Anti-Israel sentiment has firmly entrenched itself in the mainstream of American society, visible even in the heart of New York City, home to the largest Jewish population outside Israel. This troubling shift was starkly highlighted on Monday in a viral social media video featuring well-known Jewish influencer Lizzie Savetsky, who, along with her husband faced an abhorrent confrontation with a pro-Hamas supporter.
While walking with her family, Savetsky encountered a pro-Hamas rally marching down 3rd Avenue. She recorded the unsettling exchange on her Instagram, where she has nearly 400,000 followers. In the video, her husband challenges a demonstrator driving a vehicle with a Palestinian flag, mentioning that an American hostage was killed by Hamas. Shockingly, the demonstrator callously responded, "he deserved it."
Savetsky posted the video on Instagram, capturing her and her husband confronting anti-Israel protesters near 3rd Avenue and 52nd Street, where pro-intifada rally goers were marching past. She expressed her outrage in a caption: "I am shaking. We were walking home from lunch with our family in our completely distraught state and we were blocked from crossing the street by these soulless terror supporters chanting for MORE violence. Yeah, weâre LIVID by this complete lack of humanityâESPECIALLY TODAYâand we couldnât hide it. Our kids are devastated to see this happening in their own backyard. Itâs HORRIFIC. What has become of this city???? I donât blame the NYPD. Theyâre doing their best within the framework theyâre permitted by law. This is truly an alternate universe. Do we even have a future here?"
Flags of Terror: Symbols of Hatred on American Soil
What was once unthinkable has now become reality: terror group flags and symbols fluttered freely in New York City on Monday as a coalition of anti-Israel organizations took to the streets. They rallied not just against Israeli military actions, but also against the American values that once upheld the city as a beacon of tolerance and peace. The flags of Hamas's Izz ad-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades were prominently displayed, their banners a chilling reminder of the terror these groups sow globally. Videos from the Bronx Anti-War Coalition and Within Our Lifetime (WOL), the principal protest organizers, showcased this unsettling scene.
The audacity of these rallies went further as Hezbollahâs flag was hoisted alongside those of various Middle Eastern states, signaling a disturbing alignment with groups openly committed to Israelâs destruction. Among the thousands of marchers, singular Hamas and Hezbollah flags waved defiantly, while chants like âFrom the river to the sea, Palestine will be freeâ and âFrom the water to the water, Palestine is Arabâ echoed through the streets, starkly revealing the xenophobic and genocidal aspirations of these demonstrators.
remember a Jewish man was arrested in NYC for arguing with a Halal vendor
â Daniel Greenfield - "Hang Together or Separately" (@Sultanknish) September 2, 2024
he lost his job
but Hamas supporters can openly threaten Jews
The protesters' garb was equally provocative. Some donned Hamas headbands, while one man brandished a banner emblazoned with images of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and the Marxist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) General Secretary Ahmad Saadat, a blatant show of support for convicted terrorists. The banner bore the logo of the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, a radical PFLP-affiliated NGO that has long championed the cause of those convicted of terrorism.
Calls for Violence and the Spread of Extremism
Nerdeen Kiswani, the outspoken and unabashedly antisemitic leader of Within Our Lifetime, delivered a speech that could only be described as incendiary. Flanked by terrorist flags, she railed against the New York Police Department, accusing them of colluding with Israel to suppress pro-Palestinian protests. Her rhetoric reached fever pitch as she claimed, âThe people standing with Palestine right now are resisting alongside us, from Yemen to Lebanon and beyond. If you stand with Palestinians, you stand with Palestinian resistance.â This âresistance,â of course, is a thinly veiled reference to violent opposition, including acts of terror.
⥠Lady Mujahideen marching with a Hamas flag in New York City today.
â OsintWorld đ (@OsiOsint1) September 3, 2024
An American citizen mu~dered by Hamas was buried earlier today.#Hamas #Ukrain #Israel #Russia #WestBank #Kursk #Hezbollah #lebanon #Gaza pic.twitter.com/X25ao7aj0V
The demonstrations, endorsed by numerous anti-Israel organizations, were partly organized to condemn the NYPD's response to the October 7 demonstrations. WOL and co-organizer Healthcare Workers for Palestine accused the police of employing aggressive and militarized tactics against the protesters. Since Hamas launched their assault on Israel last October, the anti-Israel protesters have been recorded damaging property and harassing passersby who disagree, sometimes with violent results.
Misinformation and Media Manipulation Claims
On Sunday, WOL announced on X (formerly Twitter) that they were "flooding" New York City to protest against what they deemed the "repression of Palestine" by Western media and tech companies. They accused news outlets of disproportionately focusing on Israeli deaths over Palestinian deaths, alleging a bias that avoided attributing actions to Israel while not labeling the IDF's operations as "genocide" or "ethnic cleansing."
One of the happiest days in America.
â the judge (@AAbuzaed42256) September 3, 2024
After the evil Jewish Zionists genocide and kill innocent children in Gaza,
this is what New York City looks like when thousands show their support for humanity.
Americans, I implore you, vote wisely.
This is America pic.twitter.com/aD5S2mTGUA
The protestors argued that American media perpetuates Islamophobic and racist tropes, fostering anti-Palestinian bias among average Americans. Furthermore, WOL and Healthcare Workers for Palestine criticized tech giants like Google and Amazon for their alleged complicity in aiding Israeli actions through contracts with the Israeli government. They also accused Meta of censoring anti-Israel activists like Kiswani by suspending their accounts.
A Dark Day for New York City
The events in New York City on Monday serve as a sobering reminder of the mainstreaming of anti-Israel hatred in America. The bold display of terrorist symbols, coupled with open calls for violence and the dissemination of misinformation, underscores a dangerous erosion of the values that once defined an enlightened society. As pro-Israel voices are increasingly drowned out by the vitriol of anti-Israel activists, the need for vigilance and advocacy has never been more critical.
