EXTREMISMSome 2022 Left-Wing Candidates Espouse Troubling Rhetoric on Israel

In recent years, American public life has been increasingly marked by the rise of extremism and the erosion of democratic norms. A torrent of racially or ethnically violent extremist (RMVE) activity and the growing prevalence of conspiracy theories have spurred some individuals and groups to commit acts of violence. American society has been further compromised by rampant misinformation, resulting in a deeply divided and polarized electorate. Concomitantly, anti-Semitism has been at a historic high and animates a large swath of extremist rhetoric and action. Hateful and extremist beliefs, along with fringe ideas, have penetrated into mainstream spaces, sabotaging civil discourse. More than any time in recent memory, people view political disagreements not as good faith disputes but as zero-sum clashes with dangerous, malicious, or illegitimate adversaries. Such a dynamic can create systemic dysfunction and ultimately subvert democratic institutions and governance. 

Amidst these distressing developments, a steady stream of anti-Semitism among the left persists, often related to Israel. Of course, some criticism of Israel is part of a healthy political ecosystem. However, a segment of the left sometimes espouses ideas that go beyond legitimate critique and into anti-Semitic tropes. Others engage in rhetoric that is not anti-Semitic but which can have the effect of making many Jews feel ostracized or excluded.

Some scholars suggest that contemporary expressions of anti-Zionism on the left (and right) have their roots in anti-Semitic Soviet propaganda from the mid-twentieth century. (For example, the Soviet Union pushed action under the banner of “Zionism is racism,” a popular slogan among parts of the far left today.) Left-wing anti-Semitism can start with vitriolic criticism of Israel as an illegitimate state, accompanied by allegations that Zionism – the movement for Jewish self-determination and statehood in the land of Israel - is a global societal ill that must be eradicated. As this becomes more normalized within some segments of the American left, a hostile environment is created for Jews and anti-Semitism likely becomes more acceptable. This further isolates Jews as they are increasingly a target of rightwing violent extremism. It is incumbent upon everybody to be on guard lest such problematic attitudes by some opponents of Israel on the American left go unchallenged.