Anti-Israel Sentiment Escalates Amidst Global Accusations
Journalist Details Pattern of Incidents and Media Portrayals
A surge in anti-Israel and anti-Jewish sentiment has been accompanied by a wave of disturbing incidents globally, according to journalist Melanie Phillips. She argues that media narratives, particularly from the BBC, are contributing to a “pathological” demonization of Israel.
Escalating Incidents Worldwide
Recent days have seen a sharp increase in what Phillips describes as “outrages.” In London, a prominent Jewish broadcaster was subjected to verbal abuse, labeled “fascist Zionist scum.” Elsewhere in the city, a woman at a Jewish restaurant was reportedly targeted and had food thrown at her after being questioned about her religious identity.
Further afield, on the Greek island of Rhodes, a group of Jewish teenagers was allegedly attacked by individuals armed with knives. In Spain, approximately 50 French Jewish children were reportedly removed from a flight in Valencia after singing Hebrew songs, with their tour leader reportedly being arrested and thrown to the ground.
Critique of Media Coverage
Phillips asserts that the BBC’s coverage has reached “pathological proportions” in its efforts to demonize and delegitimize Israel. She cites the BBC Radio program “Today” as featuring “twisted accusations and blood libels” that portray Israel as a “murderous state.”
Specifically, Phillips criticizes the inclusion of a British surgeon’s claim that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were targeting Gazan boys in food queues with varying body parts daily. She also points to what she calls the broadcasting giant’s “excitement” over interviewees predicting an “imminent end of the war in Gaza” and subsequent revelations of Israeli “war crimes,” which she contends bolster the case for a Palestinian state.
Debunking Key Accusations
Phillips identifies three primary libels fueling this narrative: the IDF deliberately killing Gazans at food queues, Israel starving the population, and increasing “settler violence” in Judea and Samaria. She contends these claims aim to transform Israel from a victim of attack into a criminal entity undeserving of survival.
She dismisses the accusation of deliberate killing at aid points as “absurd,” questioning why the IDF, involved in policing the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, would target civilians they are assisting. Phillips suggests any harm near aid points results from unintended consequences of soldiers firing warning shots at crowds that may be Hamas-infiltrated and rushing Israeli troops.
Phillips blames Hamas for deliberately killing hundreds of Gazans to prevent them from accessing food aid, asserting this is a tactic to maintain power by controlling stolen aid. She claims Hamas insists on UN distribution of aid as part of ceasefire negotiations.
Regarding images of emaciated children, Phillips questions the authenticity of the starvation claims, noting the adults in the pictures appear well-fed. She relays the Israeli assertion that such images are often of children suffering from wasting diseases or inherited medical conditions, not Israeli brutality.
Phillips refutes accusations of an Israeli aid blockade made by the World Health Organization’s director, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, labeling them “provably untrue.” She states the IDF’s aid division, COGAT, reports thousands of trucks carrying supplies, including flour and baby food, entering Gaza recently. However, she highlights that nearly 950 trucks remain stuck within Gaza due to the UN and its agencies refusing distribution, a move Phillips links to Hamas’s desire to weaponize starvation.
Addressing “Settler Violence” Claims
Phillips argues that the “settler violence” narrative unfairly demonizes Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria. She contends that while a minority of Jewish youth have committed acts of revenge, the majority of violence is perpetrated by local Arabs against Jewish residents.
Citing an NGO Regavim report, Phillips states that 90% of incidents classified as “settler violence” by the UN were miscategorized. These included clashes with the IDF, self-defense against Arab attacks, or even peaceful Jewish activities like visits to historical sites.
Phillips also debunks a claim that “settlers” torched a church in Taybeh near Ramallah, stating U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee walked back his remarks after finding the church undamaged by a nearby brush fire attributed to Arabs.
Political and Ideological Factors
Phillips criticizes political leaders in Britain and Europe for exacerbating the situation, citing a statement by Britain’s foreign secretary, David Lammy, and other European foreign ministers accusing Israel of inhumane civilian killings and denying humanitarian aid.
She questions the “descent from rationality into the sewers of lethal propaganda,” suggesting ideology, ignorance, wishful thinking, and an unquestioning belief in the integrity of the UN and humanitarian-rights establishments contribute to this. Phillips posits darker impulses, including a desire to prove Jews are inherently bad and possess destructive global power, are also at play.
Phillips concludes that Western nations’ obsession with Israel overshadows threats from Russia, China, and Iran, as well as atrocities in Syria and Africa. She suggests this focus represents a “civilizational disorder” that is detrimental to the West itself.