Free speech seems to see different standards for anti-Israel criticism | The Mehdi Hasan Show 

Thank you, Mehdi, for your tireless commitment to clear-eyed journalism.

Israel is not a people or a religion, it is a state, and just like all states, it is not above reproach. A condemnation of Israel’s government policies is not about Judaism or the Jewish people. I personally think that Israel does not deserve to remain a U.S. ally. The Israeli government and military have been hiding from consequence behind the Jewish people. It is unbecoming of a so-called promised land to behave in such a manner.

The donors who engage in this kind of pressure tactic should be dragged right into civil court and sued. And large public stinks need to be made as well. Let them reap what their "influence" has sown.

"You're biased!" "You're anti-semitic"... two ways to shut down discussion because you have no rational response. Israel has been very successful in policing critics abroad. This has strengthened the position of the Israeli right wing and isolated progressive Israeli voices to engineer facts on the ground to further entrench right wing, racist policies.

Mehdi Hasan rocks. Love the lucidity when dealing with hypocrisy, quick thinking because he understands issues personally as well as the larger issues. America needs more of this!

Mehdi, thank you for having the balls to address this issue.

Apartheid of Palestine is a fact, not just an opinion, and is in no way antisemitic.

You can’t give Israel any fair criticism with our being seen as anti Semitic.

It’s fascinating how easy it is to legally manipulate media opinions, journalism, or school teachers, as long as you have the necessary funding. Still, imagine the shitstorm if a professor was rejected because some Chinese or Saudi donors weren’t happy with his/her opinion on human rights. Also, what are we discussing here? Since when is it considered controversial to point out that Israel is an apartheid state?

Mehdi thank you for exposing this. We all need to know these things! Yeah Mr. Roth ! A hero for speaking truth !

Isreal is an apartheid state. No definition of apartheid I've ever seen doesn't apply to Isreal. Criticism of the right wing government of Isreal doesn't make someone anti Jewish. It's insane.

Hate Speech is not Free Speech. Criticizing politicians is a necessity.

Thank you for posting this video. I personally find it deeply troubling how the United States blindly supports Israel in spite of their egregious treatment of Palestinians.

The apparent shield against criticism for the Israeli government is almost the same as Chinese propaganda. Criticizing the Israeli government does not mean someone hates Jewish people, just as criticizing the Chinese Communist Party does not mean someone hates all Chinese people.

Zionism is not Judaism, just like ISIS is not Islam! Criticizing the apartheid regime of Israel is not anti-Semitic just like criticizing the barbaric regime of Saudi Arabia is not Islamophobia!

One can't criticize Israel lest one is willing to be labeled an antisemite....and even when one does so, there are those who go tippy-toeing around facts because even when criticizing Israel, there are so-called rules one must abide by.... If you're part of the world community you shouldn't hide behind historical wrongs done to you to commit atrocities to others.

I think FOX doth project too much.

Kenneth Roth has called on Harvard: "To clarify its commitment to academic freedom, Harvard should announce that it will accept no contributions from donors who try to use their financial influence to censor academic work, and that no administrator will be permitted to censor academics because of presumed donor concerns." If Harvard can't make those two clarifications, then they are unworthy to present themselves as an institute of higher learning. Simple as that.

This is not about Hebrew religion but rather that, what did the humanrights observer for the United Nations 🇺🇳 say, ˋIsreal is responsible for the open air prison that is Palestine ‘,. One does not need to say more. I have never understood how a people who have suffered so, could act so cruelly. Sometimes the leaders of nations must he held accountable.

Fox, the more you watch the less you know

I have to admit I was shocked that more news networks were not covering the story. So sad when one government has such a hold over free people

Amnesty International just last year declared Israel to be an "Apartheid State" and I think Amnesty International made the right call.

What we're talking about is a state that holds captive, stateless and without human rights a population of more than five million fellow human beings. At the same time this state has legislated to give the dominant ethnic groups among its citizens certain rights that it specifically denies to other ethnic groups thus establishing two separate classes of citizens.

I stand with the Palestinian People. That's fine Israel wants to exist but so do Palestinians. I personally believe the U.S. should stop funding Israel. If they fund Israel then they need to fund the Palestinian people as well. What Israel is doing to Palestinians is what the U.S. did to Native Americans. Think about that.......

It wouldn’t be that way if they weren’t liars!

This aged well. Mehdi's show has been cancelled, and he was proved right.

The problem is PEP, Progressive Except for Palestine. That is no longer acceptable!

We have to come to some point of reckoning on Israel. This condition is… untenable

Glad we're talking about this finally 😌

So if going to college creates liberalism then we can conclude that the more you think, compassion for all beings (let us not forget the environment) is the outcome. Let’s please make sure everyone has an opportunity for a good education which contains true history. Thank you Mehdi and Prof Roth !

Higher learning is the natural enemy to the party of ignorance.

Let's hope this is a major turning point in Israel's influence on the discussion about the very real system of apartheid and incremental genocide that Israel is guilty of

I didn’t support South Africa in the 1980s. Same thing here.

Hey what'cha talking about? Anti-Israel criticism **slowly backs away**

Jimmy Carter talked about Israeli apartheid some 35 years ago ... and this man of peace was attacked by the same actors today. Jewish interns at the Carter center for Peace walked out en masse.

I think a lot of things in my head that I will no longer say out loud. That’s how I know … we are not o.k.

great show tonight

Israel has been fought over since Moses took 40 years to travel a 2 week journey.

Noam Chomsky is also banned from most established media.

This should not surprise anyone who hasn't been living under a rock.

Ken Roth is an outstanding and honourable man; his brave and herculean stance against the Israeli State which, without doubt, is an Apartheid Fascistic Regime that denies human rights and keeps 3 million Palestinians subordinated and suppressed in the world’s largest open prison. I won’t dignify the old trope that any criticism of the current State of Israel is antisemitic because that demeans actual antisemitism, and is used purely to silence critics; look at what happened to the former Labour leader in Gt. Britain, Jeremy Corbyn, who has always spoken out in defence of the Palestinians and against all forms of racism. A documentary proved the Israeli Embassy had waged a war to bring him down and a subsequent investigation by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (incidentally headed by a Jew), found no evidence of institutional or systemic antisemitism in the Labour Party. Medhi Hasan is similarly not frightened to confront these issues and speak out; fortunately, although Harvard was clearly cowed into submission and just wants to keep the cheques flowing, The University of Pennsylvania has welcomed Mr. Roth. We should be reassured that there will always be those like Harvard, who are petrified into suppressing Free Speech, but equally there are also those like The University of Pennsylvania that will ALWAYS make a stand to uphold Free Speech and oppose those who wish to suppress it such as Harvard University - terrorised into submission by the threat of donations being withdrawn; what’s the point of a university that is so dominated by the mighty cheque book, it betrays its students and ultimately betrays its own country.💪👏

The right wing loves free speech unless it includes a criticism of the right.

"They are against academic freedom! So we ban all those books on this list now." - Smart people

One can criticize a country and still love it, and hope for the betterment of that country. Criticism is not hateful speech necessarily.

KEN ROTH is jewish and yet is accused of Anti Israel bias !!!!the hypocracy is mind blowing

I have never understood why the US supports Israel either. 🤔🤨

It's silly and stupid to conflate criticism of the Israeli government's treatment of Palestinians with anti-semitism. To call Israelis Jews is like calling Americans Christians. Certainly many (maybe most) Israelis are Jewish and many Americans are Christians, but that doesn't make Israeli and Jewish synonymous nor does it make American and Christian synonymous.

Wanna get fired? Criticize the Jews.

He's very clear and knowledgeable.

Well said👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Great reporting! Very important🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

The sad thing is that Harvard already has probably the largest financial endowment of any university anywhere... Countless billions are ALREADY in their coffers. They truly don't need to keep selling out like this.

So glad that you bring this issue to the fore. It is fundamental to solving the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

Kayne was right !!

There is a Bible proverb that says we should not return evil to evil to no one. By doing so, you can bring calamity to yourself and others.

Score 1 for The Nation and thanks to Mehdi.

Criticism of Israeli politics are NOT anti-Semitic.

Well said

Dr.Cornell West will have a lot to say on this issue

Can anyone ever have a differing opinion of Israel's actions without being accused of being anti Israel, anti Jewish. If Jewish peoples have a right to exist peacefully then so do others. Peacefully. I do not support any and all of Israeli actions. They have a right to protect themselves against extermination but Palestinians should also. If this was any other countries we were talking about things would be different.

Wow, Thank you Both! $$ Appreciated this so much. This story deserves more attention. $$$$ always seeps into influence, illumination is antidote. Human rights watch.

I signed up on truth social saying Trump is a facist. I got blocked lol

Because Education = intelligence= Liberation from ignorant & Stupidity.

Mind Begs the Question: To support & aid an Apartheid State Democratic,Fascist?

Here's a fact for you! The phrase "Islam has nothing to do with terrorism" is a *lie* Mehdi would call that _muh Islamophobic_

Are we all supposed to have pro-israel view only? Sometimes, the victim does become perpetrators.

Money talks and democracy walks.

i wouldnt say so. here in the uk we support palastine mostly and can and do freely insult the isrealis

Thank you mehdi !!!!!

Teaching your children the truth about Republicans is every Americans duty. Don't run from your duties.

Where is the equality? Human rights do not favour one side or others. It’s supposed to be universal unless it involves money.

There are many powerful lobbies in the United States you are not allowed to offend; one is the Cubans in Miami another is the Israelis ; just a fact;

Oh, you don’t know? They don’t care when other voices are shouted down, just theirs.

Too many people get called antisemitic for calling out the Israeli governments policies of Apartheid on the Palestinians, which should be free speech! They're not saying Jewish people are bad...... like the kind of things 'M T Green' says 😠. Even the Palestinian congress woman, Primiagil, was lambasted by the Israeli government & congress for her views & wanting to visit Palestine with other congress people....... her Grandmother lives there. so she had to go alone later on & promise not to say anything about the Israeli govt & no live press & cameras were aloud!!! She went but unfortunately..... her grandmother passed away before she got there. So very sad. The US should not be giving them Defense Monies without compromise of Palestinians land!

Faux spews entertainment. I hear they also love fake wrestling!

All the crying about "anti-semitism" is making people not care...it's like the boy who cried wolf. The truth is the truth. Johnathan Greenblatt needs to have several seats and shut up. Stand with Palestine 🇵🇸 ✊🏾

God Bless Israel

There is nothing in the constitution that specifically tells us that criticizing Isreal is against freedom of speech! Only politicians come up with that bs! They can criticize Muslim countries without being labeled anti-muslim, but tell us we are antisemitic if we say something bad about Isreal. Who came up with the notion that Isreal is special and can't be criticized?!

“For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Enough, you princes of Israel! Stop your violence and oppression and do what is just and right. Quit robbing and cheating my people out of their land. Stop expelling them from their homes, says the Sovereign LORD." Ezekial 45:9

One of the only ones talking with some sense on MSNBC

The thing I have never understood about the Israeli stance toward the Palestinian people is how does a people who have suffered and experienced brutality in their history determine to treat others seen as different with the said same brutality and what's even more distasteful is their demand that others never criticise their treatment of those people they see as lesser than themselves, and we're any such criticism to be raised by whoever, wherever, whenever, they claim to be the "victim" of that person or group which in reality is totally absurd!! Tis 2023 and time that the Israeli people as whole stop drawing on the "six million cheque"!?!, You get the drift!!

My cats and dogs get along great! I think I will start a PAC against this propaganda! 🤣

Jealousy is the sickness of the extremes

Excellent reporting as usual! However I have to say that there are other people/media institutions what have covered this, tho admittedly they tend to be left wing. I just saw a video on it by Democracy Now, for example.

Ken Roth is on the right side of humanity

Kenneth Roth is an activist. You want academics teaching about history cultures and conflicts. Not activists telling our students what to think and how to feel

Thank you for calling this out. More need to.

Palestinians are allowed to visit and prey at Al Aqsa Mosque while Jews may visit the temple mountain yet are prohibited from praying there due to concerns of Arabic outrage. Tell me again how this is apartheid. Arabs have every job opportunities as Jews and Christians alike in Israel. Also how is it that people feel they can't critic Israel while it is critized every day

I have no real dog in this fight but This issue needs to come to the forefront. Thank you for this interview.

woke means anything not white or straight. 🙄

No factual criticism of Jews and Israel is permitted

Wrong is Wrong and Right is Right! Bias turns Day into Night! Donner Pressure of Any Kind that works against truth and righteousness also works against humanity.

Ahhhh Israel, the Land of Apartheid.

Is there anything good about being a conservative?

You criticise Israel you’re done! This can’t be a good thing for Israelis themselves.

It cannot be more obvious. But just compare whom the US deemed as terrorists before the outbreak of WW2 in which the US goverment had Begin, Perez, Dyan, and other later top Israel political figures as terrorists but overlooked their active particapation in murdering or other plots against US officials because of their resistence to Nazi Germany. The "one hand washing the other" phrase. And Yassar Arafat being pigeonholed by the US and British as being a terrorist even though Arafat was just basically a defender of Palistinians and the seeking of Palestinian autonomy in the which by and large never given audiance by Allied goverments. Then you have Aipac that most in Congress that seem to be compelled to never speak against Israel by party leadership.

Kenneth Roth was born on September 23, 1955, in Elmhurst, Illinois. His parents were Muriel T. Roth and Walter S. Roth. Walter was a Jewish refugee from Germany.[1][2][3] Walter’s family had a butchery in Germany near Frankfurt in the times when Adolf Hitler came to power.

As a rule, academics are thoughtful, valuable people. Administrators (deans etc.) are scum.

As with many other issues in today’s US, “FOLLOW THE MONEY.” The authoritarian moves by DeSantis are no doubt likewise supported by many quiet and behind the scenes donations that are quietly accompanied in DeSantis’ case by authoritarian and patriarchal views of what it is allowable for people to teach and for other people to learn. How is any of this different from Hitler’s Germany or Stalin’s USSR? Answer: it isn’t very different.

2 Mr Roth - 👍👍👍. there's a DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ANTI-SEMITISM & ANTI-ZIONISM.