DeepSummary
In this episode, Sam Harris discusses the rise of antisemitism and anti-Zionism with Michal Cotler-Wunsh, Israel's special envoy for combating antisemitism. They analyze the bias against Israel at the United Nations and the double standards applied to Israel regarding its conduct in the war against Hamas in Gaza. Cotler-Wunsh argues that anti-Zionism is the newest strain of antisemitism and explains how the "Zionism is racism" resolution at the U.N. and the apartheid state and genocide accusations against Israel are lies that enable this new form of Jew hatred.
They explore the history of antisemitism and how it has shapeshifted over time, from religious to racial to the current social justice-based strain that conflates anti-Zionism with progressivism. The false moral equivalence drawn between Hamas' atrocities and Israel's defensive actions is discussed, as well as the failure of social justice movements and universities to respond appropriately to the events of October 7th, when Hamas committed horrific acts of violence against Israeli civilians.
Cotler-Wunsh emphasizes the need for universities and social media platforms to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism to combat this new strain. She calls for reclaiming the true meanings of words like "indigenous," "apartheid," and "genocide" that have been weaponized against Israel and Jews. Ultimately, she frames the battle against anti-Zionist antisemitism as part of a broader fight to protect civilization from extremism.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Anti-Zionism is the newest mutated, mainstream strain of the ancient hatred of antisemitism.
- Anti-Zionist rhetoric distorts concepts like "racism," "apartheid" and "genocide" to demonize and delegitimize Israel and Zionism.
- The false moral equivalence drawn between Hamas' atrocities and Israel's defensive actions enables this new form of antisemitism.
- Social justice movements, universities and media outlets have failed to respond appropriately to Hamas' violence against Israeli civilians.
- Adopting the IHRA's definition of antisemitism is key for universities and social media to identify and combat anti-Zionist hate.
- Reclaiming the true meanings of words that have been weaponized against Israel is crucial.
- The fight against anti-Zionist antisemitism is part of a broader battle to protect civilization from extremism.
- Israel's military conduct sets a new ethical precedent for avoiding civilian casualties in asymmetric warfare.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Whereas Israel is fighting for its life, and we're at an existential moment at 75 years young, at a real existential moment, not only for Israel as a jewish nation state, but for Jews around the world that are being attacked for what happened on ten seven. But whereas Israel is on the front lines, and let it be clear, it's not just the army, it's the entire israeli society that is deployed.“ by Michal Cotler-Wunsh
- “Ten seven exposed the modern, mutated, mainstream strain of an ever mutating virus. And that is what antisemitism is. It mutates over time, and that's how it survives. And that strain, anti Zionism, or the negation of Israels very right to exist, intersects at all of those places that you mentioned.“ by Michal Cotler-Wunsh
- “The understanding that Israel has created humanitarian quarters that it has actually announced before any attack, where it was going to announce and asked the civilians in those areas to evacuate, and that it is Hamas that has prevented their evacuation in many cases, or that has intercepted the humanitarian aid that Israel has enabled to flow through or that has stopped civilians from actually moving from areas of Gaza where Israel had to fight Hamas terrorists because they use them as human shields, building their infrastructures under mosques, schools, and hospitals.“ by Michal Cotler-Wunsh
- “Imagine if eleven days after 911, the New York Times would have posted on its front page evidence or data given to it by al Qaeda. That's actually what happened eleven days after ten seven.“ by Michal Cotler-Wunsh
Entities
Person
Organization
Book
App
Episode Information
Making Sense with Sam Harris
Sam Harris
7/2/24
Sam Harris speaks with Michal Cotler-Wunsh about the global rise of antisemitism. They discuss the bias against Israel at the United Nations, the nature of double standards, the precedent set by Israel in its conduct in the war in Gaza, the shapeshifting quality of antisemitism, anti-Zionism as the newest strain of Jew hatred, the “Zionism is racism” resolution at the U.N., the lie that Israel is an apartheid state, the notion that Israel is perpetrating a “genocide” against the Palestinians, the Marxist oppressed-oppressor narrative, the false moral equivalence between the atrocities committed by Hamas and the deaths of noncombatants in Gaza, the failure of the social justice movement to respond appropriately to events in Israel, what universities should have done after October 7th, reclaiming the meanings of words, extremism vs civilization, and other topics.
If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episodes at samharris.org/subscribe.