocrisy when voicing their opinions on the Israel-Palestine conflict. The following are examples:

 

Benjamin Netanyahu – “The truth is that if Israel were to put down its arms there would be no more Israel. If the Arabs were to put down their arms there would be no more war.”

 

“We are using missile defense to protect our civilians, and they’re using their civilians to protect their missiles.”

 

Naftali Bennett – “I’ve killed lots of Arabs in my life and there’s no problem with that.”

 

“I will do everything in my power to prevent a Palestinian state.”

 

“The land is ours. I will do everything in my power, forever, to fight against a Palestinian state being founded on the land of Israel.”

 

“Trump’s victory is an opportunity for Israel to immediately retract the notion of a Palestinian state.”

 

Ayelet Shaked – “They [Palestinians] are all enemy combatants, and their blood shall be on all their heads. Now this also includes the mothers of the martyrs, who send them to hell with flowers and kisses. They should follow their sons; nothing would be more just. They should go, as should the physical homes in which they raised the snakes. Otherwise, more little snakes would be raised there.”

 

“They have to die and their houses should be demolished so that they cannot bear any more terrorists…are all our enemies and their blood should be on our hands. This also applies to the mothers of dead terrorists.”

 

Moshe Feiglin – “In any case, [y]ou can’t teach a monkey to speak and you can’t teach an Arab to be democratic. You’re dealing with a culture of thieves and robbers. Muhammad, their prophet, was a robber and a killer and a liar. The Arab destroys everything he touches.”

 

“Gaza will become a part of sovereign Israel and will be populated by Jews. This will also serve to ease the housing crisis in Israel.” 

 

Benny Gantz – “On my watch, Iran will not become a regional power. And I will not hesitate to use force when needed.”

 

“Netanyahu has taken on the toughest job in the State of Israel, and as someone who truly gives of himself, I consider him a patriot.”

 

Bezalel Smotrich – “Who was the first Palestinian king? What language do the Palestinians have? Was there ever a Palestine currency? Is there a Palestinian history and culture? Nothing. There is no such thing with a Palestinian.”

 

“I think the village of Huwara [in Palestine] needs to be erased, I think the State of Israel needs to do this, and not–God forbid–private citizens.”

 

“And just as we condemn Palestinian incitement to violence, we condemn these provocative remarks that also amount to an incitement to violence.”

 

As can be seen in the quotes, these officials not only have a superiority complex, based on myths of religious supremacy, but they hypocritically condemn Palestinian violence while their country commits savage violence in Gaza. And this has been going on for about 70 years.

 

Despite the denial of the fascist government of Israel, and its supporters, Palestinians have been more the victim than Israelis in this long conflict. Further, it is not the Palestinians who Israelis have the most to fear, it’s the resurgence of Nazism and fascism. 

 

The lie that the pro-Palestinian protesters across schools in the USA are “Nazis” and “anti-Semites” is pathetic and outrageous; especially with Israel committing the very atrocities that Palestinians are accused of.