The New York Times is facing criticism for publishing an editorial Sunday about the resurgence of antisemitism in Europe in which it suggested Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump shared the blame.
The editorial, “The Old Scourge of Anti-Semitism Rises Anew in Europe,” responded to what the Times calls the “alarming reality that anti-Semitism is sharply on the rise, often from the sadly familiar direction of the far right, but also from Islamists and the far left.”
The Times acknowledged the contribution of left-wing politicians, such as UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, to the problem.
But it also argued: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not helped matters by finding common cause with nationalist leaders like the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban or President Trump so long as they do not support a Palestinian state.”
The implication seemed to be that Orban and Trump are antisemites — or that nationalism, by definition, is antisemitic.
Dr. Michael Oren, the former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. during President Barack Obama’s tenure, was furious, noting on Twitter that the Times had omitted left-wing American politicians such as Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), who have actually used antisemitic rhetoric repeatedly. He also referred to the Times‘ recent publication of an antisemitic cartoon in its international edition.
Just one month ago, the Times published a widely-denounced cartoon depicting Netanyahu as a dog with a Star of David collar, leading a yarmulke-clad President Trump.
Ironically, the editorial concluded: “Speak up, now, when you glimpse evidence of anti-Semitism, particularly within your own ranks, or risk enabling the spread of this deadly virus.”
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. He is also the co-author of How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution, which is available from Regnery. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.