‘Antisemitic’: a new code word for 'pro-Palestinian'
Antisemitic means any expression of hatred toward Jews. It is something President Trump claims that he will not tolerate. Yet many of the nearly 1,600 people he pardoned that participated in the January 6 Insurrection have ties to white supremacists groups. Among them was Robert Keith Packer, who wore a hoodie emblazoned with a Nazi skull and the words “Camp Auschwitz” to the insurrection; and Hatchet Speed, who told an undercover FBI agent about his plan to wipe out American Jews.
The White House has also hired several people with ties to white supremacist groups, including FBI director Kash Patel, who appeared multiple times on a podcast hosted by a white supremacist holocaust denier; and Homeland Security liaison Paul Ingrassia, who attended a rally in 2024 led by Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes in which attendees chanted “Down with Israel”.
Thus, Trump does seem to tolerate antisemitic behavior, at least some of the time. What he does not tolerate is support of Palestinians. Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil, who was detained for more than three months for engaging in peaceful pro-Palestinian protests, is not anti-semitic. Khalil has stated that “Anti-Semitism and any form of racism has no place on campus and in this movement,” and envisions a world in which Jews and Palestinians live together in peace. It does not seem to matter that Khalil has denounced anti-semitism, or that many pro-Palestinian protestors on campuses and in other venues are Jewish. They are all considered to be antisemitic.
The fact that Trump has pardoned and hired people with blatant ties to antisemitism has been largely ignored, while protests against the ongoing Palestinian genocide have been showcased as an example of rising antisemitism. In fact, it doesn’t seem to matter anymore if you are overtly antisemitic, as long as you aren’t pro-Palestinian. This conflation of antisemitism with support for Palestinians is dangerous not only to Palestinians, but also to Jews, as people who are a real threat to Jews get let off the hook.
The Trump administration is by no means alone in conflating support for Palestinians with anti-semitism. Democratic lawmakers such as Chuck Schumer have denounced pro-Palestinian protests as being antisemitic, and despite claims to the contrary by the White House, many universities have cracked down harshly on pro-Palestinian protestors.
Let’s be clear. The October 7 attacks were horrific, and holding Israeli hostages for close to two years is horrific. But most Gaza citizens had nothing to do with implementing the October 7 attacks, just as most U.S. citizens have nothing to do with implementing wars. Right now, starving Gaza citizens who had nothing to do with the October 7 attacks are being shot on a daily basis while waiting at food distribution sites. Those that survive getting shot can’t get medical care because hospitals have been bombed, medical providers have been murdered, medical equipment has been destroyed, and medical supplies have been blockaded. If that isn’t genocide, I don’t know what is.
Moving toward the more peaceful world that Khalil envisions, in which Jews and Palestinians live together in peace, will require protecting the innocent while bringing to justice those, Palestinian and Jewish alike, who commit atrocities. Hamas need to be brought to justice, and so does the Israeli government for atrocities it has committed against the Palestinian people, both before and after October 7, 2023. These atrocities include maintaining a land, air, and sea blockage Gaza on since 2007 that violates the Geneva Convention and has led to widespread poverty, and routinely bulldozing Palestinian homes while turning a blind eye to Israeli settlers who take over Palestinian land by force.
Peace is is possible. The first step is to stop coding antisemitism as support for Palestinians, and to start recognizing that Palestinians and Jews deserve, and have the capacity, to live together in peace.
My goal in writing this blog is to shine light on the myths that make hate possible, and to move toward kindness so we can all work together to make the world a better place for everyone. Please subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. All posts are available for free. Pay only if you are able.