Yad Vashem Expert Criticizes Netanyahu For ‘Following’ Trump On Anti-Semitism
The academic adviser of Israel’s Holocaust Museum, Yad Vashem, has criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his delayed response to the uptick in anti-Semitism in America under President Trump.
Netanyahu “follows President Trump,” Yad Vashem anti-Semitism expert Yehuda Bauer told National Public Radio. “He did not react immediately.”
Some Israeli analysts say that Netanyahu’s decision to follow Trump’s lead when it comes to addressing anti-Semitism in America is a political play to avoid running afoul of his newfound ally in the White House, NPR reported.
Trump made a statement against anti-Semitism for the first time this week after weeks of bomb threats against Jewish Community Centers. After that, Netanyahu praised Trump’s “strong stand against anti-Semitism” during a diplomatic trip to Australia.
Netanyahu has defended Trump against accusations that his candidacy and presidency have unleashed hatred against Jews in America, saying he wished to put the issue “to rest” after a reporter asked about anti-Semitism at a Washington press conference.
For his part, Bauer said that Trump “is not an anti-Semite.” However, “his attitude, his policies, encourage people who develop hatred toward other groups. So it’s an atmosphere that he represents.”
Contact Naomi Zeveloff at [email protected]
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30