Invariably, in these situations and others, one side will circle the wagons and downplay the comment or episode while the other gives it full-throated condemnation. Then the blame game and cycle of recriminations begin, with one side accusing the other of being the “real” antisemitic party.
This is how antisemitism has become politicized in American society. Members of each party and ideology are often willing to give their own side a pass when accused of antisemitism. And, in turn, they exaggerate allegations of antisemitism directed at people on the other side of the aisle.
This makes it very difficult to make progress in fighting back against vilification and hatred of Jews in all its manifestations.
Particularly at a time when antisemitism has reached unprecedented levels in society in the aftermath of October 7, 2023, this politicization of antisemitism on the national stage is not just deeply discouraging—it’s downright dangerous.
The truth is that no one party has a premium on hate. Both the Democrats and the Republicans have problems with individuals in their parties who harbor antisemitic attitudes, and they all need to be called out and educated.
On the political left, Zionism has become a topic of considerable critique in left-wing spaces, and some on the left have engaged in a consistent, unrelenting campaign to delegitimize Zionism and Israel. At times, this borders on the conspiratorial, when Zionists are accused of being tools of imperialism or labeled “racists.”
In its most extreme form, the “radical left” seeks to impose a single-issue political purity test that demands disavowal of the state of Israel or Zionism, the movement for Jewish self-determination, as the price for inclusion in progressive social justice spaces, or, more frequently now, in any civic spaces. That is a form of ideological extremism.
We see this creeping into national politics. In April 2024, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) suggested that some Jewish students at Columbia University were “pro-genocide” after anti-Israel protests roiled the campus and Jewish students were harassed and assaulted. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who is Jewish, defended Omar’s remark. Omar has also faced criticism for a tweet grouping the United States and Israel with the terrorist groups Hamas and the Taliban.
Some democratic leaders have spoken out in the aftermath of more extreme remarks from within their party, as happened when Rep. Tlaib posted a video accusing President Joe Biden of “supporting the genocide of the Palestinian people.”
In today’s political environment, on the right, we find an unacceptable level of condoning or even encouraging conspiracy theories, such as the Great Replacement Theory, which are often the gateway into worlds of classic antisemitic stereotypes and beliefs. This theory has been espoused by, among others, Tucker Carlson, who recently hosted a Holocaust denier on his podcast.
Former President Trump often ignores the blatant racism and antisemitism of the constituents who make up his coalition and either equivocates on these issues or just ignores them. Trump is clearly reluctant to condemn supporters who praise him. Trump was reluctant to condemn Kanye West and white supremacist Nick Fuentes when they dined with him at Mar-a-Lago in November 2022.
In addition, when members of Congress such as Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene support white supremacist events like Nick Fuentes’ America First PAC conference, or when Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and her peers attend events dominated by extremist groups such as The Proud Boys, extremism is normalized.
Twenty years ago, when there was less polarization in the country and extremism was far less normalized, incidents like the two mentioned above would have received more public condemnation.
Our country is at its best when there’s bipartisan support for confronting antisemitism; this was on display in May 2024 when the House passed an antisemitism bill with broad bipartisan support. The bill, titled the Antisemitism Awareness Act, passed 320–91 in the House, marking a much-needed moment of unity at a time when antisemitism was roiling college campuses nationwide.
If our leaders can set aside partisan differences for the greater goal of fighting antisemitism, we may see a reduction in the amount of hate in broader society. Conversely, if politicians keep invoking tropes about Jews, then we may see a greater propensity in society for hatred to spread. We’ve seen this play out in history, often with disastrous consequences.
The bottom line is that antisemitism in politics is not a right-wing or left-wing issue; it’s about right and wrong. We must encourage all politicians across both sides of the aisle to universally condemn antisemitism—full stop.
