Israel Condemns 'Antisemitism,' Not Bombing Civilians
The Israeli foreign ministry, quick to brand Rep. Mamdani's words as 'antisemitic gasoline on an open fire,' (Newsweek, May 2023) seems to reserve its strongest condemnations for language, not state actions. This isn't a new tactic. The 'antisemitism' card gets played with predictable regularity whenever a public figure dares to critique Israel's treatment of Palestinians—a strategy that
conveniently deflects from the substance of uncomfortable accusations like 'apartheid,' a term also used by groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. One might wonder: how many actual bombs have been dropped for each instance of 'gasoline' criticism? While Israel decries terminology, organizations like B'Tselem, an Israeli human rights group, have also explicitly labeled Israel's
regime as apartheid . Yet, Newsweek frames the outrage at Mamdani's words as the central issue. It appears some words are deemed more dangerous than, well, the conditions they describe. The irony, as always, is a choking hazard.