Blaming Netanyahu for antisemitism is a dangerous cop-out

Make no mistake, I believe Netanyahu must be voted out— for Israel’s sake. He has presided over a morally bankrupt far-right coalition, weakened democratic institutions, and too often put his own survival ahead of the country’s future. I have spoken out repeatedly against his government, his judicial overhaul, and some of the policies during this war. I believe Israel deserves better. It desperately needs better.

But blaming Netanyahu, or any Israeli or Jewish leader, for antisemitism is not just incorrect. It lets the actual perpetrators off the hook.

When an elderly Jewish woman was burned to death at a hostage protest, when a Jewish couple was shot down at an event outside of a Jewish museum in DC, when students were barricaded inside libraries, when people scream “Zionist pig” at a random Jew on the street, these are not protests of Israeli policy. They are hate crimes. And they are not caused by Netanyahu. They are caused by antisemites.

Would anyone blame racism against Black Americans on a corrupt mayor? Would we say LGBTQ+ people deserve hate because of a controversial pride parade? Of course not. So why is it acceptable to suggest that Jews deserve hatred, violence, and exclusion because of the actions of Israel’s government?

You can oppose Netanyahu and stand with Jews. In fact, you must. Because antisemitism is not a reaction to Israeli politics. That is a justification used by people who already hate us.

When people chant “Death to Jews” in London or call to “globalize the intifada” on college campuses, they aren’t targeting Netanyahu. They’re targeting us: Jews of every background, belief, and nationality. Some of us support the Israeli government. Many of us don’t. But none of us deserve to be targeted for who we are.

There is a difference between criticizing a government and holding an entire people collectively responsible. The former is political speech. The latter is bigotry.

And it’s not just rhetoric. This mindset fuels real-world violence. It tells people it’s acceptable to assault a Jewish person in New York or vandalize a synagogue in Berlin if they’re angry about Gaza. It reinforces the lie that Jews are not individuals with diverse views and lives, but a monolithic bloc to be punished, boycotted, or silenced.

We’ve seen this before. Jewish communities were blamed for the Black Death. For capitalism. For communism. For 9/11. For COVID. Now it’s Israel. The target changes, but the tactic is the same.

Some of the loudest voices calling out this injustice are Jews who disagree with Israeli policy, like me. I’ve spoken out against the war. I’ve protested the government’s treatment of Palestinians. I’ve marched for peace and pushed for reform. But I refuse to accept the idea that antisemitism is a reasonable or inevitable reaction to anything Israel does.

Because if you think Jews are attacked because of Netanyahu, then what happens when he’s gone? What’s your excuse when antisemitism keeps rising anyway? Spoiler: it will.

What strikes me most about Patinkin’s comment is how it reflects a kind of luxury, an assumption that antisemitism is just a recent political inconvenience, something that would go away if only Israel “behaved better.” That’s a comforting belief, but it’s not how antisemitism works.

My family didn’t need Netanyahu to experience antisemitism. My grandparents were expelled from Iraq and Tunisia simply for being Jews. There was no “occupation” then. No Likud. No right-wing government. Just Jews, and people who hated us for existing.

I’ve lived through it too. I’m a gay Mizrahi Jew who has lived in both Tel Aviv and London. I’ve lived through the Intifada when, then Israeli Labour leader, Ehud Barak, was the Prime Minister. I’ve had people threaten me for being Israeli, and others assume I support Netanyahu simply because I’m Jewish. I’ve been accused of genocide on social media and told to “go back to Poland,” a country my family has never set foot in.

Antisemitism was there before Netanyahu, and it will be there after him. Because antisemitism doesn’t need a reason. It always finds one.

So I want to kindly ask Mandy Patinkin, with sincerity: why is it that your voice is the loudest in an interview when you’re denouncing Netanyahu? Why not also use your platform speak up for Israeli civilians? For the 50 hostages still in Gaza? For your fellow Jews being targeted, harassed, and excluded from progressive spaces? Where was this voice on October 7?

I get it. Patinkin likely meant to express grief and frustration. Many Jews feel broken by what’s happening in Gaza. Many of us are disgusted by Netanyahu’s actions, policies, and coalition. But that pain cannot become permission to turn a victim-blaming narrative into progressive gospel.

If we want a better future for Israelis, Palestinians, and Jews around the world, we must start with moral clarity. That means holding leaders accountable, absolutely. But it also means refusing to justify bigotry, even when it comes cloaked in righteous anger.

Antisemitism is not the fault of Jews. It is the fault of antisemites. We should all be able to say that. Without apology.

And if you can’t condemn bigotry against your own people without needing to distance yourself first, without a disclaimer, without a “but Netanyahu,” then maybe you don’t really care.

Maybe it’s time for some soul-searching.

Because fighting antisemitism means standing up for every Jew, even those whose politics we oppose. It shouldn’t depend on how palatable or perfect we think we are. It should depend on one simple truth: our people deserve to live without hate or fear for our safety.