Medea Benjamin Speaks Out

By David Starr

 

For years, Medea Benjamin has been on front lines of activism, championing various causes. And she is not stopping. The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is particularly an issue Benjamin puts her full efforts into. 

 

Benjamin, of course, has her detractors. Those hardline Israeli supporters who have exhibited behaviorthat’s drenched in hysteria, lies, propaganda, threats, and all-around nastiness. While pro-Palestinian supporters have expressed their share of outrage, their reasons are quite different from that of the hardliners. The former are against Israel going way beyond self-defense to try and impose a “Greater Israel,” characterized by myths of religious supremacy, ultranationalism and racism. The latter arrogantly ignore the suffering and deaths of Palestinians and actually cheer on such carnage.

 

One detractor was typical in its arrogance against Benjamin and the opposition to Israeli war crimes. That is the Canary Mission, whose objective is to wipe out anti-Semitism by hook or by crook. While anti-Semitism is a sickness it comes mainly from the right-wing, i.e., Nazis and fascists. Entities like the Canary Mission, however, lump everyone together even if there’s the slightest criticism of Israel. They’ve played the anti-Semitic card more often than not. It published a commentary that takes Benjamin to task.

 

The commentary asserts that Benjamin equated Israel with Nazi Germany. It also asserts that Benjamin “has expressed support for terror groups like Hamas [and] has also spread anti-Semitism and hatred of Israel in her activism.” 

 

Apparently, Benjamin equated Israel to Nazi Germany “in the wake of the Hamas terror atrocities and war crimes against Israel civilians, including mass murder, torture and rape, beheadings and kidnappings, which were executed on October 7, 2023.”  Not that the Canary Mission would add this, but these accusation have been rebutted. Ironically, it’s Israel committing these war crimes against Palestinians. The reality is so obvious. Israel has gone way beyond self-defense.

 

The Canary Mission’s commentary also accuses sources Benjamin has been associated with of being “anti-Isreal,” like the Students for Justice in Palestine and the publication, Mondoweiss.

 

It cited CODEPINK, co-founded by Benjamin, and its rallies against the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). It should be mentioned that AIPAC has a virtual stranglehold on U.S. elections, giving millions of dollars in campaign donations to both Republicans and Democrats. So, AIPAC and the Canary Mission definitely share the same objective.

 

There is more to this commentary and can be seen here. Only to say that it’s Zionist propaganda when it comes down to it.

 

There’s footage put out by CODEPINK of Benjamin indirectly addressing Israeli citizens, with 79% of them supporting Israel’s attempted genocide and ethnic cleansing. She proceeds to verbally lambast them. And justifiably so.

 

Benjamin also has posts on Twitter (X), one of which shows a clash between pro-Israel supporters and CODPINK. Two of the hardliners in particular were vicious toward Benjamin, hoping that the worst happens to her. Benjamin calmly countered their insults. As evidenced in the footage, Israeli hardliners seem to glorify violence, ignoring their lies, half-truths and hysteria.

 

One thing that Israeli hardliners harp on is the number of Israeli deaths on Oct. 7, 2023. Yes, it was tragic that about 1,200 people were killed. But about half of them were in the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF). While Israeli hardliners condemn Hamas for its actions, they ignore the Hannibal Directive, which gives the IOF permission to kill Israelis if they are in a hostage situation. To ignore this is not only hypocritical but rather cowardly.

 

Leaders in the Israeli government have already revealed their views on Palestinians and in turn their support for attempted extermination:

 

Netanyahu: “…beat them up, not once but repeatedly, beat them up so it hurts so badly, until it’s unbearable.”

 

Eli Ben Dahan: [Palestinians] are beasts, they are not human.”

 

Avigdor Lieberman: “Those who are against us, there is nothing to be done–we need to pick up an axe and cut off his head.” (Referring to Israel’s Arab minority.)

 

Miri Regev: “I am happy to be a fascist.”

 

Eli Yishai: “Send Gaza back to the Middle Ages.”

 

Not exactly democratic sentiments. More like something Hitler would say. 

 

And now, it can be justified to call Israeli leaders and their supporters outright Nazis. They are, after all, using Nazi tactics like attempted extermination and using starvation as a weapon. Israel has been conducting its own Holocaust.

 

Benjamin, of course, has had plenty to say about Israel. Here’s one more:

 

• “Israel is run by war criminals.”

 

That is getting to the point. Benjamin accurately portrays disgusting Zionists for what they are. 

 

While Israel will probably continue its war crimes, Medea Benjamin will continue speaking out against what is a rogue nation, on the verge of destroying itself.