search
Michael Berenhaus

Double standards are indeed antisemitism

In a letter-to-the-editor written by Allen Mears in The Washington Post on 12/15/23, he asks, “why is it that a critical comment by almost anyone on the war in Gaza is cast as antisemitic?” It is safe to say that the outpouring of critics and protestors in the United States against Israel in the Gaza/Israel war has been greater than in any war since Vietnam, and we are not even in this one! Hundreds of thousands have protested in Washington DC, New York City, college campuses and most major cities in America. Since Vietnam, the numbers of casualties from other wars has dwarfed what has happened in Gaza to say the least: 5.4 million people have been killed in Congo, 150,000 in Yemen, 350,000 in Syria, and 500,000 in Ukraine – to name a few recent wars.
Estimates from the terrorist organization Hamas and their health ministry show 18,000 deaths though they don’t separate out the terrorists from that figure which accordingly leads one to suspect the accuracy of that count. Israel has taken precautions to reduce civilian casualties, greater than in any war in history, including texting civilians and providing corridors to escape the battles.
Mr. Mears says, “I believe civilians in Gaza are needlessly being killed, and I know in my heart that my comment is not meant to be racist or antisemitic.” The question that I would ask Mr. Mears is, why does he “believe” that? He provided no evidence civilians in Gaza “are needlessly being killed” and he omitted whether he protested the other wars, including those in Congo, Yemen, Syria, or Ukraine where significant multiples of those killed in Gaza occurred. So what else can anyone rationally conclude about Mears?
About the Author
Dr. Berenhaus has worked tirelessly as a watchdog for anti-Israel bias in the media. His efforts monitoring and responding to false media reports on Israel have compelled several news organizations to retract inaccuracies and publish letters clarifying the truth about Israel. He has been published widely in highly distributed newspapers and online publications including The Washington Post, The NY Times, The Economist, The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Jewish Week, and The American Thinker. He is a crusader in online/social media working to educate the general public as an advocate of Israel and against anti-Semitism. Dr. Berenhaus is a co-founder of ‘Boycott The Post’ and of ‘Eye on the Post’ - two non-profit organizations that monitor media coverage to ensure accuracy, fairness and truth as it relates to Israel. He is also a founder of The Pakistan Israel Peace Forum, an organization dedicated to creating peace between Muslims and Jews. Although many people in the Washington Jewish community know Dr. Berenhaus for his work in journalism, most don't know how generous he is to the Jewish community with both his time and money. Dr. Berenhaus has spent countless hours throughout the years volunteering for Israel and Jewish organizations. He went to Ethiopia and worked with the last remaining Ethiopian Jews. He has lectured to Interns and community groups providing direction and techniques for Israel Advocacy in the media. Currently, Dr. Berenhaus is working with JSSA to coordinate and donate eye glasses to the entire Washington DC region of needy Holocaust Survivors. That effort has now been expanded nationally.
Related Topics
Related Posts