Actor Mark Ruffalo apologized Monday for falsely accusing the State of Israel of “genocide,” citing the inflammatory nature of the claim and noting the ongoing spate of antisemitic attacks around the nation.
Ruffalo, who played a sperm donor in The Kids Are All Right, has been a harsh critic of Israel in the past. However, he tweeted on Monday: “I have reflected & wanted to apologize for posts during the recent Israel/Hamas fighting that suggested Israel is committing “genocide”. It’s not accurate, it’s inflammatory, disrespectful & is being used to justify antisemitism here & abroad. Now is the time to avoid hyperbole.”
Ruffalo is among several celebrities whose radical rhetoric against Israel has raised concerns. Models Bella and Gigi Hadid have been staunchly anti-Israel, as has British tiger Duo Lipa, whose views were rebuked in full-page ad in the New York Times by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach (who commended Ruffalo for his apology)
Vogue plus-size model Paloma Elsesser even told fellow celebrities not to complain about antisemitism, lest it hurt the Palesitinian cause.
But some public figures have begun to be held accountable for their radical rhetoric. Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman took Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) for his accusations against the Jewish state:
On Sunday, hundreds of supporters of Israel rallied in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, near Hollywood, against antisemitism and in favor of Israel’s right to defense against Hamas terrorists, whose charter is explicitly genocidal against the Jewish people.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the new e-book, The Zionist Conspiracy (and how to join it). His recent book, RED NOVEMBER, tells the story of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary from a conservative perspective. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.