The Left Hates Jews
Last updated
Last updated
In her essay "Blindness: October 7 and the Left," Hadley Freeman argues that the progressive left's reaction to the Hamas attacks on Israel demonstrates a deep-seated animosity towards Jews. Freeman, a British journalist, describes how the response to the October 7 atrocities has revealed what she perceives as a disturbing pattern of anti-Jewish sentiment on the left.
Freeman criticizes the left for its hypocrisy and lack of solidarity with Israeli victims, noting that anti-Israel protests began almost immediately after the attacks and before Israel had a chance to respond. She argues that this quick condemnation of Israel, coupled with a refusal to recognize the severity of the Hamas violence, signals a broader issue of anti-Semitism.
Freeman contrasts this reaction with the empathy shown in other contexts, such as the response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Black Lives Matter movement, and finds it lacking in cases involving Israel. She attributes this to a problematic view on the left that oversimplifies complex issues into binary good vs. evil terms, often at the expense of understanding historical and geopolitical contexts.
Additionally, Freeman points to a troubling trend where Jewish suffering is minimized or ignored, and she criticizes the left for failing to support Jewish communities as they face increasing hostility. Her essay frames this as part of a larger pattern of ideological blindness and moral inconsistency within progressive politics.
